Bob Dylan - the first album 1962 The album that was nicknamed Hammond's Folly after the veteran record producer, with a string of successes behind him including Benny Goodman, Billy Holiday and Count Basie, pushed hard to get this album recorded, having spotted a 20 year old Dylan playing in a Greenwich Village Folk Club. It flopped initially! Listening to it again, there is a lot going on here but not much of it by Dylan. Only two songs written by him are included: "Song to Woody"is exactly what it says. The young Dylan was massively influenced by Woody Guthrie, whom he visited in a New York hospital, and this is a simple song of homage from a wide eyed worshiper. The other Dylan composition, "Talking New York Blues" was one of a number of talking blues being performed by Dylan in the early years. The talking blues format is very flexible but requires great timing to pull off. It is still quite funny now. At this time Dylan was a very funny perfo...