Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan's Jokerman And Soviet Poetry
Coverage from Dylan.FM, Untold Dylan, and others
Articles
4
Latest Article
07/27
Active Days
1043
Executive Summary
Dylan's Jokerman and 1985 Soviet poetry trip show his unusual music and rare Cold War cultural exchange
- Bob Dylan traveled to Moscow and Tbilisi in 1985 with poet James Ragan for the First International Poetry Festival
- The festival was organized during Mikhail Gorbachev's early Perestroika and Glasnost reforms
- Ragan says Dylan performed three early songs solo acoustic and later joined readings and meetings
- The trip lasted about two weeks and included venues such as the American Embassy and Tbilisi
- Ragan says Dylan visited the Tolstoy estate and attended dinners and other cultural stops
- The account corrects earlier claims, including that Allen Ginsberg was on the trip
- Separate writing on Jokerman highlights unusual studio features including repeated bass, six-bar phrases, and syncopated chorus lead-ins
Quick Facts
- What: A Soviet poetry festival tour and Jokerman analysis
- Where: Moscow, Tbilisi, and other USSR venues
- Why: To exchange poetry and music amid Cold War opening
- Who: Bob Dylan, James Ragan, and international poets
- When: 1985 during Gorbachev's early reforms
Coverage Timeline: 1043 Days
Featured Article
In 1985, Bob Dylan joined poet James Ragan in Moscow and Tbilisi for Soviet poetry festivals during Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika era.
Additional Articles
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An Untold Dylan blog post analyzes Bob Dylan's Jokerman album track and a contrasting live version, focusing on unusual bass, phrasing, and rhythm.
On Infidels in 1983, Bob Dylan released Jokerman, recorded in New York with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare from Kingston, Jamaica.
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Tony Attwood analyzes Bob Dylan's recording of "Jokerman," identifying four unusual musical techniques that differ from live performances.