Dylan, Bob - Self Portrait - 2 LPs 180 Gr. (Limited Magazine Edition + Poster)

ne of the most controversial albums in Bob Dylan's remarkable catalog, the 1970 double LP Self Portrait continues to hold a great fascination for Dylan devotees. Released shortly after the breakthrough album Nashville Skyline, Self Portrait featured a whimsical assortment of studio and live tracks that included both Dylan originals and cover versions of well-known pop and folk songs, recorded with an all-star cast. At the time of its original release, the sprawling, unconventional Self Portrait sparked a great deal of debate and disagreement among Dylan's admirers. The ongoing controversy surrounding the album has also been fueled by Dylan himself over the years. At various times, Dylan has defended Self Portrait as a heartfelt artistic statement, dismissed it as a joke, and described it as a concerted attempt to escape the pressures of his unwanted status as the voice of a generation. Regardless of the artist's actual intentions, Self Portrait holds a special place in the hearts of Dylan devotees and is often cited as an early milestone in the birth of alternative country. Highlights of Self Portrait include the Dylan originals "Wigwam," which was later featured in the Wes Anderson film The Royal Tenenbaums, "Living the Blues," which was later covered by artists such as Leon Redbone and Antony Hegarty, and "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)," which Manfred Mann made into a British Invasion hit in 1968. The latter song is one of four live tracks taken from Dylan's legendary performance with the band at the historic Isle of Wight Festival, along with memorable versions of Dylan standards "Like a Rolling Stone," "Minstrel Boy" and "She Belongs to Me." Also featured are Dylan's interpretations of a variety of foreign songs, from his iconic rendition of the country folk song "Copper Kettle" to his distinctive renditions of such familiar tunes as Paul Simon's "The Boxer," Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Mornin' Rain" and the old Everly Brothers hits "Let It Be Me" and "Take a Message to Mary."