Looked up tangled up in blue lyrics and two things that sprang out at me
1) "Poppa's bankbook wasn't big enough" is so great sung in the rhythm and with the intonation he gives it.
2) "She turned around to look at me
As I was walking away
I heard her say over my shoulder
"We'll meet again someday on the avenue"" - this bit, again, it doesn't look like much of anything but the way he sings it (particularly the transition from "someday" to "on the avenuuue"), combining that sentiment with that plaintive chord change always gives me chills. It gave me a chill just reading it.
This isn't really what you're thread's about. But it points up something for me about how great a performer he was, a great singer albeit in a totally weird way that a lot of people find utterly grating.