Like a Slow-Rolling Stone

Exactly 48 years ago this week, in mid-June 1965, Bob Dylan recorded in New York City, with Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and the gang, what some (not just me) call the greatest single in rock 'n roll history, "Like a Rolling Stone."  It was released one month later, on July 20, reaching #2 on the Billboard chart.  Among other breakthroughs: It was the first six-minute single and DJs played the whole thing for weeks, before breaking off after two verses near the end of its run.   Here's the rarely heard version of the first take in the studio--slow, almost a waltz, and Bob  on piano.  The Wikipedia entry describes it this way:  "The lack of sheet music meant the song was played by ear. However the essence of the song was discovered in the course of the chaotic session."  Greil Marcus has a whole book on the song.   Always amusing is tale of Al Kooper talking his way into the session, then taking over organ part just with chutzpah.

And then, also below, two years later, Jimi Hendrix's amazing version at Monterey.  I saw Bob do it himself in November 1965, in Buffalo, with The Hawks.