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Like a Rolling Stone

"Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by Bob Dylan, from the album Highway 61 Revisited. First issued in 1965, it represents, in its length (6 minutes), style and scoring, one of the most influential of Dylan's songs.

The lyrics take an unsympathetic tone to its 'female' victim (How does it feel/ how does it feel/ to be on your own...) which borders on misogyny; but this is moderated by the clear impression that the song, and its image of its subject's fall from grace and into isolation, are in part self-addressed. Some critics have also noted the disconnect between the lyrics and the comparably upbeat music. An alternative interpretation would have it that the subject of the song is Andy Warhol, whom Dylan supposedly disliked intensely.

In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine created a list of the top 500 songs of all time . Like a Rolling Stone was #1 on this list. Following the publication of the Rolling Stone article, Columbia Records reported that song was almost canned because of the song's length and the company's fidelity to then mainstream genres like jazz and pop, among other reasons.

Last updated: 05-21-2005 01:44:55