Dylan didn't rip off older folk artist, he just followed the folk tradition of taking traditional folk songs and reworking them as his own; all folk artist did that, from Woody Guthrie down to Pete Seeger. Also, while I am not a fan of Bright Eyes, I can admit Conor Oberst does write some pretty strong lyrics but they still really can't compare to Dylan's lyrics. Just look at A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Masters Of War, Don't Think Twice It's All Right. And if you really want to get into it, look at his stuff later on like Chimes of Freedom, Gates Of Eden, It's Alright Ma I'm Only Bleeding, Ballad of a Thin Man, Desolation Row, Visions of Johanna... the list can go on and on. Don't get me wrong, Conor Oberst is a very good lyricist (especially with the lack of strong lyricist) but he still can't compare to Dylan. I mean give me a song of his that is as poetic as Desolation Row or Visions of Johanna and I will admit he is better
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