In the book Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions, 1960-1994, author Clinton Heylin offers an explanation for the style and layout of the album's tracks. He states, "As it is, Dylan's intent all along may have been to show the rich vein of music he listened to when growing up in Hibbing." The author goes on further to describe how the album was a sensible step for Dylan, suggesting his issues with creative writing had hampered his ability to produce new material.
