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10 songs that feel like It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
Matched to It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry by Bob Dylan on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.
A 99% feel-match — carries the same nostalgic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (24/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (80 BPM).
96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (28/100). Same smooth texture.
Keeps the same romantic pull — sits a little calmer at 18/100. Measured 87% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (80 BPM).
Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (25/100). Same smooth texture.
A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (24/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (84 BPM).
99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (24/100). Same smooth texture.
Keeps the same romantic pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (23/100). Measured 98% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (72 BPM).
Measures 95% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (29/100). Same smooth texture.
A 97% feel-match — carries the same nostalgic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (23/100).
98% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (25/100). Same smooth texture.
…and if you want it calmer
Same feeling, measured gentler — for when It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry is more than you want right now.
Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 18/100, down from 24. Nearly the same tempo, too.
It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 11/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.
If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it stays in our safe band start to finish. Reads 11/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 12/100, versus the original's 24. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 21/100, down from 24. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Its dynamic range stays a gentler 2 where the original climbs to 4, so it lands at 8/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.
If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it stays in our safe band start to finish. Reads 17/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 15/100, versus the original's 24. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Frequently asked
What songs sound like “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” by Bob Dylan?
The closest feel-matches we measure are “Choices” by George Jones, “I Don't Wanna Lose You” by Tina Turner, “Coney Island Baby” by Lou Reed — the top match scores 99% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.
What songs are like “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” but calmer?
“Coney Island Baby” by Lou Reed, “One More Love Song” by Mac DeMarco, “Hazey Jane I” by Nick Drake keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.
How intense is “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”?
It measures 24/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 80 BPM.
How do you decide which songs are similar?
Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
This sits near the calm end of everything we've measured — gentler than 84% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 24/100 comes from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is an unusually steady, even volume: more extreme on that axis than 97% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1965 in context
The 133 songs we’ve measured from 1965 average a dynamic range of 5.9/10. At 4/10, this track is gentler and steadier than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
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