10 Most Haunting Songs In Rock
4. Man In The Long Black Coat -Bob Dylan (1989)
The atmospheric masterpiece that is Man in the Long Black Coat appeared on Bob Dylan's 1989 Oh Mercy album.
The creaking sounds of the night lay the foundation for this track, with deliciously reverberating Cajun style guitar licks punctuating the sounds of shrieking crickets. When the driving bass line hums its first note you're dropped right into the setting of this sinister tale.
It's a good minute and half before Dylan's croaky voice breaks the tension to this track, but from the get go his lyrics conjure up chilling images of a dark and mysterious landscape. The narrative resembles that of classic folk lore and indeed many have interpreted it as a retelling of an old tale in which a women flees her hometown with the devil...
In classic Dylan style, each word has resonates and paints a haunting picture of the Louisiana bayou and the strange going ons there.
Who is this mysterious man in the long black coat, seducing women and slipping away into the dark of night? Dylan never tells us, but he doesn't need to, the suspense and unease comes from the mystery.