Why is Bob Dylan good?

[centrifuge]

Do you think he was a bit pissed when he wrote this one?

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

[SpencerH]

Re: Why is Bob Dylan good?

Originally posted by Dis
I don't get it. What am I missing?

Are you joking? I suppose so.

[cinch]

I have no idea if Dylan is the greatest of all time, but he's definitely my favourite.

Most of what people have already said is spot-on: his pre-motorcycle-accident stuff is all great. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED and ANOTHER SIDE OF BOB DYLAN are probably the most masterful. BLONDE ON BLONDE might be the most "important," and it's definitely led to the 'typical Bob Dylan impression' voice, even though he sings very differently on other albums. BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME is a really good transition record, and his first three albums are monumental for folk music, if perhaps lacking the innovation of his later work. Even JOHN WESLEY HARDING, recorder after said accident, is awesome.

The early 70s were hit-and-miss, but NASHVILLE SKYLINE is solid, especially the duet with Johnny Cash. The duo of BLOOD ON THE TRACKS and DESIRE (released within 12 months of each other, I think) are brilliant. His disintegrating marriage somehow brought him to new creative heights. BOTT is probably his best album, as almost every song commands your full attention. DESIRE isn't quite as good, but it's very effective at creating a sense of particular times and places, and their emotional weight.

HARD RAIN, which features songs from his '70s albums, is one of my favourite live records. STREET LEGAL, from 1978, uses backup singers, which puts off a lot of people, but in truth, the album has some of his best songs (Changing of the Guard, Is Your Love in Vain, Journey Through Dark Heat, etc.). Then came his evangelical era which, while questionable morally (listen to the lyrics of "Precious Angel"!), produced his most soulful album (SLOW TRAIN COMING) as well as SHOT OF LOVE, which is just a lot of fun. As for the post-evangelical 80s... INFIDELS has some good stuff, as does ELECTRONIC BURLESQUE... But that's about it.

OH, MERCY, Dylan's self-professed 'comeback' album, is really well put-together. It has some definite gems. "Ring them Bells" is one of my favourites. His voice has totally changed over his last three albums, but they all still have some very good stuff on them, and are worth checking out. I think I like LOVE & THEFT most, but MODERN TIMES has been growing on me. TIME OUT OF MIND is really good, but makes me utterly depressed.

And now, to join in the fun:

There's a long-distance train rolling through the rain, tears on the letter I write.
There's a woman I long to touch and I miss her so much but she's drifting like a
satellite. There's a neon light ablaze in this green smoky haze, laughter down on
Elizabeth Street
And a lonesome bell tone in that valley of stone where she bathed in a stream of pure
heat. Her father would emphasize you got to be more than street-wise but he practiced
what he preached from the heart.
A full-blooded Cherokee, he predicted to me the time and the place that the trouble would start.

There's a babe in the arms of a woman in a rage
And a longtime golden-haired stripper onstage
And she winds back the clock and she turns back the page
Of a book that no one can write.
Oh, where are you tonight?

The truth was obscure, too profound and too pure, to live it you have to explode.
In that last hour of need, we entirely agreed, sacrifice was the code of the road.
I left town at dawn, with Marcel and St. John, strong men belittled by doubt.
I couldn't tell her what my private thoughts were but she had some way of finding
them out. He took dead-center aim but he missed just the same, she was waiting,
putting flowers on the shelf.
She could feel my despair as I climbed up her hair and discovered her invisible self.

There's a lion in the road, there's a demon escaped,
There's a million dreams gone, there's a landscape being raped,
As her beauty fades and I watch her undrape,
I won't, but then again, maybe I might.
Oh, if I could just find you tonight.

I fought with my twin, that enemy within, 'til both of us fell by the way.
Horseplay and disease is killing me by degrees while the law looks the other way.
Your partners in crime hit me up for nickels and dimes, the guy you were lovin'
couldn't stay clean.
It felt outa place, my foot in his face, but he should-a stayed where his money was
green.
I bit into the root of forbidden fruit with the juice running down my leg.
Then I dealt with your boss, who'd never known about loss and who always was
too proud to beg.
There's a white diamond gloom on the dark side of this room and a pathway that leads
up to the stars.
If you don't believe there's a price for this sweet paradise, remind me to show you the
scars.

There's a new day at dawn and I've finally arrived.
If I'm there in the morning, baby, you'll know I've survived.
I can't believe it, I can't believe I'm alive,
But without you it just doesn't seem right.
Oh, where are you tonight?

[cinch]

And to weigh in on the Beatles discussion:

McCartney deserves his props, but so does Lennon. I'd put them on par for during-Beatles work, but Lennon has to get the edge on post-production. McCartney still sang beautifully, but his songs hardly ever really SONGS, rather than showcases for his (amazing) voice and musical ability. I still like him tonnes, though. Lennon, on the other hand, had the worse voice, but more gripping songs (Mind Games, Whatever Gets You Through The Night, Woman is the N-Word on the World).

My favourite Beatle, though, is George Harrison. His later Beatles songs were fantastic, and so were ALL THINGS MUST PASS and BRAINWASHED. LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, GEORGE HARRISON, and a few other albums are quite good, too!

[centrifuge]

Originally posted by Dis
I suppose if Dylan influenced all these other great artists, he has been a good contributor to the music world. It's even better this way as I can listen to the artists he influenced, and not have to listen to his crappy music. best of both worlds.

The thing with Dylan is that he was constantly changing style. To those who say "I just don't like his style of music" I'd suggest listening to a different Dylan album. His style, voice, genre will be different.

...And believe it or not, froggy throat and nasal manifestations do not always come into play When he decided to, his vocal ability could actually be quite good.

[SpencerH]

Yeah "Imagine" doesnt rate. Its way too commercial OTOH "All things must pass" does have some brilliant stuff.

[centrifuge]

Originally posted by cinch
The duo of BLOOD ON THE TRACKS and DESIRE (released within 12 months of each other, I think) are brilliant. His disintegrating marriage somehow brought him to new creative heights.

Planet Waves was mixed in there at the time as well.

Dirge, one of the ultimate in your face break up songs



I hate myself for lovin' you and the weakness that it showed
You were just a painted face on a trip down Suicide Road.
The stage was set, the lights went out all around the old hotel,
I hate myself for lovin' you and I'm glad the curtain fell.

I hate that foolish game we played and the need that was expressed
And the mercy that you showed to me, who ever would have guessed?
I went out on Lower Broadway and I felt that place within,
That hollow place where martyrs weep and angels play with sin.

Heard your songs of freedom and man forever stripped,
Acting out his folly while his back is being whipped.
Like a slave in orbit, he's beaten 'til he's tame,
All for a moment's glory and it's a dirty, rotten shame.

There are those who worship loneliness, I'm not one of them,
In this age of fiberglass I'm searching for a gem.
The crystal ball up on the wall hasn't shown me nothing yet,
I've paid the price of solitude, but at last I'm out of debt.

Can't recall a useful thing you ever did for me
'Cept pat me on the back one time when I was on my knees.
We stared into each other's eyes 'til one of us would break,
No use to apologize, what diff'rence would it make?

So sing your praise of progress and of the Doom Machine,
The naked truth is still taboo whenever it can be seen.
Lady Luck, who shines on me, will tell you where I'm at,
I hate myself for lovin' you, but I should get over that.

[SlowwHand]

"All Things Must Pass" is great. I love it.

[Dis]

Re: Re: Why is Bob Dylan good?

Originally posted by SpencerH


Are you joking? I suppose so.

no I'm not joking, his music sounds like crap. worse singer ever. I can acknowledge his lyrical contribution, but that's the extent of it. I will never own a Dylan mp3, I won't even go through the trouble of illegally downloading it.

[SlowwHand]

Then why start a thread? Are you going to start a thread on every artist you don't like? You need a hobby.

[Dis]

because I feel he is overrated. I see the characters in the Sopranos (final episode) listen to Dylan like he's some kind of god. I know they are representing rich white kids who are full of themselves and pretentious, but still...

[SlowwHand]

I don't know that I agree that he represented rich white kids. I most definitely wasn't rich.

[Drake Tungsten]

He represents baby boomers and their rich white kids.

[SlowwHand]

Evidently not, eyes.

[centrifuge]

Re: Re: Re: Why is Bob Dylan good?

Originally posted by Dis


no I'm not joking, his music sounds like crap. worse singer ever. I can acknowledge his lyrical contribution, but that's the extent of it. I will never own a Dylan mp3, I won't even go through the trouble of illegally downloading it.

One can only hope that you'll see the light someday...

Are you one of those picky eaters that decides he doesn't like certain kinds of food, even if he has never tried it?