Please help me pick my last Dylan album.

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I'm finishing up my agreement with the BMG music club and I've got one more CD to get. I'm currently on a big Dylan obsession and I've got all of his crucial albums, leaving me to pick one of these: Slow Train Coming, Empire Burlesque, or Infidels. I've got Greatest Hits 3 and Biograph, so that covers some of the "hits" off of those albums. Which should I get?

― Joseph B. Cowart (flamingrev), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

Empire Burlesque, no question. My favorite album between Blood on the Tracks and World Gone Wrong.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

Easy choice: Infidels.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

infidels, definitely

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

Infiedls, cause it'll be the remaster. Empire will be in the next batch, (That is, if they ever come out)

― Orgy of Pragmatism (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

I'll take EB's filler over Infidel's ("Union Sundown," "Man of Peace," ugh).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Do not listen to Alfred unless you share his love of cheese-filled snares

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

or think Xgau knows what he's talking about

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

nwa - str8 outta compton

― RoxyMuzak© (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

Slow Train Coming. (But I've never heard Empire Burlesque and am not at all obsessed with Dylan. But I do think it's underrated.)

― R_S (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, get Infidels first... More importantly, though (xpost - no offense to R_S), avoid "Slow Train" (or just d/l "Precious Angel" and "I Believe in You") unless you REALLY gots everything else...

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

Are these cheese-filled snares?

hhttp://images.allrecipes.com/site/allrecipes/area/community/userphoto/small/16122.jpg

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, Knocked Out Loaded has snares with double the cheese.

I'll admit that "Jokerman" and "Sweetheart Like You" pwn anything on EB; but if you really must, download those two tracks, plus "Foot of Pride" and "Blind Willie McTell" and you have an inkling of what Infidels could have been like.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think those are even drums

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

mmmmmmm snarrrrresssss

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

The one thing Empire Burlesque has going for it is Dark Eyes, one of Bob's best 80s songs. But Infidels has Jokerman, License To Kill, & Neighborhood Bully, three essentials.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:50 (nineteen years ago)

I've got Greatest Hits 3 and Biograph, so that covers some of the "hits" off of those albums. Which should I get?

Is Shot Of Love in consideration? That's the best of his Christian phase. It's inferior to Infidels but better than Slow Train & Saved.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

dude already has Jokerman on GHV3

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 17:55 (nineteen years ago)

I need a mess of you guys to follow me around all the time to aid in my decision making process.

What should I have for breakfast?

Does this shirt go with this tie?

― Joseph B. Cowart (flamingrev), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

The rockin' "Jokerman":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJSGbMs5a1U&mode=related&search=

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

That clip is great!

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm, I'd go for 'Slow Train Coming'. It's got the aforementionned "Precious Angels" and "I Believe in You" AND "Man gave names to all the animals". Title track is pretty good too.

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

i wouldn't give any of those records more than a 6/10, but infidels is marginally the best of the three in my view. none of them crack my top 15 dylan records.

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

Top 15? what would that be?

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 08:06 (nineteen years ago)

Infidels. Empire Burlesque could have been good but Arthur Baker ruined it with his terrible production i.e. "When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky."

― shookout (shookout), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

top 15, no order (ordering them would kill me :) )

blonde on blonde
highway 61 revisited
john wesley harding
freewheeling...
bringing it all back home
desire
another side of bob dylan
time out of mind
nashville skyline
new morning
bob dylan
the times they are a-changin
love and theft
modern times
planet waves

i'd normally of course also include the basement tapes, but i'm limiting it to solo studio releases.

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez, I'd forgotten how easy it is to actually make a Dylan Top 15... Personally, I might put Slow Train or Shot of Love above Planet Waves or New Morning.

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

planet waves is the only one i'd be willing to rotate out of that list actually :)

it has a tentative hold on 15h spot

new morning for mine would probably crack the 10

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

I have read this several times and still don't see Blood on the Tracks.

― deekew (deekew), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

BOTT is my OPO

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

sorry, obviously it's meant to be in there. i remember meaning to put it down
planet waves is certified no. 16

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I like "Dylan" and so I shall fetch my jacket.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, okay:

Top 15 Dylan (counting the bootleg series)

Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Blonde On Blonde
John Wesley Harding
Basement Tapes
New Morning
Before The Flood
Blood On The Tracks
Desire
Infidels
Time Out Of Mind
Love and Theft
Modern Times
Bootleg Series Box (vol 1-3)
Bootleg Series--Manchester Hall 1965

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

By preference:

1. Blood on the Tracks
2. Bringing it All Back Home
3. Nashville Skyline
4. John Wesley Harding
5. Blonde On Blonde
6. Freewheeling...
7. Highway 61 Revisited
8. Another side of bob dylan
9. The times they are a-changin
10. Love and Theft
11. Modern Times
12. Desire
13. Shot of Love
14. Slow Train
15. World Gone Wrong

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

ok, i'm gonna make my definitive 'by preference' list as well. surely easier than it looks

1. blonde on blonde
2. highway 61 revisited
3. bringing it all back home
4. john wesley harding
5. freewheeling
6. blood on the tracks
7. desire
8. another side of bob dylan
9. new morning
10. love and theft
11. the times they are a-changin
12. modern times
13. nashville skyline
14. bob dylan
15. time out of mind

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

This is boring. How about the ten least favorite albums, in order? I've never heard any of the "bad" albums, so I'm curious as to which is regarded as the worst of the worst.

― Joseph B. Cowart (flamingrev), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

The worst:

1. Desire
2. Street Legal
3. Down in the Groove
4. Dylan

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

Self Portrait has got to be one of the most interesting bad ones. What about Saved and the live albums like the Budokan one and the Dylan and the Dead one?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

The worst:

1. Live at Budokan (worst by a very very wide margin)
2. Street Legal
3. Saved
4. Knocked Out Loaded
5. Down In The Groove

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

LOL at Alfred and his cultivated, contrarian bad taste

Desire doesn't belong in a worst of Dylan list. Empire Burlesque is a poor album, with the odd good song destroyed by terrible, dated production.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:24 (nineteen years ago)

The second side of Desire is of a badness not to be believed (gangster sentimentality and gypsy clichés!).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

budokan is awful but completely worth hearing. like a lot of his worst stuff, it makes you think he must be kidding -- but if he is, he doesn't let on.

xpost: yeah, desire is hugely overrated. "isis" is great, but most of the rest is not. (and the live version of "isis" on biograph is way better than the studio version)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

"Sara" is totally great.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

Doesn't everyone come off as "contrarian," at least a little, when listing their fave and least-fave Dylan albums? (Unless you think it's all about the '60s stuff and "Blood on the Tracks," in which case maybe you're in line with some kind of old-school, Dave Marsh "mainstream.")

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, "sara" is good. and "hurricane" is catchy, but has some of his dumbest lyrics.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, this contrarian bullshit annoys me. I love Empire Burlesque and will duel anyone over a fiery pit if they impugn it.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

"Mozambique" is pretty crap

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

He must've been bribed by the country's tourism dept.

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

Sara, Joey, Hurricane and Isis make it worth owning. The same cannot be said for Black Diamond Bay.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 17:50 (nineteen years ago)

Joey? Good Lord. Incredibly craptastic.

Street Legal's one of his best! A harrowing portrait of a man in spiritual crisis, and it's some of the best singing he ever did.

Budokon is worth it for the reggae Don't Think Twice.

His worst album is Dylan and the Dead.

― shookout (shookout), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 22:40 (nineteen years ago)

That's my last Dylan painted on the wall

― R_S (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously, Desire gets rendered totally worthless by the Rolling Thunder versions of those songs. And I'm gonna second Shookout on Street Legal.

― wolfwolfwolf (wolfwolfwolf), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

no way! Joey is awesome! I'm unapoligetically a sucker for story songs! They're songs! that tell a story! Like the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a good one but so is Joey.

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:11 (nineteen years ago)

Slow Train Coming.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

no way! Joey is awesome! I'm unapoligetically a sucker for story songs!

Especially songs which sentimentalize the life of slimeball Joey Gallo.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:16 (nineteen years ago)

Man even rappers don't gloss over Preme and Fat Cat's stories the way Dylan does Gallo's.

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:21 (nineteen years ago)

Plus its just too long.

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:21 (nineteen years ago)

oh for pete's sake you guys serious have a prob w/the song cuz of THAT? (too long I could see but it don't bother me none)

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:23 (nineteen years ago)

sentimentalising slimeballs=a whole gigantic shitload of music to thread

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Bangs wrote an essay about how its bad cuz its sentimentalizing Gallo so it prob has more traction here for that reason.

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:33 (nineteen years ago)

"Empire" has "Dark Eyes," no? That's a great song.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:48 (nineteen years ago)

"Joey" is just really really boring (and long). "Mozambique" OTOH is awesome, it nearly redeems the whole album. I haven't heard his stuff 1983-1990, but I'd say the worst would be either 'Infidels' or 'Planet Waves'. 'Saved' is, err, saved by its kitsch novelty value. Ditto with 'Budokan'

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Thursday, 12 October 2006 07:09 (nineteen years ago)

'one more cup of coffee', 'sara' and 'isis' are arguably the only songs i really like on desire. but what songs they are. it's on the back of those songs alone that desire makes no. 7 on my list

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 12 October 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

No love for "Oh Sister?"

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 12 October 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

the live version of that song on 'hard rain' turned me off it for life

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 12 October 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

My problem with "Dark Eyes" is that it's so often mentioned as EB's saving grace for the most conservative of reasons, i.e. "Thank goodness it's missing Arthur Baker's electro slobber." A lovely melody, yeah, but it's rather limp next to "Something Burning's, Baby" and "Tight Connection to My Heart."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 12 October 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

Ever noticed that on the back cover of Empire Burlesque that Dylan's missing half of one of his eyebrows? Must have singed it with Crosby's propane base pipe torch or something.

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 12 October 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

He tripped over one of those cheese-filled snares lying around the studio.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 12 October 2006 17:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, nothing screams I'VE READ LESTER BANGS I SWEAR HERE LOOK than saying Desire is Dylan's worst.

The Dumps of Dylan:

1. Dylan
2. Saved
3. Self-Portrait
4. Down in the Groove (Dylan's worst album name)
5. Infidels

― Jamesy (SuzyCreemcheese), Friday, 13 October 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

I love Desire, I always assume the hate directed at it has to do with the hammy free-Ruben-Carter lead-off (which is great storytelling even if it does have that line about turning a man into a mouuuuuusssse) and with the general smokin'-classic-rock-bandness of it: it's practically a statement of faith in Rock Music, albeit not the screechin' electric kind. Do people who dislike Desire also dislike the live album from that tour that came out a few years back?

In re: Joey, it's in a classic tradition and certainly its in-the-tradition romanticizing of a mafioso is small potatoes these days, no?

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Friday, 13 October 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

me and Alfred are forming a band called the Cheese-Filled Snares btw, we're gonna fucking own everybody

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Friday, 13 October 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'll defend Dylan. It's really one of those "so bad it's good records." It's got The Ballad of Ira Hayes, which is like a Friday the 13th movie...just when you think it's finally over, Bob comes back with another round of "Call him drunken Ira Hayes..." Wikipedia says it's 5:08, but the thing feels like it goes on for at least 20 minutes.

Plus "Dylan" has Bob's most absurd chorus ever, the "La La la la la la la la la" part of Sarah Jane. Add Spanish Is The Loving Tongue to the mix and you've got one hell of a bizarre, sort of fun record.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 13 October 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

Haven't listened to it in such a long while, that could very well be the case. There are some others, like Shot of Love, Under the Red SkyL, and Real Live that probably deserve mention here.

Better crap albums - Reed or Dylan?

― Suzy Creemcheese (SuzyCreemcheese), Friday, 13 October 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

Shot of Logve is pretty good in an understated kinda way, I'd say

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Friday, 13 October 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, nothing screams I'VE READ LESTER BANGS I SWEAR HERE LOOK than saying Desire is Dylan's worst.

I say Desire is his worst because, as one of his most ambitious albums both lyrically and musically, it lands with a bigger splat.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 13 October 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

I HAVE DECIDED!!!!

Infidels has been ordered.

I like Desire quite a bit, although I agree that the Rolling Thunder version of those songs are a big improvement.

What's the deal with the remastered John Wesley Harding? I read that the songs are a little longer and edited differently? I have the original issue, and now I'm wondering if I should have gotten the SACD version instead of Infidels. Maybe I'll have to rejoin BMG just to get some of the classic albums remastered. JWH, Blonde On Blonde, Highway 61, and Blood On The Tracks....

― Joseph B. Cowart (flamingrev), Friday, 13 October 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

Do people who dislike Desire also dislike the live album from that tour that came out a few years back?

I do... too much violin; performances & arrangements that sound weighed down, soggy, and don't have that "snap" of the 2nd leg of Rolling Thunder. (I love "Hard Rain," and dig the "Hold the Fort for What It's Worth" bootleg... it's that hardscrabble '76 Rolling Thunder sound that does it for me.)

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Friday, 13 October 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

"Desire" has its corny charmz, but Alfred's "lands with a splat" is right on... the songs aren't great to begin with, and the arrangements don't seem to help... and most of the lyrics are just so cheeseball. (He maybe shouldn't have hooked up with that Jacques Levy dude.) I kinda like "Black Diamond Bay."

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Friday, 13 October 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

isn't under the red sky supposed to be horrible...and knocked out loaded? (never heard either one)

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 13 October 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

"Knocked Out Loaded" -- definitely check out "Maybe Someday" and "Brownsville Girl"... It's a fun LP to get, if you see it for a few bucks in the used rack... I love the sound of his voice on those mid-'80s records.

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Friday, 13 October 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

morris OTM about KOL. I also dig "Driftin' Too Far From Shore."

Under the Red Sky is ok – determinedly lightweight. It disappointed critics after the "serious" Oh Mercy.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

i like UTRS better than oh mercy, actually, but i don't really like oh mercy.

― a|ex (Pareene), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

Agreed.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Under The Red Sky has Born In Time, which alone makes it worth owning.

It's certainly below-average Bob, but probably not bad enough to make the 5 worst list. The fact that there are no backup singers anywhere to be found certainly helps its case.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

Alfred - do you like "Saved"? It's one of my favorites, but I don't see it getting a lot of love here...

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

morris yr right that the violin is overused but the best performances from that set are pretty great ("tonight i'll be staying here with you" has a sizzling vocal for example)

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Friday, 13 October 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

desire by no means should be considered anywhere near one of the worst records

shot of love and self portrait, being the worst records of his i own, are far and away worse

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Friday, 13 October 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Shot of Love certainly wins the best worst cover award.

http://991.com/newgallery/Bob-Dylan-Shot-Of-Love-319468.jpg

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 13 October 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

That image was supposed to APPEAR!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 13 October 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

This thread is making me want to go out and buy some bad Dylan.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 13 October 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

You laugh, but these days when I want to hear Dylan I prefer unearthing the good songs from average-or-worse albums; I can't remember the last time I played Highway 61 Revisited or the Blonde one.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 13 October 2006 18:21 (nineteen years ago)

So how much longer are the songs on the remastered John Wesley Harding? Is it noticeable?

― Joseph B. Cowart (flamingrev), Friday, 13 October 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't notice that they were any longer.

― o. nate (onate), Friday, 13 October 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

Dude, Arthur Baker's 12" "Infinity" remix of "Dear Landlord" is fuckin' amazing.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 13 October 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Big splats are one thing, but Dylan has released some albums that are awful enough to, er, declipse any ambitious splats. I'd rather listen to anything from Desire on repeat for 45 minutes than listen to any of the albums I listed all the way through.

But, OTM on searching out the better songs on the bad albums. Bootleg Series has been great for me w/r/t Big Album Burnout, too. I've listened to that Volume 1 more than any other Dylan over the past three years.

― Jamesy (SuzyCreemcheese), Friday, 13 October 2006 23:59 (nineteen years ago)

Dude, Arthur Baker's 12" "Infinity" remix of "Dear Landlord" is fuckin' amazing.

Man, I have to hear that. "Dear Landlord" is tied for my favorite Dylan song.

― The Bearnaise-Stain Bears (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 14 October 2006 00:08 (nineteen years ago)

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