Live data from Hacker News

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 awarded to Bob Dylan

nobelprize.org

151–160 of 362 posts

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

#151
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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. Consid…

Keith Richards and his school buddy, Mick Jagger, bonded by nerding out over American folk music ('Life' is a fun read), including both rhythm and blues and the kind of hillbilly stuff Dylan refers to. So did Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It's kind of amazing how rock and roll became so much greater when it was exported and imported.

> So did Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

Do you hear this in any of their work? I only hear it in "Rocky Racoon", which is one of my least favorite beatles songs as a result.

I can't say I'm a fan of Stones-style rock and roll. I'd prefer Led Zeppelin; much less caterwauling and more music.

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

#152
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Nobel peace prize has little to do with the 'real' Nobel prizes or Nobel committee. It's administered by an entirely different organization, in a different country and with different rules and criteria.

All of the Nobel prizes are awarded by entirely different organizations except for Physics and Chemistry. The Nobel peace prize was established by Nobel's will exactly like the other Nobel prizes. It has just as much claim to being a real Nobel prize as any of the other Nobel prizes.

(like the other Nobel prizes, with the exception of the prize in economics.)

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

#153
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 started typing out a list, but there's really too many to name. Pretty much anything through Desire is definitely worth a listen, and he has some gems from past that period, too.

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

#154

It boggles my mind how people still are paying attention to the nobel's price. Other examples of useless shit they done: * giving Obama the peace price after he failed to shut down Guantanamo * giving president of Colombia the peace price after he failed to make peace with FARC.

>giving Obama the peace price after he failed to shut down Guantanamo

That is a weird way to put it, considering that nominations for the peace prize closed just 11 days after Obama took office, and the prize was awarded 9 months later.

It's more reasonable to say that prize was given to Obama based on his campaign promises, before he even had any actual chance to close Guantanamo. (Which he still hasn't done, because obviously it is much easier to talk about it in a campaign than to really create a sustainable policy for what to do with the detainees.)

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

#155

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…

[deleted]

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

#156
post #91

It seems that Haruki Murakami is the Leonardo DiCaprio of Nobel prizes.

What is your favorite book by him? I've only read once thus far. "What I talk about when I talk about running"

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Check it out, it's his personal favourite [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard-Boiled_Wonderland_and_the...

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

#157
I can't help but come back to:

A South politician preaches to the poor white man

"You got more than blacks, don't complain

You're better than them, you been born with white skin" they explain

And the Negro's name

Is used it is plain

For the politician's gain

As he rises to fame

And the poor white remains

On the caboose of the train

But it ain't him to blame

He's only a pawn in their game.

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KY2lQV3ADfc

As it seems especially relevant today. It's a song about the killing of civil rights activist Medgar Evers by a poor white farmer in the 60's. Dylan addresses the civil rights movement in a way that avoids laying the blame squarely at the feet of the angry racist who pulled the trigger, instead placing the blame with politicians who sow hatred, insecurity, fear and division for their own ends and don't care what mess they leave behind.

When I see Trump rallies today full of angry people complaining their country has been 'taken from them' I can't help but think of that song.

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

#158
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Keith Richards and his school buddy, Mick Jagger, bonded by nerding out over American folk music ('Life' is a fun read), including both rhythm and blues and the kind of hillbilly stuff Dylan refers to. So did Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It's kind of amazing how rock and roll became so much greater when it was exported and imported.

> So did Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Do you hear this in any of their work? I only hear it in "Rocky Racoon", which is one of my least favorite beatles songs as a result. I can't say I'm a fan of Stones-style rock and roll. I'd prefer Led Zeppelin; much less caterwauling and more music.

"What goes on", from the British release of Rubber Soul, is pretty country sounding. I like the song, but it certainly isn't one of their more famous, though.

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

#159
post #158
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So did Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Do you hear this in any of their work? I only hear it in "Rocky Racoon", which is one of my least favorite beatles songs as a result. I can't say I'm a fan of Stones-style rock and roll. I'd prefer Led Zeppelin; much less caterwauling and more music.

"What goes on", from the British release of Rubber Soul, is pretty country sounding. I like the song, but it certainly isn't one of their more famous, though.

That is a great song.

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

#160
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Eh, I don't know unless you are referring to some event I am not familiar with. Yeah he's not writing protest songs anymore (unless you ask him [1]), but since he went electric, he's been doing what he wants, not what's expected of him. I saw him on tour this year, and it was a strange experience. The performance, song choice, and delivery felt more like he was just doing his music thing and I was paying to watch --…

Very much the same with the time I saw him. I think he spoke to the audience once during the entire gig.
Post reply on HN