There is a Bob Dylan album called World Gone Wrong (1993), which is a tribute by Dylan to the blues music that clearly influenced him. The songs are performed by him and him alone... no band, no backing. Just Bob and his guitar hammering out these beautiful, powerful, sad, lonesome ballads and stories. Human lives from past decades rolling out and coming into colourful existence once more.
My personal favourites are Blood In My Eyes and Broke Down Engine. Dylan himself wrote in the liner notes:
BLOOD IN MY EYES is one of two songs done by the Mississippi Sheiks, a little known de facto group whom in their former glory must've been something to behold. rebellion against routine seems to be their strong theme. all their songs are raw to the bone & are faultlessly made for these modern times (the New Dark Ages) nothing effete about the Mississippi Sheiks.
BROKE DOWN ENGINE is a Blind Willie Mctell masterpiece. it's about trains, mystery on the rails -- the train of love, the train that carried my girl from town -- The Southern Pacific, Baltimore & Ohio whatever -- it's about variations of human longing -- the low hum in meter & syllables. it's about dupes of commerce & politics colliding on tracks, not being pushed around by ordinary standards. it's about revival, getting a new lease on life, not just posing there -- paint chipped & flaked, mattress bare, single bulb swinging above the bed. it's about Ambiguity, the fortunes of the privilege elite, flood control -- watching the red dawn not bothering to dress.
The punctuation and writing style is pure Dylan - capturing the essence and the connection of these songs (interesting that he uses the phrase 'these modern times' in referring to the Mississippi Sheiks - then makes an album in 2006 called Modern Times that is obviously hearkening back to a bygone musical era in style, but very much in the present in terms of lyrics).
One thing I had not realised until this week was that back in 1987, Dylan had what he describes in Chronicles as a 'freak accident' where his hand was pretty mangled up and took a lot of rehab. I listened to the guitar playing on the Blind Willie McTell cover with new admiration and appreciation. The first time I heard that song, the joy burst through me like a bubble and I laughed aloud. Not because of the lyrics or the meaning of the song, which is serious, lonesome and about loss - but the spirit with which Dylan plays it. Love; enthusiasm; skill; a celebration of life amongst the 'cities of the plague'. That pure fighting quality makes me stand up against the world and laugh out loud in its face.
Bob Dylan is real and raw and honest in his music. A person I work with once accused Dylan of being 'a phoney' and I became incensed. I am sure he doesn't need me to fight his corner and as he once said (paraphrase), it doesn't matter what others think of you as long as you know inside that you are true to yourself.
However, I don't know how anyone could listen to World Gone Wrong and think that the emotion and heart pouring through every note - which then echoes through Dylan's own music like the chime of a perfectly-honed bell - could possible not be genuine.
It is a hurricane of truth that will knock you off your feet.
Then again, some people fear the truth...
Thursday, 29 March 2007
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Sold Out?
My 'album of the week' this week has been Time Out Of Mind. I find that it is an album that I can listen to from start to finish without skipping a single beat. Even the lengthy Highlands is an absolute joy. That said, it is a sad album and the songs concern endings, loss, sadness, death... all the things Dylan encapsulates so well in his music and lyrics.
The one song I wanted to write about was the first on the album. Love Sick has an ethereal quality to it. It is punchy with the rhythm of a measured pace - the footsteps as Dylan begins, 'I'm walking through streets that are dead...'.
It is amazing in terms of the emotion. Here we see a person unsure; rejected and wandering the empty, late-night streets wondering what to do; seeing others who are in relationships adding to his misery. Dylans voice cracks in the right places to convey all the unspoken anguish. He stutters in parts. It is obsessional and dark. I find it a fantastic description of that complete incongruity - love like an illness that can make you feel so pained and bad you don't ever want to experience it again... yet such an addictive drug you can't give it up.
This awesome song caused a bit of a ruckus when it was used in a Victoria's Secret advert on US television a few years back. Dylan even appeared in the ad. Shot in Venice, it was quite dark and mysterious - a lingerie model in angel wings wandering around and Dylan in the shadows. Living in the UK, I heard the commotion but did not see the advert until recently, courtesy of YouTube.
Some people found it a bit creepy, but I didn't mind so much. I thought Bob Dylan looked great in the advert, and I wished I looked like one of those models so he would chase me around Venice! I wouldn't try too hard to get away...
The big question though - did Dylan 'sell out' with this branch into commercial advertising? He always said that the only thing to tempt him to 'sell out' would be ladies' underwear! Then there was the Starbucks issue. Crikey.
Ever since the cry of 'Judas' as Dylan went electric, everyone has thrown accusations about 'selling out' and not being true or faithful to the cause of protest music... or whatever else they saw Dylan as their champion of.
But Bob Dylan has always rejected that role. He is not a prophet or a spokesperson. He writes about what is in his heart. He experiments and branches where the music takes him. People put expectations onto him and give him a predestined role - this is an unfair burden on any man.
Bob Dylan writes songs and performs music for a living. It is his trade. He is not a 'messiah'. He supports causes that he feels drawn to, but he is not 'political'. He is nobody's spokesman. He is not here to represent us.
Accept the musical gifts that Bob Dylan gives to us. If you like them and they touch and enrich your life, thank him.
If you don't, nobody is forcing you to listen.
The one song I wanted to write about was the first on the album. Love Sick has an ethereal quality to it. It is punchy with the rhythm of a measured pace - the footsteps as Dylan begins, 'I'm walking through streets that are dead...'.
It is amazing in terms of the emotion. Here we see a person unsure; rejected and wandering the empty, late-night streets wondering what to do; seeing others who are in relationships adding to his misery. Dylans voice cracks in the right places to convey all the unspoken anguish. He stutters in parts. It is obsessional and dark. I find it a fantastic description of that complete incongruity - love like an illness that can make you feel so pained and bad you don't ever want to experience it again... yet such an addictive drug you can't give it up.
This awesome song caused a bit of a ruckus when it was used in a Victoria's Secret advert on US television a few years back. Dylan even appeared in the ad. Shot in Venice, it was quite dark and mysterious - a lingerie model in angel wings wandering around and Dylan in the shadows. Living in the UK, I heard the commotion but did not see the advert until recently, courtesy of YouTube.
Some people found it a bit creepy, but I didn't mind so much. I thought Bob Dylan looked great in the advert, and I wished I looked like one of those models so he would chase me around Venice! I wouldn't try too hard to get away...
The big question though - did Dylan 'sell out' with this branch into commercial advertising? He always said that the only thing to tempt him to 'sell out' would be ladies' underwear! Then there was the Starbucks issue. Crikey.
Ever since the cry of 'Judas' as Dylan went electric, everyone has thrown accusations about 'selling out' and not being true or faithful to the cause of protest music... or whatever else they saw Dylan as their champion of.
But Bob Dylan has always rejected that role. He is not a prophet or a spokesperson. He writes about what is in his heart. He experiments and branches where the music takes him. People put expectations onto him and give him a predestined role - this is an unfair burden on any man.
Bob Dylan writes songs and performs music for a living. It is his trade. He is not a 'messiah'. He supports causes that he feels drawn to, but he is not 'political'. He is nobody's spokesman. He is not here to represent us.
Accept the musical gifts that Bob Dylan gives to us. If you like them and they touch and enrich your life, thank him.
If you don't, nobody is forcing you to listen.
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
How very dare you, Mr. Ferry?!
I am still reeling from the horrific news that Bryan Ferry has released an album of Bob Dylan covers - entitled (originally) Dylanesque.
My blood runs cold. I shudder. How can such a fey and lightweight performer do this? Some reviews of a recent concert, where Ferry performed several of the songs, reported that he seemed to have removed the fire and power from Dylan's words. He must surely be far too 'smooth' and impassionate to even attempt this. Were I Bob Dylan, I might be tempted to sue... were it not for the fact that I might also be taking legal action against the makers of the terrible film Factory Girl for gross misrepresentation in the Edie Sedgwick biopic. The lawyers will be rubbing their hands.
Poor Bob. It has been a bad month. I can feel a song coming on...
My blood runs cold. I shudder. How can such a fey and lightweight performer do this? Some reviews of a recent concert, where Ferry performed several of the songs, reported that he seemed to have removed the fire and power from Dylan's words. He must surely be far too 'smooth' and impassionate to even attempt this. Were I Bob Dylan, I might be tempted to sue... were it not for the fact that I might also be taking legal action against the makers of the terrible film Factory Girl for gross misrepresentation in the Edie Sedgwick biopic. The lawyers will be rubbing their hands.
Poor Bob. It has been a bad month. I can feel a song coming on...
Monday, 19 March 2007
The Voice of God?
This should be a fairly short post. I am an atheist and friends sometimes wonder how I square that with my interest in the music of Bob Dylan.
I am not a 'Dylanologist' and I do not pretend to know or understand his beliefs - and I do not want to know. When Dylan uses Biblical references, I understand them and can see their cultural and spiritual meaning (I was brought up in a Christian household and my mother is still horrified that she raised a heathen!).
Religion is often used by Dylan in a profound and beautiful way. But then, he has used Shakespeare, poetry, quotes from Humphrey Bogart, references to obscure literature... Bob Dylan has a way of amalgamating cultural touchstones and forming them into fresh and new expressions of time and space. He has a magpie mind - constantly collecting and re-using thoughts and ideas; making them unique again in new ways by placing them in a new context.
I once read a fan's comments, and she said she thought that Dylan had been sent to us by God as a prophet, and that the voice of the Lord was speaking through him. To me, that is pure nonsense.
I see Bob Dylan as an immensely talented individual. A human being. I recall reading somewhere that he himself was often surprised at the songs he wrote - that they seemed to come from the aether as though someone else was giving him the words. This is not unusual for creative people. Artists who have 'visions'; novelists who almost 'see' their characters and simply record what they do or say... poets for whom the words just tumble down into their minds unbidden.
This is the power of human creativity. But if someone wants to call it 'God' that is their choice. Not mine.
Suffice it to say that I accept the religious content of Dylan's songs. It does not affect my perception of his music. He still speaks to me about life, love, emotion, loss, transition... As with my religious friends, this is not a barrier.
I am not a 'Dylanologist' and I do not pretend to know or understand his beliefs - and I do not want to know. When Dylan uses Biblical references, I understand them and can see their cultural and spiritual meaning (I was brought up in a Christian household and my mother is still horrified that she raised a heathen!).
Religion is often used by Dylan in a profound and beautiful way. But then, he has used Shakespeare, poetry, quotes from Humphrey Bogart, references to obscure literature... Bob Dylan has a way of amalgamating cultural touchstones and forming them into fresh and new expressions of time and space. He has a magpie mind - constantly collecting and re-using thoughts and ideas; making them unique again in new ways by placing them in a new context.
I once read a fan's comments, and she said she thought that Dylan had been sent to us by God as a prophet, and that the voice of the Lord was speaking through him. To me, that is pure nonsense.
I see Bob Dylan as an immensely talented individual. A human being. I recall reading somewhere that he himself was often surprised at the songs he wrote - that they seemed to come from the aether as though someone else was giving him the words. This is not unusual for creative people. Artists who have 'visions'; novelists who almost 'see' their characters and simply record what they do or say... poets for whom the words just tumble down into their minds unbidden.
This is the power of human creativity. But if someone wants to call it 'God' that is their choice. Not mine.
Suffice it to say that I accept the religious content of Dylan's songs. It does not affect my perception of his music. He still speaks to me about life, love, emotion, loss, transition... As with my religious friends, this is not a barrier.
Sunday, 18 March 2007
Only you...
Today was Mother's Day here in the UK. I went to see my Mum. Whilst at her house, my husband and I browsed the shelves of my old CDs - the ones I left behind when I went to Canada to get married eight years ago. They brought back some memories, and I thought it would be neat to take some home and give them a long-overdue airing.
When we got home I immediately put one on. I listened to one track then switched to another CD. This happened 8 times before I finally put them all away and put Oh Mercy back in the stereo. I listened all the way through as I was making dinner. No switching. No skipping. It felt like coming home.
I have been listening to Oh Mercy almost exclusively (apart from the odd dip into Modern Times) for a couple of weeks now. On my iPod, on my stereo, on my PC... I get the yearning for an album and it stays with me for a while and I have to play it out. Last month it was Blood on the Tracks which was fairly emotionally draining there for a spell.
I love Oh Mercy for many reasons. There is the sound that hits you first - quiet and seemingly creeping up on a person, but powerful beyond belief. It is quite a 'political' album in a way as well. Not party political, but in terms of the original etymology of the word 'politics' - affairs of state and society. As the opening song of the album says, 'We live in a political world'. It is also an odd mixture of cynical, sad, tender and sweet.
Some of the songs hearken back to old doo-wop and rock & roll sounds. Where Teardrops Fall and Shooting Star in particular. Bittersweet; sad reminiscences reflecting maturity.
There is the country ballad feel of Man in the Long Black Coat, which is deeply allegorical and layered in meaning. When I play it on the guitar and sing the lyrics myself, I find myself putting inflections and pauses in different places to Dylan who is quite staccato on this track. Very broken phrasing and selected images pop out. Beautiful vocals (throughout the album actually). My problem with playing that song myself is that I have a young female voice, when an older male voice is necessary to convey the meaning. Dylan's vocals far surpass those of any other singer around in my opinion.
Most of the Time almost makes me cry. Some of Dylan's songs give you an ache in the gut because they hit home with such power. The repetition of that simple phrase 'most of the time' is so resonant and completely contradicts his statements of him doing fine after a relationship ends - but without denying anything outright. It is so human. Most of us get on with life after upsets and trauma. We follow our daily routines and we function - but then moments of weakness and memories always seem to come back to haunt us.
I tend to give an ironic smile when I hear What was it you Wanted?. This must be a brief foray into Dylan's world, where it seems like everyone is after a piece of him for something. In the song he leaves in the middle of the conversation, comes back, asks for the request to be repeated because 'he forgot' what it was... the person making the demands seems a little unsure themselves. Then there is the religious imagery of betrayal with the 'kiss on the cheek', which is almost thrown away. The vocals are quiet and almost whispered in parts. To be honest, if I needed something from Bob Dylan, I don't think I would have chosen that particular moment to ask!
As to the religious content of the album, you might have thought that an atheist like me would have problems with it! I don't - but I will explain my views on this in the next post...
When we got home I immediately put one on. I listened to one track then switched to another CD. This happened 8 times before I finally put them all away and put Oh Mercy back in the stereo. I listened all the way through as I was making dinner. No switching. No skipping. It felt like coming home.
I have been listening to Oh Mercy almost exclusively (apart from the odd dip into Modern Times) for a couple of weeks now. On my iPod, on my stereo, on my PC... I get the yearning for an album and it stays with me for a while and I have to play it out. Last month it was Blood on the Tracks which was fairly emotionally draining there for a spell.
I love Oh Mercy for many reasons. There is the sound that hits you first - quiet and seemingly creeping up on a person, but powerful beyond belief. It is quite a 'political' album in a way as well. Not party political, but in terms of the original etymology of the word 'politics' - affairs of state and society. As the opening song of the album says, 'We live in a political world'. It is also an odd mixture of cynical, sad, tender and sweet.
Some of the songs hearken back to old doo-wop and rock & roll sounds. Where Teardrops Fall and Shooting Star in particular. Bittersweet; sad reminiscences reflecting maturity.
There is the country ballad feel of Man in the Long Black Coat, which is deeply allegorical and layered in meaning. When I play it on the guitar and sing the lyrics myself, I find myself putting inflections and pauses in different places to Dylan who is quite staccato on this track. Very broken phrasing and selected images pop out. Beautiful vocals (throughout the album actually). My problem with playing that song myself is that I have a young female voice, when an older male voice is necessary to convey the meaning. Dylan's vocals far surpass those of any other singer around in my opinion.
Most of the Time almost makes me cry. Some of Dylan's songs give you an ache in the gut because they hit home with such power. The repetition of that simple phrase 'most of the time' is so resonant and completely contradicts his statements of him doing fine after a relationship ends - but without denying anything outright. It is so human. Most of us get on with life after upsets and trauma. We follow our daily routines and we function - but then moments of weakness and memories always seem to come back to haunt us.
I tend to give an ironic smile when I hear What was it you Wanted?. This must be a brief foray into Dylan's world, where it seems like everyone is after a piece of him for something. In the song he leaves in the middle of the conversation, comes back, asks for the request to be repeated because 'he forgot' what it was... the person making the demands seems a little unsure themselves. Then there is the religious imagery of betrayal with the 'kiss on the cheek', which is almost thrown away. The vocals are quiet and almost whispered in parts. To be honest, if I needed something from Bob Dylan, I don't think I would have chosen that particular moment to ask!
As to the religious content of the album, you might have thought that an atheist like me would have problems with it! I don't - but I will explain my views on this in the next post...
Mystery and Attraction
'What's your name?
Alias.
Alias what?
Alias anything you please...'
Last night I watched Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I had never seen it before. I have to say that I did not like it all that much. It was too violent in some parts - without the violence being particularly relevant beyond convivcing us that they were desperate times where life was cheap. I did not particularly like any of the characters. I find Kris Kristofferson irritating with his smug grin and sparkly eyes. Like Tobey Maguire in Cider House Rules. Enough already. James Coburn was great, but I did not like the character of Pat Garrett. I couldn't connect with him as a human.
I really loved Bob Dylan in it though. I liked the character he played. The best scene was at the trading post where Alias and a couple of the boys bump into Garrett. Dylan shines in that scene. I was amazed that it was his first acting role as he stood up beside a great ensemble cast and even managed to outshine them.
But then I began to think - maybe Dylan has spent his whole life acting. He has always seemingly been a plethora of different people inhabiting one body. He keeps his personal life an enigma. In today's world of paparazzi and every minor celebrity's lives (and genetalia) exposed in the daily press, it is refreshing that Bob Dylan keeps himself so private even after all these years at the top.
This is obviously part of the attraction. People discuss his songs and his life looking for clues. They scrutinize and analyze looking for an answer - a glimpse of the real man. People are curious.
Maybe one of the great things about Dylan is this level of mystery. People of many backgrounds and opinions all believe he is singing to them - singing about their lives. He is personal enough to make listeners feel he is intimately addressing them; however, he is general and enigmatic enough not to alienate anyone.
Maybe, like Alias, he represents 'anything you please'.
Alias.
Alias what?
Alias anything you please...'
Last night I watched Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I had never seen it before. I have to say that I did not like it all that much. It was too violent in some parts - without the violence being particularly relevant beyond convivcing us that they were desperate times where life was cheap. I did not particularly like any of the characters. I find Kris Kristofferson irritating with his smug grin and sparkly eyes. Like Tobey Maguire in Cider House Rules. Enough already. James Coburn was great, but I did not like the character of Pat Garrett. I couldn't connect with him as a human.
I really loved Bob Dylan in it though. I liked the character he played. The best scene was at the trading post where Alias and a couple of the boys bump into Garrett. Dylan shines in that scene. I was amazed that it was his first acting role as he stood up beside a great ensemble cast and even managed to outshine them.
But then I began to think - maybe Dylan has spent his whole life acting. He has always seemingly been a plethora of different people inhabiting one body. He keeps his personal life an enigma. In today's world of paparazzi and every minor celebrity's lives (and genetalia) exposed in the daily press, it is refreshing that Bob Dylan keeps himself so private even after all these years at the top.
This is obviously part of the attraction. People discuss his songs and his life looking for clues. They scrutinize and analyze looking for an answer - a glimpse of the real man. People are curious.
Maybe one of the great things about Dylan is this level of mystery. People of many backgrounds and opinions all believe he is singing to them - singing about their lives. He is personal enough to make listeners feel he is intimately addressing them; however, he is general and enigmatic enough not to alienate anyone.
Maybe, like Alias, he represents 'anything you please'.
Friday, 16 March 2007
Why Dylan? A hurricane of truth...
I am not an expert in Bob Dylan. No Dylanologist I. I do not know the dates, facts, figures and garbage-snooping details that some obsessives seem to revel in.
This blog is just an opportunity for me to think aloud... Why does Bob Dylan's music seem to have such an impact on my life?
I have been considering what makes Dylan different from other singer/songwriters. Some people get hit by a lightning strike - a road to Damascus, an epiphany, a blinding flash of piercing clarity. Others, like myself, have it creep up on them gradually. My life has been filled with Dylan's music and, like the air we breathe, we do not notice most of the time that we are being sustained and kept alive by this invisible, undetectable force. Like oxygen, Dylan's songs keep my blood running through my veins.
That sounds dramatic, but the essence is correct. I recently was asked, as people do sometimes, which of my senses I would miss most should I lose one. My immediate reaction was that if I were deaf, I would never again hear Bob Dylan's voice in my ear.
Dylan's songs fulfill so many purposes. They rile, they tease, they seduce, they hurt, they inspire, they confuse and provoke thought. There are even a few that can raise a smile or an outright laugh! They are always intense, multi-faceted... nothing is to be taken at face value in Dylan's world.
Entering - no, immersing - oneself in Dylan's world is like living Alice's Adventures Through The Looking Glass. Characters recur. Reality is exaggerated and twisted until it becomes a new reality. Dreams merge with consciousness and the lines become blurred.
And yet, through all the twisting, blurring, posturing and allegory, listening to Dylan is like standing in a hurricane-force wind of truth. It is like standing on top of a mountain and taking a deep breath of the clearest air imaginable. It is enough to knock you off your feet with the power of the realization. Human emotion and condition laid bare. Painfully so sometimes.
It is as though Dylan says, 'Listen to me. I know how it is. I have lived it. I have felt the joys and the pain; the highs and the lows. Let me take that burden from you and guide you through to the other side.'
Hopefully, this blog will give me a chance to explore my relationship with Bob Dylan's music and my reactions to particular songs or albums. As I said at the start, this is not an 'expert' view - no analysis or thought beyond how I respond to the music. It might prove cathartic.
This blog is just an opportunity for me to think aloud... Why does Bob Dylan's music seem to have such an impact on my life?
I have been considering what makes Dylan different from other singer/songwriters. Some people get hit by a lightning strike - a road to Damascus, an epiphany, a blinding flash of piercing clarity. Others, like myself, have it creep up on them gradually. My life has been filled with Dylan's music and, like the air we breathe, we do not notice most of the time that we are being sustained and kept alive by this invisible, undetectable force. Like oxygen, Dylan's songs keep my blood running through my veins.
That sounds dramatic, but the essence is correct. I recently was asked, as people do sometimes, which of my senses I would miss most should I lose one. My immediate reaction was that if I were deaf, I would never again hear Bob Dylan's voice in my ear.
Dylan's songs fulfill so many purposes. They rile, they tease, they seduce, they hurt, they inspire, they confuse and provoke thought. There are even a few that can raise a smile or an outright laugh! They are always intense, multi-faceted... nothing is to be taken at face value in Dylan's world.
Entering - no, immersing - oneself in Dylan's world is like living Alice's Adventures Through The Looking Glass. Characters recur. Reality is exaggerated and twisted until it becomes a new reality. Dreams merge with consciousness and the lines become blurred.
And yet, through all the twisting, blurring, posturing and allegory, listening to Dylan is like standing in a hurricane-force wind of truth. It is like standing on top of a mountain and taking a deep breath of the clearest air imaginable. It is enough to knock you off your feet with the power of the realization. Human emotion and condition laid bare. Painfully so sometimes.
It is as though Dylan says, 'Listen to me. I know how it is. I have lived it. I have felt the joys and the pain; the highs and the lows. Let me take that burden from you and guide you through to the other side.'
Hopefully, this blog will give me a chance to explore my relationship with Bob Dylan's music and my reactions to particular songs or albums. As I said at the start, this is not an 'expert' view - no analysis or thought beyond how I respond to the music. It might prove cathartic.
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