Bob Dylan!
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Southern Presbyterian
Puritan Board Doctor
Though ice picks might be going a little too far.
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MrMerlin777
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
I'm inclined to vote love because I admire his talent and his whole persona is quite intriguing to me. Im not a die hard fan but I like some of his material and appreciate much of it that I don't find myself actually listening too.
A bit off topic but:
Whatever happened to his profession of faith? It seemed genuine (from the little bit that I know) but has he now alltogether rejected it? Or maybe has he distanced himself from it for a season?
A bit off topic but:
Whatever happened to his profession of faith? It seemed genuine (from the little bit that I know) but has he now alltogether rejected it? Or maybe has he distanced himself from it for a season?
Richard King
Puritan Board Senior
Your Grandson has a fine Name! and your Avatar is cool as well!I subjected my five kids to so much Dylan when they were growing up that one of my grandson's is named "Dylan."
Oh, and by the way, does my Avatar count?
Bygracealone
Puritan Board Sophomore
Certainly a talented musician and songwriter, but a bit hard to listen to with regard to his voice... I know that's part of the package and one of the reasons so many love him...
That said, there's no good choice for me in the poll...
That said, there's no good choice for me in the poll...
The late great columnist Mike Royko penned this wonderful piece on Dylan, January 30, 1974:
"The first time I ever heard Bob Dylan sing, I knew he'd be a success.
He sounded exactly like Woody Guthrie, an earlier folksinger, and I figured that if he added a few more imitations--maybe Bette Davis and James Cagney--he would have an even funnier routine.
Then I found out he wasn't kidding around. He wanted people to take his Woody Guthrie style seriously.
So I changed my mind an decided he wouldn't be a success after all. People would hoot and jeer, I assumed, when they heard Dylan, the former Bobby Zimmerman, a middle class youth, trying to sound like Guthrie, an authentic, callous palmed, Depression era Dustbowl Okie.
But I was wrong. Most of Dylan's fans had not heard of Woody Guthrie. They assumed that Dylan, and other suburban style gutar jockeys, had created folk music.
Dylan became a great success and made millions, which proves that it is better to sing about hard work than to do it. He became so rich that in 1966, while sill a lad, he retired.
When I saw what Dylan accomplished by imitating Woody Guthrie, I really kicked myself. I used to do a heckuva imitation of Al Jolson.
Now I am filled with even more regret because I was on vacation when Dylan came to Chicago to launch his out of retirement concert tour. For one thing, I wanted to see if he still did Woody Guthrie, or if he had switched to someone else, like maybe Mario Lanza.
But more than that, I have learned that I missed one of the greatest cultural events in the history of the world. At least that's what I gather by reading the papers and magazines. Newsweek put Dylan on the cover and quoted a record company executive as saying : "This event is the biggest thing of its kind in the history of show business."
That is alot of history, going back to the first Stone Age man who juggled a few rocks to amuse his cavemates.
Newsweek also quoted a young woman as saying: "I think he is the most important musician who ever lived---more important than Beethoven".
In fairness, it should be pointed out that Beethoven lost his hearing. Had he not done so, he might have been as important as Dylan.
Ralph Gleason, the noted West Coast columnist and musical authority, wrote: "The impact that Bob Dylan has had upon the culture of the past ten years in the English speaking world...is extraordinary, and comparable, at least in terms of concepts and additions to the language, only with Shakespeare and the Bible."
It is hard to argue with that, expecially when you consider such Dylan lyrics as:
It's never been my duty
to remake the world at large
nor is it my intention to sound the battle charge
I'll love you more than all of that
and if there is an eternity
I'll love you there again.
Now admit it. You have never read anything like THAT in Shakespeare or the Bible.
I was interested in reading one of Dylan's reasons for comint out of retirement. {I knew it couldn't be money because great artists don't give a d... about such things}. Dylan said: "Saturn has been an obstacle in my planetary system. It's been there for the last few ages and just removed itself from my system. I feel free and unburdened".
I'll bet. And it must have hurt.
As for the future, Dylan said: "I am not looking to be that new messiah. That's not in the card for me.".
I don't know if that is modesty, or just a lack of ambition.
"The first time I ever heard Bob Dylan sing, I knew he'd be a success.
He sounded exactly like Woody Guthrie, an earlier folksinger, and I figured that if he added a few more imitations--maybe Bette Davis and James Cagney--he would have an even funnier routine.
Then I found out he wasn't kidding around. He wanted people to take his Woody Guthrie style seriously.
So I changed my mind an decided he wouldn't be a success after all. People would hoot and jeer, I assumed, when they heard Dylan, the former Bobby Zimmerman, a middle class youth, trying to sound like Guthrie, an authentic, callous palmed, Depression era Dustbowl Okie.
But I was wrong. Most of Dylan's fans had not heard of Woody Guthrie. They assumed that Dylan, and other suburban style gutar jockeys, had created folk music.
Dylan became a great success and made millions, which proves that it is better to sing about hard work than to do it. He became so rich that in 1966, while sill a lad, he retired.
When I saw what Dylan accomplished by imitating Woody Guthrie, I really kicked myself. I used to do a heckuva imitation of Al Jolson.
Now I am filled with even more regret because I was on vacation when Dylan came to Chicago to launch his out of retirement concert tour. For one thing, I wanted to see if he still did Woody Guthrie, or if he had switched to someone else, like maybe Mario Lanza.
But more than that, I have learned that I missed one of the greatest cultural events in the history of the world. At least that's what I gather by reading the papers and magazines. Newsweek put Dylan on the cover and quoted a record company executive as saying : "This event is the biggest thing of its kind in the history of show business."
That is alot of history, going back to the first Stone Age man who juggled a few rocks to amuse his cavemates.
Newsweek also quoted a young woman as saying: "I think he is the most important musician who ever lived---more important than Beethoven".
In fairness, it should be pointed out that Beethoven lost his hearing. Had he not done so, he might have been as important as Dylan.
Ralph Gleason, the noted West Coast columnist and musical authority, wrote: "The impact that Bob Dylan has had upon the culture of the past ten years in the English speaking world...is extraordinary, and comparable, at least in terms of concepts and additions to the language, only with Shakespeare and the Bible."
It is hard to argue with that, expecially when you consider such Dylan lyrics as:
It's never been my duty
to remake the world at large
nor is it my intention to sound the battle charge
I'll love you more than all of that
and if there is an eternity
I'll love you there again.
Now admit it. You have never read anything like THAT in Shakespeare or the Bible.
I was interested in reading one of Dylan's reasons for comint out of retirement. {I knew it couldn't be money because great artists don't give a d... about such things}. Dylan said: "Saturn has been an obstacle in my planetary system. It's been there for the last few ages and just removed itself from my system. I feel free and unburdened".
I'll bet. And it must have hurt.
As for the future, Dylan said: "I am not looking to be that new messiah. That's not in the card for me.".
I don't know if that is modesty, or just a lack of ambition.
He claims, last I heard, to still be "A believer in Christ." When asked about the whole Brooklyn Heights Jewish thing, he said, "Well, I am Jewish after all." So, we can only hope.
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Pilgrim's Progeny
Puritan Board Sophomore
Theogenes
Puritan Board Junior
I love Dylan!
If you don't like his earlier "whiney voice" singing listen to his later stuff like "Time Out Of Mind", "Love and Theft", and "Modern Times". These are my current favorites. I've known people who don't like Dylan but they like what they hear on especailly Love and Theft and Modern Times.
(lighter-not a candle )
If you don't like his earlier "whiney voice" singing listen to his later stuff like "Time Out Of Mind", "Love and Theft", and "Modern Times". These are my current favorites. I've known people who don't like Dylan but they like what they hear on especailly Love and Theft and Modern Times.
(lighter-not a candle )
Not a Dylan fan. I do own 'Slow Train Coming' on disc. And it is only about 6 inches away from my keyboard at this moment because I was going to give it away to a friend who I think would enjoy it. Dylan's voice grates on my nerves. Nothing against him personally. I don't know the man and have never judged him. He has had to live a life I in no way desire. Celebrity status would not be my forte or desire. To whom much is given, much is required. I am sure I could not do as good as he has done.
I enjoyed the article Richard linked to above. It was a good read.
I enjoyed the article Richard linked to above. It was a good read.
BobVigneault
Bawberator
It helps me to think of Bob Dylan as a poet and Vocal Stylist as opposed to singer. I can tolerate Bob's music more by using this mental shift. I do the same with Christian Hip Hop performers, they are not singers, they are Story Tellers.
Here's my favorite Dylan video followed by Weird Al's homage to Bob.
YouTube - Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan (High-Quality)
YouTube - "Weird Al" Yankovic - Bob
Here's my favorite Dylan video followed by Weird Al's homage to Bob.
YouTube - Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan (High-Quality)
YouTube - "Weird Al" Yankovic - Bob
Me Died Blue
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
I'm part of an obscure, faithful group on Facebook called "Bob Dylan Has the Voice of an Angel," a group created for all who simply believe that no one sings Dylan better than Dylan! 
Wait.....there are people who think better singers than Dylan exist! No way man!I'm part of an obscure, faithful group on Facebook called "Bob Dylan Has the Voice of an Angel," a group created for all who simply believe that no one sings Dylan better than Dylan!
BobVigneault
Bawberator
Here you go guys. Here's a tin ear... unless of course you already have one.
Even though that "burn" was towards m and other fans of Dylan's vocals, I still have to sayHere you go guys. Here's a tin ear... unless of course you already have one.
....nice! Hey! I like a good burn even if I am on the receiving end! It is an art form!
Theogenes
Puritan Board Junior
Hey Bob, Thanks for posting those Dylan and Weird Al videos!
Did you notice that all of Weird Al's verses are palindromes?? I made that personal discovery a few years ago while listening to W. Al and looking at the verses and it hit me...PALINDROMES! That Al sure is clever!
Did you notice that all of Weird Al's verses are palindromes?? I made that personal discovery a few years ago while listening to W. Al and looking at the verses and it hit me...PALINDROMES! That Al sure is clever!
BobVigneault
Bawberator
Yes, that's the whole point of the song. It's an amazing piece of song writing.
Calvibaptist
Dallas Cowboys' #1 Fan
but with a little better music...this from Wikipedia:
Calvibaptist
Dallas Cowboys' #1 Fan
Reminds me of the video from INXS for their song "Mediate." They obviously stole the idea and did the same thing with their song and video. Every phrase ends with the "ate" sound and they write the words on cards which they toss off as they say them.
VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
I've posted this before but I think it's worth posting again:
[video=youtube;ole7-bR_r-M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ole7-bR_r-M[/video]
[video=youtube;ole7-bR_r-M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ole7-bR_r-M[/video]
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