Visions Of Johanna

Running 7:31, "Visions Of Johanna" is one of more mysterious Bob Dylan songs. So what are the "visions of Johanna that conquer my mind," and who is "Louise?" We'll never know for sure, and it seems Dylan intended it that way. He did offer this guidance when addressing the song in Rolling Stone magazine: "It's easier to be disconnected than connected. I've got a huge hallelujah for all the people who're connected, that's great, but I can't do that."

According to Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin, Dylan was living with his future wife Sara in the Chelsea Hotel when he wrote "Visions Of Johanna." Greil Marcus, another esteemed Dylan scholar, narrowed it down to an even more specific timeframe. He claims the song was written during the East Coast blackout that hit New York and seven other states on November 9, 1965. If true, that could explain the lyric, "These heat pipes just cough." The Chelsea Hotel has long been a New York City landmark, but even back then it was kind of dumpy. The part about the pipes was most likely about the literal heating pipes of the Chelsea.

Al Kooper, who was a prolific session musician, played the Hammond B3 organ on this track. Kooper went on to become a successful producer and worked on some of Lynyrd Skynyrd's most famous tracks. He also played the iconic organ on "Like a Rolling Stone."