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 performer, being described by many as Chaplinesque and Vaudeville in style.
But mostly this album is about honest, earthy, folky blues. And most of Dylan's music in future years  is never very far away from these bluesy roots. There are some straightforward blues : Baby Let me Follow You Down, Freight Train Blues, Fixin to Die and some send ups of traditional folk tunes - eg Pretty Peggy Oh
The Arrangement of House of the Rising Sun was nicked from fellow Greenwich Folk singer Dave van Ronk, much to his chagrin!
This is a rough, ragged album, certainly not indicative of what was to follow over the next few years. There is some accomplished guitar playing and some interesting harmonica and the voice is already unmistakable but the accent and emphasis changes as Dylan moves through the songs.
My favourite : surprisingly difficult to choose but "See that my grave is kept clean" is an Honest blues song originally recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson which the young Dylan delivers in his already highly original style.