Critically speaking the 1980's were not kind to Bob Dylan. The decade started with two more albums of gospel music, Saved and Shot of Love, both of which critics seemed to hate on principle alone. These were followed by 1983's Infidels which is now considered to be a career highlight but at the time was dismissed by much of the popular music press, and then came Empire Burlesque in 1985. An album which for many signals the beginning of a creative low for Dylan, that would produce some the most poorly received albums in his entire catalog. In the years since it's release Empire's reputation has only sunk lower and lower.
So what is it about this album that people dislike so much? The first hints are right there on the album's cover. Everything about Empire screams the 1980's, and nowhere is that felt more than the production on the songs. Arthur Baker, a DJ who had found success in creating dance remixes of contemporary hits, was brought on to finish production on Empire. It's his work that is primarily responsible for the albums so-called "Disco Dylan" sound which is so derided. I'm not comfortable putting all the blame on Baker for the albums perceived shortcomings, in fact it was their suggestion of including a single stripped down acoustic track that lead to the only undeniable gem of the record with "Dark Eyes." Also having listened to an early worktape of EB which lacks Baker's contribution, I can say the improvement is only marginal.
At the end of the day if Empire failed as a record the blame falls on Dylan. I'm not sure if it did fail, for me at least, but even if it did that wouldn't preclude the possibility for some really great tracks being included. One such track is the albums first: "Tight Connection To My Heart." A song that has all the elements that make a classic Dylan song. An infectious, almost hypnotic melody drive the song through scenes of betrayal, unforgiving cities and surrealist outbursts of violence set to 1940's traditional pop songs. It makes for one of my favorite compositions of Dylan's 80's output. There is however one major issue with "TCTMH", it pales in comparison to it's older sibling "Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart."
"Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart" was recorded for Infidels but along with fellow masterpiece "Blind Willie Mctell" missed inclusion on the final record. It would go officially unreleased until 1991's The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. "SGAHOMH" is the prototype for "Tight Connection", sharing similar music and some lyrics, but ends up being the more successful song. The main thing it does better is set the stage on which all the drama will transpire without sacrificing any of that drama. Wildfire moons, crooked streets that twist and turn into nothingness, and blue skies with patchy clouds are the backdrop for the contradiction laden love affair at the heart of the song. "Tight Connection" on the other hand is more concerned with the particulars of what was said and done in the relationship. This is effective in its own way, but when the violence of the city becomes a focal point in the third verses of both songs, it feels much more earned in "SGAHOMH."
That isn't all that "Someone's" has over "Tight Connection." Dylan's more understated vocals and harmonica are a great improvement over the high whine (even for Dylan) and backup singers that dominated Empire Burlesque as a whole. It's also just more effective poetically. The opening lines for example make use of visual metaphors to setup the entire relationship dynamic perfectly:
They say, “Eat, drink and be merry
Take the bull by the horns”
I keep seeing visions of you, a lily among thorns
Everything looks a little far away to me
With just four lines "SGAHOMH" is able to achieve what it takes "Tight Connection" two whole verses to communicate.
There is however one thing that "Tight Connection" has that "Someone's" doesn't, a music video, and it's one of the strangest things Dylan has ever done. It's apparent through various interviews of the time that Bob resented doing music videos. This was partly because of a lack of creative control, and partly because he comes across extremely awkwardly in most of his on screen performances of this era. The music video for "Tight Connection" takes the cake in terms of awkwardness though.
Every time I watch it (and I have watched it dozens of times) something newly wrong presents itself. From his acting, to the goofy costumes, and of course the utterly surreal moments when other actors lip-sync to Bob's vocals, there's always something weird going on. The fact that it's all played straight is what makes this maybe the only ever unironically "so bad it's good" music video.
Like much of "so bad it's good" media this video strives for greatness but botches the execution. That is to say there are some good ideas to be found here. The reoccurring visual of the blue wig for example goes a long way to elevate what might otherwise be dismissed as just a weird lyric when it appears in the third verse. The video even creates a more direct parallel between the love story and the societal unrest by involving Dylan in a murder investigation where he is wrongfully accused and arrested. The details of this plot are a little strange and don't make all that much sense when you really start to think about it, but i'm willing to accept it on an emotional rather than logical level.
Dylan's music has always been about the intersection of different ideas and concepts. "Tight Connection To My Heart" takes that to a very meta level for me. To me perhaps no song better represents his career as a whole. The good, the bad, the strange, and that inexplicable magnetism that continues to draw me back to his work even when it isn't entirely successful.
