Bob Dylan- Intro
Written on January 1, 2010
Bob Dylan
Overview-2011
Dylan released his first album in 1962. It is commonly cited that Dylan’s most important output lies in his trilogy of albums that he released between 1965-1966 (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde), but since then, he has released 34 studio albums, 13 live albums, and he has had loads of charting singles. Maybe most impressive is that he is still going strong today (50 years after the release of his first album). As evidence of this, he embarked on what has been dubbed the “Never Ending Tour.” The tour started in 1988, and he is still touring today. It is estimated that he has played somewhere in the neighborhood of 2200 shows since the tour’s inception. Dylan’s musical style has shifted drastically over his 50-year career. He started as a folk protest singer. Then, in the mid-sixties (arguably his most important period) he shifted more toward rock, while keeping a heavy emphasis on his folk roots. In the late-sixties, he incorporated some country aspects into his sound. He had a major resurgence in the mid-70’s with Blood on the Tracks, and Desire, which I would described as roots, folk-rock albums. In essence, he has covered pretty much every imaginable style of music, but somehow it all just sounds like Dylan, which is what makes him truly remarkable.
Styles and Genres
Folk, rock, country, roots folk rock
Band Line-Up
Solo Artist: Bob Dylan
Other Line-Ups
It is notable to mention that Dylan’s backing band during his peak mid-sixties period was The Hawks. Shortly after their run with Dylan ended, they formed their own band simply called “The Band.”
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I think his singing is underestimated by many- his phrasing and nuances are very important to the texture- and also they way he changes his emphasis on this or that phrase or word or syllable will often add or open up a layer of meaning you hadn’t noticed before. Which is why seeing him live is a necessary pleasure.
I have a live version of Born In Time that I was listening to on my ipod while walking recently. When he sang “rising curve” he bent, no- he curved his voice around the word curve- it was as if you could see the curved word creating the rising curve if you know what I mean. There are lots of examples of this. Its how he takes music that was performed by a 20 year old and makes it just as appropriate for a 70 year old to be singing. (Unlike say the Stones* with Mick Jagger cavorting around the stage singing “I can’t get no Satisfaction.” huh? )Most recently I went to a concert in NJ on 11/14- and there was a sublime moment where he did one of those wild tricks. the woman next to me and I looked at each other with both wide eyed incredulity and wide smiled pleasure written on our faces. Its those moments that cause you to bubble up with laughter sometimes- or- can bring a tear to your eye at other times.
I can’t even remember which song it was but I was able to find a boot download recently so I’ll hear it again.
* don’t get me wrong- I love to listen to the Stones, but I no longer enjoy watching them- Jagger started creeping me out awhile back.
To Oh Mercy: Nice observation re the rising curve. I think I’ve heard the version you’re talking about, and, you’re right, there are a lot of examples of the other-worldly things he can do with phrasing and nuance.
Interesting fact: Dylan is the most sited musican in law http://m.npr.org/story/136135935?url=/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/05/09/136135935/bob-dylan-is-songwriter-of-choice-for-freewheelin-justices
To which I will add the
first mention by a President –
1976, Jimmy Carter accepting the Democratic nomination: “He not busy being born is busy dying.”