Greil Marcus

Describes the cultural context and impact of the song "Like a Rolling Stone," examining its musical antecedents, the song's place in Dylan's career, the circumstances of its production, its lyrical and musical structure and meaning, and its treatment in the hands of other musicians.

Across seven decades, Bob Dylan has been the first singer of American song. As a writer and performer, he has rewritten the national songbook in a way that comes from his own vision and yet can feel as if it belongs to anyone who might listen. In Folk Music, Greil Marcus tells Dylan's story through seven of his most transformative songs. Marcus's point of departure is Dylan's ability to "see myself in others." Like Dylan's songs, this book is a work...