It's hard to overestimate the importance of {^The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan}, the record that firmly established {$Dylan} as an unparalleled songwriter, one of considerable skill, imagination, and vision. At the time, {\folk} had been quite popular on college campuses and bohemian circles, making headway onto the {\pop} charts in diluted form, and while there certainly were a number of gifted songwriters, nobody had transcended the scene as {$Dylan} did with this record. There are a couple (very good) covers, with {&"Corrina Corrina"} and {&"Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance,"} but they pale with the originals here. At the time, the social protests received the most attention, and deservedly so, since {&"Blowin' in the Wind,"} {&"Masters of War,"} and {&"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"} weren't just specific in their targets; they were gracefully executed and even melodic. Although they've proven resilient throughout the years, if that's all {^Freewheelin'} had to offer, it wouldn't have had its seismic impact, but this also revealed a songwriter who could turn out whimsy ({&"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"}), gorgeous love songs ({&"Girl From the North Country"}), and cheerfully absurdist humor ({&"Bob Dylan's Blues,"} {&"Bob Dylan's Dream"}) with equal skill. This is rich, imaginative music, capturing the sound and spirit of America as much as that of {$Louis Armstrong}, {$Hank Williams}, or {$Elvis Presley}. {$Dylan}, in many ways, recorded music that equaled this, but he never topped it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide