Studio Album · No. 21
Knocked Out Loaded Songwriting Credits by Bob Dylan
Holds writing credit on 5 of 8 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 5 / 8 documented
Scored across the 8 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Dylan carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 8 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Knocked Out Loaded is a patchwork of covers, traditional arrangements, and Dylan co-writes rather than a set of solo originals. Of its eight tracks, only Driftin' Too Far from Shore and Maybe Someday are credited to Dylan alone, while Precious Memories is a traditional song arranged by Dylan. The opening tracks are covers of Little Junior Parker (You Wanna Ramble) and Kris Kristofferson (They Killed Him). The album's centerpiece, the eleven-minute Brownsville Girl, was co-written with playwright Sam Shepard, and Dylan also shares writing credits with Tom Petty on Got My Mind Made Up and Carole Bayer Sager on Under Your Spell.
Released July 14, 1986, Knocked Out Loaded was assembled from sessions spanning 1984-1986 across four studios in New York and Los Angeles, with Dylan serving as sole producer. The album's songwriting was unusually fragmented: it comprised three cover songs, three collaborations with other writers, and only two solo Dylan compositions, making it one of the least author-driven releases of his career. Notable collaborations included an 11-minute epic co-written with playwright Sam Shepard, "Brownsville Girl", which drew on vivid narrative imagery and was singled out by critics as one of Dylan's most ambitious narrative songs of the decade; Tom Petty contributed to another track. The album received poor reviews and weak sales, peaking at No. 53 on the US Billboard 200, his lowest chart position for a studio album since his 1962 debut. Critics characterized it as a depressing affair, suggesting Dylan released it primarily to capitalize on his 1986 tour rather than because he had anything specific to say.
Track Listing & Credits 8 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
You Wanna Ramble
|
Junior Parker | Junior Parker | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
They Killed Him
|
Kris Kristofferson | Kris Kristofferson | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Driftin' Too Far from Shore
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Precious Memories
|
Traditional | Traditional | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Maybe Someday
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Brownsville Girl
|
Robert Allen ZimmermannSam Shepard | Robert Allen ZimmermannSam Shepard | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
Got My Mind Made Up
|
Robert Allen ZimmermannTom Petty | Robert Allen ZimmermannTom Petty | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
Under Your Spell
|
Robert Allen ZimmermannCarole Bayer Sager | Robert Allen ZimmermannCarole Bayer Sager | Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |