The Era of Bob Dylan’s Career He Deemed the Worst: “The Mirror Had Swung Around”

No musician’s career is infallible. Mistakes will be made, it’s just a matter of when. Even an artist of Bob Dylan’s caliber has made a few missteps in his career–and he’s not afraid to admit it. In fact, there is one era in particular that Dylan deemed his worst. Find out why Dylan dislikes his album, Down in the Groove, below.

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The Era of Bob Dylan’s Career He Deemed the Worst: “The Mirror Had Swung Around”

Well, a young marriage vow, you know, it’s very sacred
The man put us together, now, you wanna make it
Stick together
Come on, come on, stick together.

You know, you made a vow, not to leave one another, never
Well, ya never miss you water till your well runs dry
Come one, baby, give our love a try, let’s stick together

The ’80s were an interesting decade for Dylan. While his most shocking evolution in this era was his turn toward the religious, his 1988 album, Down in the Groove was equally as confusing to fans. Though it saw Dylan take a step back toward his roots–i.e. performing covers of classics–it failed to have the same charm. This is a fact Dylan knows well.

According to Dylan, Down in the Groove was evidence he was moving past his prime. It put his musicality in an unflattering light, according to the folk legend.

“I was what they called over the hill,” Dylan once said. “The mirror had swung around, and I could see the future – an old actor fumbling around in the garbage cans outside the theatre of past triumphs.”

Though we can’t say we completely agree with Dylan’s scathing review of this album, we can see how it would be one of his least well received works. When you have a catalog as powerful and transformative as Dylan’s is, it can seem a little trite to release a record full of covers and lackluster originals. It certainly wasn’t Dylan operating at peak levels.

Revisit Dylan’s “Let’s Stick Together” from Down in the Groove, below.

Well, ya never miss your water till your well runs dry
Come one, baby, give our love a try, let’s stick together
Come on, come on, stick together
You know, we made a vow, not to leave one another, never.

It might be tough for a while, but consider the child
Cannot be happy without his mom and his pappy
Let’s stick together

(Photo by Gai Terrell/Redferns)