Bob Dylan

sisteraysays · 04-20-2007, 12:51 AM

When I read all these arguments about Dylan and whether he is amazing or not people seem to forget that he was only a "kid", 22 years old, when The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was first released. He has said that he wrote many of the songs before even his self titled came out in '62, making him around the age of 20 or 21. Now how many people can say that they or their favorite band/lyricist have written such profound lyrics, as Bob Dylan, at that age?

And when I say profound, I don't mean lyrics that are good and touch you in some special way, I mean lyrics that can call the attention of great poets such as Allen Ginsberg (one of the most important poets of the latter half of the 20th century), who has said Dylan to be the perfect lyric poet and the greatest poet of this half of this century.

sleepy jack · 04-20-2007, 01:03 AM

Bob Dylan is an okay lyricist and not nearly as good as people hype him up to be. I really hate to compare Conor Oberst and Bob Dylan since that happens enough, but the lyrics on Letting Off the Happiness were better then any Dylan i've heard and he released that when he was 18 and the album he put out when he was twenty Fevers and Mirrors is also better lyrically then anything i've heard by Dylan, and i've heard alot. Plus Bright Eyes was way more original and dynamic when he came out then Dylan, who just ripped off older folk artists.

sisteraysays · 04-20-2007, 01:36 AM

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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swim · 04-20-2007, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowquill

Bob Dylan is an okay lyricist and not nearly as good as people hype him up to be. I really hate to compare Conor Oberst and Bob Dylan since that happens enough, but the lyrics on Letting Off the Happiness were better then any Dylan i've heard and he released that when he was 18 and the album he put out when he was twenty Fevers and Mirrors is also better lyrically then anything i've heard by Dylan, and i've heard alot. Plus Bright Eyes was way more original and dynamic when he came out then Dylan, who just ripped off older folk artists.

Folk isn't meant to be original. Since folk is based on old art concepts of recreation rather than originality.

It can of course and growth is good but originality just isn't one of the check points to a good folk artists.

My problem with Dylan is people before him did it better but everyone knows Dylan's name.

either/or · 01-16-2006, 11:22 PM

folk musician. at one point before he went electric. do you guys prefer the acoustic bob e.g blowing in the wind, mr tamborine man or when he went kinda electric and all those british pricks thought he sold out even though he was just doing what he wanted to e.g like a rolling stone. my favs are like a rolling stone, subterranean homesick blues, tangled up in blue, mr tamborine man and simple twist of fate.

Levithan · 01-17-2006, 09:01 AM

I like Dylan pre-electric more, mainly because ive heard more of that stuff. Dont get me wrong he electric stuff is awesome, but its just a preferance

TheBig3 · 01-17-2006, 09:09 AM

I never understood this, Dylan is dylan. Amps or a mic, its all the same.

either/or · 01-17-2006, 03:32 PM

yeah seeing as the greatest thing about dylan is his words and poetry as opposed to his sound.

TheBig3 · 01-17-2006, 04:52 PM

Yeah I think people were upset because electric "can't be folk" and the folk movement was more than music.

It was like Dylan somehow turned his back on the movement. I don't know, I wans't there.

either/or · 01-17-2006, 05:43 PM

yeah well it was bs. they'd sing along to rolling stone and then when he finished they would boo him. like they didnt hate the music, just hated what he was doing.

01-16-2006, 11:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
either/or Don't think twice Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: A basement on the hill Posts: 352	bob dylan folk musician. at one point before he went electric. do you guys prefer the acoustic bob e.g blowing in the wind, mr tamborine man or when he went kinda electric and all those british pricks thought he sold out even though he was just doing what he wanted to e.g like a rolling stone. my favs are like a rolling stone, subterranean homesick blues, tangled up in blue, mr tamborine man and simple twist of fate. __________________ Painstaking devotion and love Surrendered to self preservation From others who care for themselves A blindness that touches perfection But hurts just like anything else Isolation, isolation, isolation

01-17-2006, 09:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	I never understood this, Dylan is dylan. Amps or a mic, its all the same. __________________ I've moved to a new address

01-17-2006, 03:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
either/or Don't think twice Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: A basement on the hill Posts: 352	yeah seeing as the greatest thing about dylan is his words and poetry as opposed to his sound. __________________ Painstaking devotion and love Surrendered to self preservation From others who care for themselves A blindness that touches perfection But hurts just like anything else Isolation, isolation, isolation

01-17-2006, 04:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Yeah I think people were upset because electric "can't be folk" and the folk movement was more than music. It was like Dylan somehow turned his back on the movement. I don't know, I wans't there. __________________ I've moved to a new address

01-17-2006, 05:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
either/or Don't think twice Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: A basement on the hill Posts: 352	yeah well it was bs. they'd sing along to rolling stone and then when he finished they would boo him. like they didnt hate the music, just hated what he was doing. __________________ Painstaking devotion and love Surrendered to self preservation From others who care for themselves A blindness that touches perfection But hurts just like anything else Isolation, isolation, isolation

04-20-2007, 12:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
sisteraysays Groupie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 21	When I read all these arguments about Dylan and whether he is amazing or not people seem to forget that he was only a "kid", 22 years old, when The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was first released. He has said that he wrote many of the songs before even his self titled came out in '62, making him around the age of 20 or 21. Now how many people can say that they or their favorite band/lyricist have written such profound lyrics, as Bob Dylan, at that age? And when I say profound, I don't mean lyrics that are good and touch you in some special way, I mean lyrics that can call the attention of great poets such as Allen Ginsberg (one of the most important poets of the latter half of the 20th century), who has said Dylan to be the perfect lyric poet and the greatest poet of this half of this century.

04-20-2007, 01:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
sisteraysays Groupie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 21	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 .