“Congratulations” was an unusual Traveling Wilburys track because it was largely brought into the 1988 sessions by Bob Dylan already written, rather than being created collectively from scratch. The song illustrates the group’s informal, collaborative recording process while also preserving Dylan’s distinctive songwriting voice within the supergroup.

Jeff Lynne recalled Dylan arriving with much of “Congratulations” completed; the others helped finish elements including the bridge and chorus. The slow, bitterly humorous break-up song appeared on the Wilburys’ debut album, Vol. 1, alongside contributions from George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Lynne, and was later issued as the B-side to “End of the Line”.