That's right, specially in the early years. It baffles me that many people apparently cannot hear the melody Dylan is singing in various of his songs. I can hear it. Joan Baez can hear it too. I know this, because when she covers his song (whichever), she sings that melody...the same melody I can plainly hear in Dylan's own original rendition of the song...but in his timber, which is unusual.

Baez's opinion of Dylan's vocal abilities? As she stated in one documentary film I saw about the early days: "He sure could sing."

Now Joan's a very good singer, isn't she? We are all agreed on that. Well, she thought he could sing just fine, and so did many other very fine singers, including a great many on that list of 100.

If you can't hear it, it's because it's not to your personal taste, not because the man can't sing.

Now, what about Tom Waites? That voice takes some getting used to, doesn't it? ;-D