Bob Dylan is one of the most well-known songwriters of all time and one of the most vital musicians to come out of the Greenwich Village folk scene. With decades of work under his belt, plenty of really good and underrated songs have slipped through the cracks. I bet even the biggest Bob Dylan fans haven’t heard the following deep cuts before, though you’re welcome to prove me wrong! Either way, these tunes are must-haves for any Dylan playlist.
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“Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight)” from ‘Self Portrait’ (1970)
Self Portrait is one of the most polarizing Bob Dylan releases of his career. Look at any review aggregate, and you’ll find critics ripping the album to shreds. To a degree, I get why. To release a double album after the legendary Blonde On Blonde in 1966 was no easy feat to start with. And, considering so much of Self Portrait featured cover songs and little in the way of new material, listeners were confused at best and PO’d at worst.
Still, this album has its moments. “Copper Kettle” is one such moment. This song was originally written by Albert Frank Beddoe, and Dylan’s contemporary Joan Baez popularized the song first. Dylan’s version is definitely worthy of praise, though, as his performance is quite emotional and memorable.
“Man Of Peace” from ‘Infidels’ (1983)
Infidels got quite a bit more love than Self Portrait did, but it’s not without its underrated tracks. “Man Of Peace” stands out to me. While “Jokerman”, “Sweetheart Like You”, and “I And I” soaked up all the attention after the album was released, underrated gems like “Man Of Peace” fell through the cracks. Bob Dylan deep cuts don’t get deeper than this, unless you want to get into bootleg territory.
This song deals with some religious concepts, namely Satan’s tendency (or evil’s tendency as a whole) to disguise itself in order to mislead humanity.
“Belle Isle” from ‘Self Portrait’ (1970)
Another gem from the often-hated Self Portrait makes it to this list. “Belle Isle” is another one of those Bob Dylan deep cuts that didn’t get much love when it was first released, but has since gotten more of a cult following in recent years. It’s an incredibly tender and moving song that really stood out among the more overproduced and glitzy pop music of its time. It’s a gorgeous traditional song that’s been covered countless times, but Dylan’s version might just be the most memorable.
Photo by Alice Ochs/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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