ON THIS DAY IN 1965, BOB DYLAN RELEASED ONE OF HIS MOST SUCCESSFUL ALBUMS, “HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED”

Dylan’s 6th album, Highway 61 Revisited is considered a departure for the singer-songwriter, as until this point, much of his work had been acoustic, whereas this album drew upon rock musicians for the backing tracks of almost every song.

Highway 61 itself is a stretch of road that Dylan felt a connection to, stating the road “begins about where I began. I always felt like I’d started on it, always had been on it and could go anywhere, even down in to the deep Delta country. It was the same road, full of the same contradictions, the same one-horse towns, the same spiritual ancestors … It was my place in the universe, always felt like it was in my blood.” The highway passes the homes and birthplaces of many significant musicians and a number of stories about blues musicians originated there. It has been speculated this is the reason for the albums title, as much of the music is heavyily blues influenced.

The album spawned a wave of positive critiques almost immediately, and it’s legacy has continued. Numerous awards have been given both to the album and it’s standout single, “Like a Rolling Stone”, which finished at number one on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”