Dylan, or No Dylan?
I’ve been told that people appreciate blogs that are “honest” and “authentic,” where the blogger pours out his/her heart in full confession.
OK, I’m ready.
(Takes deep breath; looks to accountability group leader for reassuring nod)
I’ve been listening to Bob Dylan lately….and I don’t have a clue what in the world he’s talking about most of the time.
Yes, I know. He’s a genius. I must be a total dolt. But most of his lyrics sound to me like strings of random words cleverly aligned.
But in a weird coincidence, yesterday two friends of mine who have no connection to each other both sent me links to online evidence that, whatever may actually be true of Dylan’s poetry, he could have just about sung any words and we all would’ve proclaimed “genius!”
First, there is Dylan (apparently, sure sounds like him) singing the words from six different Dr. Seuss books. My friend Tanner thinks these are for real, although I’d never heard of them before.
Second, Weird Al Yankovic reinvents Subterranean Homesick Blues as a set of continuous pallindromes….and it works!
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March 17th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
“strings of random words cleverly aligned.” this is a contradiction! either they are random or they are cleverly aligned. and just in case you were wondering, they are very cleverly aligned. i’m a huge fan of dylan, more for his lyrics than his lately boring blues music. for proof of dylan’s poetic prowess and a fun read for any seminarian check out tangled up in the bible: bob dylan and scripture. michael gilmour shows the depth of dylan’s poetic sophistication in this one theme, his use of the bible.
second, those “dylan hears a who!” recordings are very convincing and terrific but a hoax nonetheless.
March 17th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I don’t get Dylan either, Mark.
PLEASE don’t tell Derek and Sandra. They may never speak to me again.
March 17th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Mark, Mark, Mark…just what Dylan are you listening to, and how much have you listened to? The man is the greatest song writer of the past century, but he’s written so darn many songs that some of them are just plain weird. But, lyrically, does it get any better than “Like A Rolling Stone,” “It’s Alright, Ma,” or “It’s a Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”? And the new album, “Modern Times”…sheesh, after all these years and songs, you’d think he’d run out of brilliant things to say; but he lyrics are brilliant and even filled with biblical imagery; and it’s some of the best music he’s written since the 70s.
I’m fairly certain the “Who” thing is an impersonator. I’ve been listening to Dylan my entire life, and I don’t think that’s him (although it’s a fairly good impression).
Anyway, I’m totally telling Wyman Richardson and sicking him on you.
March 18th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I knew I would bring down hipster wrath upon myself by daring to proclaim Mr. Zimmerman incomprehensible!
Jed: It is quite possible to have random words and yet arrange them cleverly. My daughter has one of those magnetic poetry sets on her refrigerator. You’ve seen them; a random collection of words, each on its own magnet. Though they are random, it is possible to choose from among them to produce amusing and occasionally profound results.
Travis: I don’t know who this Wyman Richardson person is, but I do not relish the thought of anyone getting sick on me.
To all: please know that my tongue was lodged in my cheek as I wrote the post above. I too love Dylan and think much of his lyric writing is witty, insightful and brilliant. But lets all admit that at times its just plain bizarre, which is why the two parodies linked here work so well and ring so true.
March 18th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Mark,
first of all, I miss you dude. How are you? It’s been way too long.
Second, Bob is indeed a genius and the next time we drink a beer I will show you why because we will listen to “Blood on The Tracks” which is his best record in my opinion…although he has probably 10 UNREAL records.
I am weeping inside…weeping!! Dylan?! Incomprehensible?! YOU a dolt?!?!?! NO NO NO.
Beer. Conversation. Dylan. we must do this.
love,
jeremy
March 18th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Beer. Conversation. Dylan….and my dear Jeremy Casella: perhaps no other combination on God’s green earth could have more hope of rescuing me from doltdom. Jeremy, you opened my eyes once before to the wonder that is Radiohead. Can you perform this miracle once again, now for The Bob? Dare one hope for two such enlightenments in one lifetime? Even the Buddha only received one!
(Kidding aside, Blood on the Tracks is the only complete Dylan album I actually own, and I adore it beginning to end.)
Please, please, my dear friend, let me know any time you are within driving distance of Philly and I will endeavor to join you. I will even buy the beer. And you still need to let me add some mandolin to some of your songs as we discussed! In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the new album.
Aside to my other readers: If you have given up on “Christian” contemporary music (and who could blame you), run…do not walk…your Internet clicking fingers over to jeremycasella.com and find out what intelligent Christian songwriting performed with genuine passion and skill is all about.
March 18th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
now, even i don’t like “the jack of hearts”!
March 18th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Well, like most long narrative songs, it doesn’t wear well for repeated listenings. Unless you are like my grandchildren who can watch the movie Cars continuously into eternity.
Jack of Hearts is pretty clever, though, so like a really good novel I can revisit it if enough time has gone by since the last read/listen.
March 19th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Sorry, Mark - in this big blogosphere, I sometimes forget who knows whom. Wyman’s a former BHT fellow and contributor at Communio Sanctorum, now published author who’s launched a blog based on the book, and indeed, he has publicly rebuked you at my request
But I promise he won’t get sick on you. (I can’t believe I put the “k” on that word. I’m the dolt, it appears.)
I love “Jack of Hearts,” too.
March 19th, 2007 at 11:04 am
[...] Jon uses this video as a springboard from which to discuss conspiracy theories and the need for orthodoxy to engage with heresy, if it is to arrive at a fuller knowledge of the truth. Jon observes something that I have commented on in the past: there are telltale signs of conspiracy theories and much of the thought in our circles as conservative Christians manifests all the classic symptoms. Young earth creationism is a perfect example (as is anti-Roman Catholicism). The truth or falsity of the claims of young earth creationists is beside the point here; the issue is that their approach to the issues is all too often the approach of conspiracy theorists. Conspiracy theories have a noxious effect on society and its public discourse. For this reason, if I were to have children I would prefer to have them educated by an atheistic evolutionist who would train them to think critically and engage with the best that science has to offer, than a conservative evangelical who would teach them conspiracy theories about science and discourage them from truly engaging with those with whom they disagree (I hope that I will never be called to make such a choice). ***Jon also has a helpful post on the subject of Richard Gaffin’s interaction with Rich Lusk (see here for further comment). ***Preparing tomorrow’s soldier [HT: Jon Barlow] ***The world’s oldest living man (116) puts his long life down to the fact that he has never been married. ***Ireland sends Pakistan home in the cricket World Cup. Makes up for the heartbreak of the rugby, I guess. Sadly, the joy of Ireland’s victory has since been overshadowed by the tragic death of Bob Woolmer. ***Herschelle Gibbs scores six sixes in a row, a first for one day cricket. The minnows in the World Cup have really suffered this year; four of the five highest margins of victory in the World Cup (by runs) have been recorded in the last week. ***Tony Blair meets Catherine Tate. Catchphrase comedy generally annoys me greatly, but I grinned at a few points in the last minute of this sketch, despite myself. ***Weird Al parodies Dylan (not anywhere near as funny as ‘White and Nerdy’, but funny nonetheless) and (a fairly good imitator of) Dylan sings Seuss [HT: Mark Traphagen]. [...]
March 19th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Mark, I don’t know about all this “Dylan’s a genius” stuff, but the Weird Al spoof was so funny that I nearly pooped myself.
So you just keep doin’ what you doin’.
March 19th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Daniel, you are a genius!!
March 24th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Mark, we can recreate our Radiohead intervention April 13/14 when I’m opening for Casella down this way… I’ll bring the beer (and roast!)
March 24th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Are you serious, Joe?? Keep me posted on the details. If it’s humanly possible, I’ll be there, mandolin case in hand!
And this time perhaps you and Jeremy can convert me to the marvel that is Justin Timberlake.
March 25th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Trust me, we can convert you to a Timberlake fan in a heartbeat! In other news, I heard that Casella is also bringing sexy back… go figure.
March 25th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I have seen Casella’s back and was not particularly impressed. Tell him to leave it at home.