Ley Lady Ley - Bob Dylan

[10ClarionSt]

I've got some of Dylans' records and, like everyone else, have heard his music many times over the years, but whenever I hear Ley Lady Ley, I always think the singer isn't Bob Dylan.

It's just not typical of all his other vocals. I'm probably wrong, but has anyone else ever thought this?

[andy-hughes]

It's 'Lay Lady Lay', written about Joan Baez, Dylan's lover at the time, and yes, it does sound most unlike the standard raspy around-the-tune-sometimes vocal style that Dylan employs on most of his other songs.

If you listen to 'Things Have Changed', Dylan sounds totally different from his usual vocal - but you have to take age into account here.

I think Dylan was just feeling rommantic on the day, and showed that he can 'sing' when he wants to, he just usually doesn't want to.

[China Doll]

I always thought that particular song was written about a prostitute actually. Kind of made sense when I looked at the lyrics too. I do agree that Dylan sounds very different in it tho.

[buttchester]

The whole of the Nashville Skyline album had unusual vocals for Bob Dylan. He blamed this on the fact that he had just quit smoking.

(This is the first time I've ever known of quitting smoking to be a bad thing.)

[SeaJayPea]

Hi Clarion, been away and only just seen this (sad man, me).
I'm pretty sure I remember that Nashville Skyline was a sort of comeback album after Dylan broke his neck in a motorcycle accident. The change in his voice was put down to damage to his vocal chords. It's never been quite the same since.
Cheers