Next up for Song of the Week is an 8-minute and 52-second gem from an album that was released 50 years ago on 20 January 1975, and I was 17 years old! There are several ‘classics’ on this album, the artist's 15th release, and choosing one has been difficult, to put it mildly! However, I have always loved the artist's ability to sing ‘wordy’ songs, and this is no exception. Even the title has seven words in it!
As with much of this fella’s output, I “came to the party” somewhat later than perhaps I should have. However, I finally came across the album Blood on the Tracks in my mid-twenties, when I was listening to a great deal of folk music, and it has, over time, become one of my top three or four favourites of Robert Allen Zimmerman’s output.

On it’s release, many music critics panned the album, however, through the lense of time, it is now, more often than not, seen as his best work. Critics, eh?! And so, I could have chosen Idiot Wind, Shelter from the Storm, Tangled up in Blue, You’re a big Girl Now or Simple Twist of Fate, (to name a few!) all from this album, but I have gone for the song with a strange cast of characters. We have The Jack of Hearts, Lily, Rosemary, Big Jim and the Hanging Judge!
And so, here is Iona’s Song of the Week - No 03 (2025) by Bob Dylan Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (oh, and listen out for my favourite line in the song “The only person on the scene, missing, was the Jack of Hearts”!):
Classic Dylan, great lyrics!