 Dylan 's topical songs enhanced his early reputation , and he came to be seen as more than just a songwriter . Janet Maslin wrote of Freewheelin ' : " These were the songs that established [ Dylan ] as the voice of his generation — someone who implicitly understood how concerned young Americans felt about nuclear <unk> and the growing movement for civil rights : his mixture of moral authority and <unk> was perhaps the most timely of his attributes . " Freewheelin ' also included love songs and surreal talking blues . <unk> was an important part of Dylan 's persona , and the range of material on the album impressed listeners , including The Beatles . George Harrison said of the album , " We just played it , just wore it out . The content of the song lyrics and just the attitude — it was incredibly original and wonderful . " 
