Fact check: Marcus, Greil. Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads. PublicAffairs, 2005.

1. Summary of the results

The analyses confirm that Greil Marcus did write a book about Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" and its significance in Dylan's career. The sources provide extensive context about both the song and Dylan's transformative period in the mid-1960s.

"Like a Rolling Stone" was released on July 20, 1965, marking a pivotal moment in Dylan's career ^[1]. The song represented a breakthrough that changed Dylan's perception of his artistic direction ^[1]. One analysis specifically mentions an interview with Greil Marcus discussing his book about the song, where Marcus explores the song's origins, recording process, and its broader impact on the music industry and Dylan's career ^[2].

The analyses reveal that this period represented Dylan's crucial transition from acoustic folk to electric rock music ^{[3] [4]}. This transformation had profound implications, as Dylan "transformed the popular music landscape in the 1960s" and influenced countless other artists ^{[5] [6]}. The song came from Dylan's album "Highway 61 Revisited," which is noted as significant in his discography ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original citation lacks several important contextual elements that the analyses reveal:

• The specific historical significance of the July 20, 1965 release date - exactly 60 years before today's date - which marked a watershed moment in popular music ^{[1] [7]}
• The controversial nature of Dylan's electric transition, which represented a dramatic departure from his folk roots and sparked significant debate within the music community ^{[5] [4]}
• Dylan's career trajectory around this period, including his 1974 tour with The Band that "saved his career" when he was considered "washed up and irrelevant" ^[8]
• The song's commercial and cultural impact, including its chart performance and influence on the broader music industry ^[7]

The analyses also provide personal perspectives on Dylan's enduring relevance, with reflections on attending his concerts and the "timelessness of his songs" ^[9], which adds depth to understanding why Marcus chose this particular song as the subject of his book.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to be a straightforward bibliographic citation with no apparent misinformation. However, it lacks context that might be crucial for readers:

• The citation doesn't indicate the book's focus on a single song rather than Dylan's entire career, which could mislead readers about the book's scope
• No indication of the book's analytical approach - the analyses suggest Marcus takes a deep-dive approach into the song's creation and impact rather than a broad biographical treatment ^[2]
• The subtitle "Bob Dylan at the Crossroads" could be interpreted too broadly without understanding that it specifically refers to the pivotal moment represented by "Like a Rolling Stone" and Dylan's electric transition ^{[1] [4]}

The citation itself appears accurate based on the analyses confirming Marcus's authorship and the book's existence, but readers might benefit from understanding that this is a focused study of a single transformative moment rather than a comprehensive Dylan biography.