Bob Dylan

[hellah10]

Ok....as a 22 year old..I never really listened to Bob Dylan. My freind begged me to download his music. So I did..and the only song I really like out of the 20 we downloaded was "Hurricane".

Does this guy suck or am I just not "hip" to his music!?

 

[auspice]

He's like scotch. It's an aquired taste for many. But once the taste is aquired, it's the best. My roommate in college played nothing but Robert Zimmerman's music and he's now my fav. Don't give up on it. It's the best.

 

[hellah10]

I dont know...but some of the old shit is allright....I have been listening to the Doobie Brothers too....not bad

 

[auspice]

.....the Doobie Brothers? I've completely underestimated you.....your threshold for pain is much higher than mine....lol

Used to be employed in Toledo. Lived off Alexis for a couple of years. Damn good golf courses. The summers are a sweat festival.

 

[hellah10]

HAHAAH The pain...AHAH. Well its not all that bad...they are major hillbillies though...ggeez.

Ahhhhh the Alexis part of town. Wow I havent been at that area in months. The golf course is very nice though. Do you still live in Toledo?!?

 

[auspice]

NO. I lived there in 90 and 91. My father passed away and I came back to a small town about 60 miles north of Columbus.

Sam Clemens, who wrote all the Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer books wrote in one that "if he knew the end of the world was coming......he'd go back to Cincinnati because that's the last place anything ever comes." It was a dated piece of course, but if he'd been to our small town, we'd probably be mentioned.

If you don't have a peer group already, forget it. It's the eqivalent of social euthanasia.

 

[Nolan Dalla]

Can't resist......

Keep in mind Dylan was once SOOOOO ahead of his time, it was scary. He burst upon the American scene with the full force of a firestorm, when the music business was corrupt and controlled by clueless moguls, revolutionizing the industry in favor of authenitc music and greater control over the product by the songwriter (interestingly, we are now in the complete opposite extreme, with mechanical, machine made music and cum-dumpster pop divas and boy toy bands -- it's sickening). Dylan is a throwback to an era when music was RAW and carried a message (even if you can't understand what he's saying most of the time). Sadly, he's also become something of a carricature of himself...it's hard to follow the message of "revolution" and anti-establishmentarianism, when it's spewing from the mouth of a multi-millionarie with a mansion in Beverly Hills. But while Dylan still tries to rekindle his youth, Mick Jagger by contrast is is God-awful as a 60 year old pracning around the stage, it's frightful.

Maybe it's just me, but music isn't what it used to be.

Nolan Dalla

 

[hellah10]

60 miles north?! So that means your in the Mansfield area?!? You know...I always wanted to live by the lake...I hope one day I can buy a home by the lake...between Toledo and Cleveland..probably in that Cedar Point area.

HAHAH Cincy last thing...thats great.

 

[hellah10]

Good point Nolan....I just cant seem to understand his music very well. Whats he trying to say?!?! I can listen to all sorts of music...rap..rock...and especially jazz and I cna usually make out there message. But Dylan....wow he has me confused. I guess I just had to live in that area to know what was going on...

 

[auspice]

Unfortunately with Dylan......his best days are behind him. But his music is just so good he'll always be my fav. Strange, although he symbolized revolution and all, I really just liked his lyrics that really had nothing to do with politics.

In the Mansfield area: triva time: Did you know that Bogie and Bacall were married in Mansfield? true

 

[hellah10]

They were married in Mansfield!??!?!!?!? Nothing ever happens in that littlt town. Wow thats news to me my freind.

 

[twofingers]

With Dylan you have to put yourself into the context of the times when the songs were written to understand.

He was divorced in the early 70's and wrote probably the best collection of songs of the century, "Blood on the Tracks". All the songs focus on his feelings concerning the divorce and reflections of other failed relationships. Nobody has ever been able to capture their emotions like Dylan and put them into words the way he does.

Can't just listen to a few Dylan songs and get what this man is about. It is a long journey.

Of course his best work is behind him, only because of he magnnitute of what he earlier did ( basically reinvent pop culture) but his music of the last few years has been as introspectral as any music out there today.

 

[wondo]

I am a big Dylan fan, myself. My father turned me onto his music when I was a little younger (24 now) and I've slowly picked it up. The thing that is so remarkable about Dylan is that he is so prolific. He's got around 40 studio albums produced, along with countless other bootlegs and songs that never made it onto albums.

He's gone through different phases, and some of his music is less mainstream than others. He probably never had the greatest singing voice, but a lot of that is just an act. Some albums to look at initially might be "Blood on the Tracks" and also his Greatest Hits, Vol. I.

You've probably heard a number of his songs by other groups. It amazes me that you hear the non-Dylan renditions all the time on the radio. Forever Young, House of the Rising Sun (traditional? -- not sure origin), Blue Moon (very different presentation, but he wrote it), Mighty Quinn (the Eskimo), Mr. Tambourine Man... there are more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Another song, Jack of Hearts, had an entire movie scripted around the song -- how many artists can lay claim to such a meaningful song that a movie could be produced?

I think that the more you listen to and learn about Dylan, the more you will be in awe of his talents, regardless of whether you particularly care for his musical style.

 

[yyz]

He's like scotch. It's an aquired taste for many.

More like, "The more you drink, the easier it is to swallow!"


Some of my favorite Dylan lyrics:

"Who's da yan wid a nee dee ho, be lah he roh d' hey!"

Timeless, man.......timeless!

 

[Anders]

Hellah ... oh boy, if youve been listening to the Doobie Bros and think they're OK then may as well just stop now - their is no hope for you

Wondo.... "House of the Rising Sun" def not a Dylan song; traditional blues adopted by many; also "Blue Moon"? hmm, don't think so...

I don't think you do need to be that cognisant of the 60s to dig Dylan. I began listening to him as a teen in the mid 80s and he freaked me out immediately with his lyrics. The moral stance he takes in tracks like "Hurricane", "Masters of War", "Lonesome Ballad of Hattie Carroll" for eg are still, sadly, just as prophetic in 2002 as they were then.

Yeah, his lyrics can be heavy going - don't feel you have to investigate them all sometimes though, just enjoy his poetic ability...

Fave Dylan tracks:

Visions of Johanna
Tomorrow is a Long Time
If You See Her Say Hello
It Ain't Me Babe
Positively 4th Street

Nolan - I think it is just you. Music ain't what it used to be to you - and me too - because it doesn't alert in you the passion and fire like it used too. You know why that is? Because, friend, we're getting old and have other things that dominate our life.

When I was 18 songs by some of my fave artists were close to the most important things in life to me. Now, those things are my kids and my wife; their health and mine. The mortgage and work consumes your time and effort... and pop music occupies a very small space.

It's sad

If you do want to check out someone who still lights a fire for me, track down anything you can get hold of by an Australian named Paul Kelly. This guy has been writing astounding stuff for the past two decades - and if you liked Dylan you'll love Kelly

 

[JT]

I think he wrote "All Along The Watchtower" which was more notable under Jimi's talents. Voice is hard to take at times. My favorite is "Knockin' on Heaven's door". Slight lyrics wise compared to alot of his stuff but voice sounded great there.

 

[hellah10]

Hmmm....well apprantely I downloaded the wrong songs. Tonight, I will download the songs you guys suggested. I dont have to be stoned to listen his music do I?!! lol

 

[Anders]

JT - even Bob admitted that he liked Jimi's "Watchtower" better than his own version

also, think the "Heaven's Door" version u like was recorded following his long layoff after the motorbike accident at Woodstock (place, not the festival). It seemed to do wonders for ol' Mississippi Mud Throat for a while

hellah - guess u should try and find out

 

[JT]

Probably prefers U2's version also. Was "Knockin on Heaven's Door" on any album? I do know it was from the movie "Pat Garret and Billy The Kid".

 

[Anders]

Not on any 'true' Dylan ablum as such... on the movie soundtrack and compilation/live albums like "Before the Flood", "At Budokan", "Masterpieces" etc...