Bob Dylan’s Under the Red Sky arrived in 1990 as the follow-up to Oh Mercy, the album that had re-established him as a serious force. This record tries for something simpler: nursery-rhyme simplicity, folk-blues shuffle, and a lighter touch. It mostly gets the lightness right, and the simplicity wrong.
Wiggle Wiggle to Born in Time
“Wiggle Wiggle” opens with a children’s-song chant that feels less like a wink and more like a shrug. It is silly, and not in a charming way. “Under the Red Sky” follows and is one of the strongest cuts here, a fable-like title track with a warm, unhurried melody that actually lands. “Unbelievable” rocks along with a decent groove, but the lyrics are thin, and the production buries whatever spark the band had. “Born in Time” is the first real highlight — a tender, slow-burning love song that shows Dylan still knew how to write a hook when he wanted one.
The T.V. Talkin’ Song Problem
“T.V. Talkin’ Song” is a talky, mid-tempo rant about television that never quite becomes a song. It has a point, but it makes it at length. “10,000 Men” is a loose, countrified strum that feels like a sketch rather than a finished track. “2 X 2” returns to the nursery-rhyme mode, and it works better than the opener, with a steady, almost hypnotic pulse and a cryptic lyric that rewards a little patience.
God Knows and Handy Dandy
“God Knows” is the second standout. It is a driving, gospel-tinged rocker with a real chorus, and it proves the album’s best moments come when Dylan commits to a melody instead of a pose. “Handy Dandy” follows and is the most charming thing here — a jaunty, piano-led shuffle about a slippery character, delivered with a wink that feels earned rather than forced.
Cat’s in the Well Closes It
“Cat’s in the Well” ends the record with a bluesy, apocalyptic stomp. It is the most energetic track on the album, and it leaves you wishing more of the record had that fire. The total running time is 35 minutes, which is short — but even at that length, the filler is noticeable.
The Verdict
The critical reception at the time was harsh, and much of it sticks. Patrick Humphries called it “everything Oh Mercy wasn’t—sloppily written songs, lazily performed and unimaginatively produced.” That is not entirely fair — “Born in Time,” “God Knows,” and the title track are genuinely good songs. But the record around them is uneven, rushed, and overcrowded with guests who add little.
Under the Red Sky is a minor Dylan album with a few major moments. It is not the disaster some made it out to be, but it is not a comeback either.
4 of 10.
Key Facts
- Album: Under the Red Sky, Bob Dylan (1990)
- 10 tracks, 35 minutes total
- Critical quote: “sloppily written songs, lazily performed and unimaginatively produced” — Patrick Humphries
“Under the Red Sky is certainly lightweight, but rather appealing in its own lack of substance” — AllMusic
- Wiggle Wiggle2:10
- Under the Red Sky4:09
- Unbelievable4:07
- Born in Time3:39
- T.V. Talkin' Song3:03
- 10,000 Men4:21
- 2 X 23:37
- God Knows3:02
- Handy Dandy4:03
- Cat's in the Well3:21
