Liberal Arts Blog — Bob Dylan: “Blowin in the Wind,”“Times They Are A Changin,” “Like A Rolling Stone”
Liberal Arts Blog — Thursday is the Joy of Music Day
Today’s Post: Bob Dylan (1941 — ): “Blowin in the Wind,” (1963) “Times They Are A Changin,” (1964) “Like A Rolling Stone” (1965)
Are you a Dylan fan? Were you ever? Did you ever change your mind? What to you is his greatest song? His most over-rated? under-rated?
Joni Mitchell, perhaps the greatest songwriter of the last century, wrote of Dylan “Bob is not authentic at all. He’s a plagiarist and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception.” A bit harsh. But on the other hand, perhaps a grain of truth. Whatever your opinion, Dylan was unquestionably one of the titans in the cultural history of the last century. Today, the lyrics of three of his most influential songs. Plus a few comments. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
BLOWIN IN THE WIND — Did any song ever better capture the spirit of a generation? Nine questions worth remembering.
1.) How many roads must a man walk down // Before you call him a man? // How many seas must a white dove sail // Before she sleeps in the sand? // Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly // Before they’re forever banned? // The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind // The answer is blowin’ in the wind
2.) Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist // Before it is washed to the sea? / /And how many years can some people exist // Before they’re allowed to be free? // Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head // And pretend that he just doesn’t see? // The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind // The answer is blowin’ in the wind
3.) Yes, and how many times must a man look up // Before he can see the sky? // And how many ears must one man have // Before he can hear people cry? // Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows // That too many people have died? // The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind // The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”
NB: Written in 1962, released in 1963, covered perhaps most famously by Peter, Paul, and Mary in the same year. They drove the song to #3 on the Billboard pop chart. Countless other covers: including Marlene Dietrich (in German) and Stevie Wonder.
Bob Dylan — Blowin’ in the Wind (Official Audio)
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN — A second generational anthem released in 1964 and covered by among others Nina Simone, Josephine Baker, Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel, Burl Ives. Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel
1. “Come gather around people, wherever you roam // And admit that the waters around you have grown // And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone // If your time to you is worth savin’ // Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone // For the times they are a-changin’
2. 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’
3. Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call // Don’t stand in the doorway, don’t block up the hall // For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled // The battle outside ragin’ // Will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls // For the times they are a-changin’
NB: Come mothers and fathers throughout the land // And don’t criticize what you can’t understand // Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command // Your old road is rapidly aging // Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand // For the times they are a-changin’ // The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast // The slow one now will later be fast // As the present now will later be past // The order is rapidly fadin’ // And the first one now will later be last // For the times they are a-changin’
“In January 1984, a young Steve Jobs recited the second verse of “The Times They Are a Changin” in his opening of the 1984 Apple shareholders meeting, where he famously unveiled the Macintosh computer for the first time.”
Bob Dylan — The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Official Audio)
The Times They Are a-Changin’ (song) — Wikipedia
LIKE A ROLLING STONE (1965) rated #1 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (The magazine was founded in 1967 and traced its name to the Muddy Water’s song of 1950, the Dylan hit, and the saying “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” The band The Rolling Stones traced their name directly the Muddy Waters song.)
1. “Once upon a time you dressed so fine // Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you? // People call say ‘beware doll, you’re bound to fall’ // You thought they were all kidding you // You used to laugh about // Everybody that was hanging out // Now you don’t talk so loud // Now you don’t seem so proud // About having to be scrounging your next meal // How does it feel, how does it feel? // To be without a home// Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone
2. “Ahh you’ve gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely// But you know you only used to get juiced in it // Nobody’s ever taught you how to live out on the street // And now you’re gonna have to get used to it // You say you never compromise // With the mystery tramp, but now you realize // He’s not selling any alibis // As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes // And say do you want to make a deal? // How does it feel, how does it feel? To be on your own, with no direction home // A complete unknown, like a rolling stone
3. Ah you never turned around to see the frowns // On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you // You never understood that it ain’t no good // You shouldn’t let other people get your kicks for you // You used to ride on a chrome horse with your diplomat // Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat // Ain’t it hard when you discovered that // He really wasn’t where it’s at // After he took from you everything he could steal // How does it feel, how does it feel? // To be on your own, with no direction home // Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone
NB: Ahh princess on a steeple and all the pretty people // They’re all drinking, thinking that they’ve got it made // Exchanging all precious gifts // But you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it babe //
You used to be so amused // At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used // Go to him he calls you, you can’t refuse // When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose // You’re invisible now, you’ve got no secrets to conceal // How does it feel, ah how does it feel? // To be on your own, with no direction home // Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone.” This song turned Dylan “from a folk singer to a rock star.”
Bob Dylan — Like a Rolling Stone (Official Audio)
Like a Rolling Stone — Wikipedia
BACKGROUND
Muddy Waters — Rollin’ Stone (Catfish Blues)
Rollin’ Stone (Muddy Waters song) — Wikipedia
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
“Be thine own palace or the world’s thy jail.” - John Donne
LAST FOUR YEARS OF POSTS ORGANIZED THEMATICALLY
PDF with headlines — Google Drive
ATTACHMENTS BELOW:
#1 A graphic guide to justice (9 metaphors on one page).
#2 “39 Songs, Prayers, and Poems: the Keys to the Hearts of Seven Billion People” — Adams House Senior Common Room Presentation, 11/17/20
YOUR TURN
Time to share the coolest thing you learned in the last week related to music. Or the coolest thing you learned in your life related to music. Say your favorite song or songs. Or your favorite tips for breathing, posture, or relaxation. Or some insight into the history of music….Or just something random about music… like a joke about drummers. jazz, rock….or share an episode or chapter in your musical autobiography.
This is your chance to make some one else’s day. And perhaps to cement in your memory something important you would otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply than you otherwise would about something that matters to you.
