Bob Dylan's No. 1 Breakthrough: The Story Behind 'Planet Waves
In the mid-1960s, Bob Dylan rose to prominence as a revered singer-songwriter in the music industry. Despite his earlier commercial success, it wasn't until 1974 that he achieved his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with "Planet Waves." Originally intended to be named "Ceremonies Of The Horsemen," the album was a collaborative effort with his former touring group, The Band. "Planet Waves" replaced Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" at the top of the chart and remained there for four weeks before being succeeded by Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were."
Featuring 11 tracks, including two versions of the well-known song "Forever Young," "Planet Waves" showcased Dylan's songwriting prowess with 10 original compositions. Despite the album's success, its singles, "On A Night Like This" and "Something There Is About You," only achieved modest chart positions on the Billboard Hot 100. The Band, initially known as The Hawks, had previously backed Dylan during his controversial transition to electric accompaniment in the mid-1960s, leading to their collaboration on various recordings, including "The Basement Tapes."
Following Dylan's motorcycle accident in 1966, The Band joined him in Woodstock, New York, where they worked on music together and eventually formed their own identity as The Band. The idea of recording an album with The Band arose in 1973 when guitarist Robbie Robertson moved near Dylan's residence in Malibu, California. After a successful test rehearsal, Dylan and The Band embarked on a tour and recorded "Planet Waves" at The Village Recorder studio in West Los Angeles, California, with audio engineer Rob Fraboni as the producer.
Notably, the track "Forever Young" received special attention during the recording sessions, with Dylan expressing his struggle to capture the essence of the song he had carried in his mind for years. The album cover featured a black-and-white drawing by Dylan, accompanied by a poetic essay on the back. Released on January 17, 1974, "Planet Waves" was supported by a tour that commenced in Chicago and concluded in Inglewood, California. Subsequently, Dylan and The Band released a live album titled "Before The Flood" in June 1974, primarily recorded during the Inglewood shows.