Graley, another terrific essay - or novella, but who’s counting? What you have written here about Dylan’s messaging on war and race is fascinating as always. I was watching the video of him performing Change Gonna Come at the Apollo theater celebration. I was struck by not only the power of his interpretation but how it combined in performance with his own status in our culture to create a sense of something beyond performance. For someone who eschews politics, in performance he says a lot.
Great stuff. Thanks. I was at the Seattle show that October and recall vividly the scary post 9/11 vibe, although Bob sent us out into the night with Blowin in the Wind, providing a bit more comfort than Watchtower. We didn’t get John Brown but he played Masters of War which, despite what he has said, is an anti-war song. That’s a fascinating Confederate allusion in Honest With Me. I don’t understand the need to judge whether it’s a wise choice or not, though, anymore than the way he uses sinister lines in Sugar Baby. I feel that he just reflects these historical and human and old song realities and the rest is up to us.
In Chronicles he says that the Civil War stories he read in contemporaneous newspapers provided the “all-encompassing template” for his songwriting.
It is always exciting to try to figure out where Dylan’s own attitudes begin and end. A thankless task but at least on Rough and Rowdy Ways he includes many personal biographical allusions that offer clues. In “Mystery Street off Mallory Square” we find both a Confederate officer and a young Bob Dylan. I hope to publish a revised essay about this soon.
Brilliant, as always! Your writing here so seamlessly weds analysis, context, and your own (and your city's own) history.
I've always felt that the Timrod-borrowings (or other Cofederate sources) were meant to be tracked down. And assiduous fans were meant to find those historical horrors at the end of their wanderings.
I love what you do with the indeed curious repetition of the opening verse of "Watchtower" (and I think this move is only a part of 21st century NET performances of AATW). A brilliant exegesis, as I already mentioned!
Terrific article. I just wish though that writers would stop with the stultifying categorization of Dylan and the greatest singer songwriter. It's a discussion ender, a rallying cry for the Bob fans and a casual dismissive wave of the hand at the work of numerous other singer/songwriters. Dylan can't do anything like what Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, Richard Thompson, Colin Meloy, Paul McCartney, Hank Williams and scores of other absolute musical treasures can do. Why must we put up this pedestal? It's a denigration of other musicians and a false honor to bestow on Dylan. Why must this meaningless word 'greatest' be used? There's just one writer who can wear that laurel, and that's Shakespeare. But even then, it's distracting. The musical field is vast and full of countless riches. How can one thing be best?
Graley, another terrific essay - or novella, but who’s counting? What you have written here about Dylan’s messaging on war and race is fascinating as always. I was watching the video of him performing Change Gonna Come at the Apollo theater celebration. I was struck by not only the power of his interpretation but how it combined in performance with his own status in our culture to create a sense of something beyond performance. For someone who eschews politics, in performance he says a lot.
I forgot to mention how insightful and precise your distinction between the way the TOOM and L&T work: that distinction was very valuable to read!
Great stuff. Thanks. I was at the Seattle show that October and recall vividly the scary post 9/11 vibe, although Bob sent us out into the night with Blowin in the Wind, providing a bit more comfort than Watchtower. We didn’t get John Brown but he played Masters of War which, despite what he has said, is an anti-war song. That’s a fascinating Confederate allusion in Honest With Me. I don’t understand the need to judge whether it’s a wise choice or not, though, anymore than the way he uses sinister lines in Sugar Baby. I feel that he just reflects these historical and human and old song realities and the rest is up to us.
In Chronicles he says that the Civil War stories he read in contemporaneous newspapers provided the “all-encompassing template” for his songwriting.
It is always exciting to try to figure out where Dylan’s own attitudes begin and end. A thankless task but at least on Rough and Rowdy Ways he includes many personal biographical allusions that offer clues. In “Mystery Street off Mallory Square” we find both a Confederate officer and a young Bob Dylan. I hope to publish a revised essay about this soon.
Brilliant, as always! Your writing here so seamlessly weds analysis, context, and your own (and your city's own) history.
I've always felt that the Timrod-borrowings (or other Cofederate sources) were meant to be tracked down. And assiduous fans were meant to find those historical horrors at the end of their wanderings.
I love what you do with the indeed curious repetition of the opening verse of "Watchtower" (and I think this move is only a part of 21st century NET performances of AATW). A brilliant exegesis, as I already mentioned!
Terrific article. I just wish though that writers would stop with the stultifying categorization of Dylan and the greatest singer songwriter. It's a discussion ender, a rallying cry for the Bob fans and a casual dismissive wave of the hand at the work of numerous other singer/songwriters. Dylan can't do anything like what Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, Richard Thompson, Colin Meloy, Paul McCartney, Hank Williams and scores of other absolute musical treasures can do. Why must we put up this pedestal? It's a denigration of other musicians and a false honor to bestow on Dylan. Why must this meaningless word 'greatest' be used? There's just one writer who can wear that laurel, and that's Shakespeare. But even then, it's distracting. The musical field is vast and full of countless riches. How can one thing be best?