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The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

nobelprize.org

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Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#121

Post by elorant »

circlefavshape wrote: post #21

Despite being a massive admirer of Dylan's work, I'm not sure that I'm good with this > for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition There's no doubt he did this, but ... do songs count as literature? I'm not really sure they do, and much as I love the songs, the lyrics by themselves don't have anything like the impact (on me at least) of top-notch poetry

Considering that countless poems are turned into songs I can't see why it can't work the other way around.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#122

Post by cpach »

OskarS wrote: post #57
xamuel wrote: post #8

Fantastic! Anyone know if it's the first Literature Nobel given to a pure singer-songwriter? Here are three Dylan songs with big literary value: * "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts": an amazing example of musical story-telling * "The Ballad of a Thin Man": Some of the most post-modern lyrics ever put to music... * "Like a Rolling Stone": One of the most influential songs of all time

I read the lyrics to Dylan's Forever Young at my nephews baptism as a poem, and half the audience was crying. Excerpt: May you grow up to be righteous May you grow up to be true May you always know the truth And see the lights surrounding you May you always be courageous Stand upright and be strong May you stay forever young May you stay forever young.

That’s beautiful. I’m thinking I should steal this idea and translate it to Swedish for the next baptism in my family.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#123

Post by poetwind »

I have always wondered what is blowing on the wind, it seems Dylan must have captured something important, I am still wondering many things and thinking that wind curves are very windy.

Added: For a good singer it must be fatal to be poisoned with the virus of fame, you become one more commodity, good for selling books and records but no more genuine value.

I hope the next Nobel in Literature to be for a twitter writer, I don't have anything against Dylan, it is only that I find his works are not Literature but very good songs.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#125

Post by 77pt77 »

ekianjo wrote: post #40
jcrei wrote: post #5

Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no tellin' who That it's namin' For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin'.

The rebel became part of the institution in the end. Somewhat sad if you ask me.

Also known as the baby-boomer curse.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#126

Post by duaneb »

Angostura wrote: post #69
ekianjo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rebel became part of the institution in the end. Somewhat sad if you ask me.

Only sad if you believe that he didn't effect change in teh institution.

He hasn't tried since '64.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#127

Post by tzm »

circlefavshape wrote: post #21

Despite being a massive admirer of Dylan's work, I'm not sure that I'm good with this > for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition There's no doubt he did this, but ... do songs count as literature? I'm not really sure they do, and much as I love the songs, the lyrics by themselves don't have anything like the impact (on me at least) of top-notch poetry

Yes, songs are counted as literature (poetry), as well as code (computer programs).

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#128

Post by poetwind »

joshaidan wrote: post #52

Everything is Broken always felt like a theme song for my job in telecommunications at a service provider. Especially the parts about broken lines and broken switches. That's just how universal Dylan's literature really is: Broken lines, broken strings Broken threads, broken springs Broken idols, broken heads People sleeping in broken beds Ain’t no use jiving Ain’t no use joking Everything is broken Broken bottles, b…

Perhaps to top it with Nobel Prizes are broken?

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#129

Post by duaneb »

mcphilip wrote: post #117
fitzwatermellow wrote: post #82

Totally 100% well deserved. Just imagine the 13 year old out there discovering "Masters of War" or "Idiot Wind" for the first time today. Their entire point of view is about to change. Mind upon to hitherto unknowable vistas. Ergo, the absolute benchmark of what Great Literature strives to embody. Also worth checking out is Dylan's controversial speech upon receiving the the MusiCares Person of the Year 2015 award. I…

That MusiCares speech is a great read if you have 30 minutes to spare. A few favorite bits: On Dylan's immersion in classic folk: >If you sang "John Henry" as many times as me – "John Henry was a steel-driving man / Died with a hammer in his hand / John Henry said a man ain't nothin' but a man / Before I let that steam drill drive me down / I'll die with that hammer in my hand." If you had sung that song as many time…

>The other half of rock & roll has got to be hillbilly. And that's a derogatory term, but it ought not to be. That's a term that includes the Delmore Bros., Stanley Bros., Roscoe Holcomb, Git Tanner and the Skillet Lickers... groups like that. Moonshine gone berserk. Fast cars on dirt roads. That's the kind of combination that makes up rock & roll, and it can't be cooked up in a science laboratory or a studio.

Considering that most of the rock & roll I listen to comes from Britain, I have no idea what he considers rock & roll to be. It's certainly not american folk music.

Re: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

#130

Post by paganel »

77pt77 wrote: post #125
ekianjo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rebel became part of the institution in the end. Somewhat sad if you ask me.

Also known as the baby-boomer curse.

Found this 1968 song from an Israeli singer a couple of weeks ago, whose title says it all: "The Hippies Of Today Are The Assholes of Tomorrow" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joZU1fMFCAo).
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