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"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (rel: 1963) wil probably go down as the greatest folksinging album of all time.
It begins with Bob's "Folk Era" anthem "Blowin' In The Wind" and never lets up with songs such as:

- A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
- Masters Of War
- Girl From The North Country
- Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
- Talking World War III Blues
- Bob Dylan's Dream

What makes this album extra special is its LP cover, photographed by Don Hunstein, who (famously) captured Bob Dylan and his (then) girlfriend, Suze Rotolo,
walking down Jones Street (Greenwich Village), not far from Bob Dylan's apartment.

It was a freezing cold wintry day in February of 1963. But oh, what a romantic photograph this turned out to be, with Suze Rotolo clinging onto Bob Dylan.
A real gem if you ask me. The cover even inspired Art Garfunkel to continue singing with Paul Simon.

Says Art Garfunkel:

"I saw the cover of "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" in a Record Store window while walking along Broadway....
and I knew right there and then, I need to make music my life. I telephoned Paul."

*** FREEWHEELIN' LP COVER ***

But besides this unique picture taken by Don Hunstein, let's give Suze Rotolo some credit for inspiring Bob Dylan on these protest songs dealing with world events
(also included on Dylan's following album: "The Times They Are A-Changin'").

When people ask what is "Hard Rain" about, Bob Dylan never gives a clear answer. But on the surface, the song seems to focus on suffering, war, the generation gap,
social injustice and racism.

As someone who used to joke around in the classroom in order to get attention and "fit in", my favorite line from "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" was:

"I heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley."