Studio Album · No. 15
Street Legal Songwriting Credits by Bob Dylan
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Dylan carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Every one of the nine songs on Street-Legal was written solely by Bob Dylan. The album marked a fuller, band-driven sound built around saxophone, organ, and female backing vocals, a shift from his sparser mid-1970s records. Producer Don DeVito oversaw the sessions at Rundown Studios in Santa Monica.
Released June 15, 1978, Street Legal followed the critical success of Desire (1977) and was recorded in just four days at Rundown Studios in Santa Monica, California, making it one of Dylan's fastest-tracked albums. Don DeVito produced all nine tracks, which were entirely written by Dylan, though three co-writes recorded during the sessions were left off the final release. The album represented a significant stylistic departure: Dylan assembled a large pop-rock ensemble featuring female backing vocalists, saxophones, and keyboards, drawing on adult contemporary production aesthetics far removed from his prior folk and rock work. American critics dismissed it on release, but it performed strongly commercially, going gold in the US (peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard 200) and platinum in the UK (reaching No. 2). A 1999 remix and remaster substantially rehabilitated its critical standing, with Q Magazine ultimately awarding it five stars.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Changing of the Guards
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
New Pony
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
No Time to Think
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Baby, Stop Crying
#13
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Is Your Love in Vain?
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
True Love Tends to Forget
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
We Better Talk This Over
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | Don DeVito | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |