Is it Rolling Bob?: A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan

A phenomenal re-imagination of songs of America's most noted songwriter by some of the most celebrated reggae musicians, this remarkable collection marries reggae stars like Toots Hibbert, Beres Hammond, The Mighty Diamonds and Sizzla with Dylan material ranging from "Blowin' In the Wind" (1963) to "Gotta Serve Somebody" (1979). The album also features a newly crafted, Dylan approved, reggae remix of "I And I." The song originally appears on Dylan's Infidels album, and features the legendary drum and bass duo Sly & Robbie. Says album producer Doctor Dread, "As a major fan of both Bob Dylan and Bob Marley, I believe this record really addresses the commonality between their audiences; Dylan was a voice of the oppressed in the 1960s just as Bob Marley was a voice of the oppressed in 1970s."

Bob Dylan's songs have been covered by everyone from the Byrds to Muzak. But performers from other traditions, unhampered by the original historic and social contexts and subsequent decades of awe-struck veneration, can just relax and sing their hearts out. Producer Dr. Dread has picked material from Dylan's Woody Guthrie-influenced early career ("Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol"), his anarchistic yet tender middle period ("Just Like A Woman"), and even his brief foray into born-again Christianity ("Gotta Serve Somebody"). Each selection is rhythmically revamped while the lyrics are sometimes reinterpreted via the Word according to Jah. But if the straightforward arrangements tend to mitigate Dylan's sly sophistication, his melodies, which so often took a back-seat to his poems, emerge in all their glory. Other than a rare, Dylan-sanctioned remix of a tune he recorded with Sly & Robbie, there are few earth-shaking revelations, but this engaging album is well worth owning. --Christina Roden