The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

Post by dev360 » Thu, Oct 13, 2016, 4:24 PM UTC

hackuser wrote: post #150

mcphilip wrote: post #117

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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 MusicCares speech is great; thanks. An interesting excerpt: I learned lyrics and how to write them from listening to folk songs. And I played them, and I met other people that played them, back when nobody was doing it. Sang nothing but these folk songs, and they gave me the code for everything that's fair game, that everything belongs to everyone. Does Dylan allow bootlegging? Are his songs libre? Does he limit…

Post by cooper12 » Thu, Oct 13, 2016, 4:28 PM UTC

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.

Post by hackuser » Thu, Oct 13, 2016, 4:31 PM UTC

dev360 wrote: post #171

hackuser wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The MusicCares speech is great; thanks. An interesting excerpt: I learned lyrics and how to write them from listening to folk songs. And I played them, and I met other people that played them, back when nobody was doing it. Sang nothing but these folk songs, and they gave me the code for everything that's fair game, that everything belongs to everyone. Does Dylan allow bootlegging? Are his songs libre? Does he limit…

I think hes talking mostly about the folk song tradition. If you look in both blues/folk there are a lot of songs that are very similar, with almost interchangeable lyrics by many different artists. The song Little Sadie is one example - its been known under a variety of names, with variations of lyrics. All the John Henry songs - they have been sung by blues and country players alike for almost a century.

Post by praveer13 » Thu, Oct 13, 2016, 4:33 PM UTC

nihonde wrote: post #167

josu wrote: post #134

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In the time since Dylan started signing black people went from having very limited rights to winning a presidential elections. Obviously, there are many more factors than Dylan at play, and establishing causality, or the lack of thereof, is impossible. But, in my opinion, saying that society has not changed would be a big mistake.

Attributing any of that "progress" to Bob Dylan is a huge reach. He has a lot of fans and reached some segment of the population with his act, but he's basically just another guy peddling records and tap dancing for nickels.

Post by dev360 » Thu, Oct 13, 2016, 4:35 PM UTC

pjmorris wrote: post #101

I love how so many on the thread have Dylan lyrics to contribute. Seems like empirical evidence for his impact. I listened obsessively to every shred of Dylan I could lay my hands on when I was a teenager. With apologies to Bob Dylan... Then she opened up a book of poems And handed it to me Written by an American poet From the twentieth century And everyone of them words rang true And glowed like burnin' coal Pourin'…