The End

Well it seems my time on this website will be done. I most likely will not return to blog on this site anymore due to my finalization of my school project. At times this was a chore, but others it was good to talk about someone who changed my life so much. If it was not for this man I do not what music I would be listing to, if I would just go with the crowd like everyone else my age. I know it is not unusual to find a Dylan fan at the age of 21, but I don’t hang out with many of them. Just a handful of people I know like him, many respect him as a musician, but the majority of the people I hang out with just really don’t care for him. I have always tried to get them to listen and would use his importance as a reason why they had to listen but it never really worked. I get through half a song before someone complains and makes me turn it off. They tell me they get the fact that he had done great things for music but it doesn’t make them like him anymore. So over the past three months I’m sure that my friends are happy that I have been doing this website because I no longer bother them with stories of Dylan, instead I just get to tell them hear. Well that time is over so I hope my friends are ready for my rant and raves of Dylan.

A quick look back

New readers may wonder why I am blogging about Dylan so much and why I find him my musical idol. Well if you are wondering these things look no further than one of my early post. It goes into detail about why and how I became a Dylan fan and what Dylan means to me. On another note seeing that I am so going to be wrapping up my blog I think that it would be appropriate to let leave you with some words of one of my favorite songs, seeing its all over now.

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are comin’ through
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
All your reindeer armies, are all going home
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you
Forget the dead you’ve left, they will not follow you
The vagabond who’s rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, go start anew
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

Beyond Here Lies Nothing

For those who enjoy Dylan’s most recent studio album Together Through Life and its single “Beyond Here Lies Nothing” should check out the music video. It is nothing if not exciting and maybe even a little disturbing. The video starts out with a man walking into his motel room pouring himself a class of whiskey. He goes to enter a room and is then attacked by a woman. The man is seedy looking as is the hotel so your not exactly sure what is going, but your hoping the chick wins the fight. She gets thrown into a TV and then gets dragged into another room, but she comes up with a knife and stabs the man as he is seemingly is about to prepare some sort of drug involving a needle, weather it is heroine, crack, or some type of sedative is unknown. She stabs him runs away to a car and takes off, only to reverse and hit him with the car. Right there you feel happy for her she is going to be ok but then she gets out walks up to him and kissed him. You are sitting there wondering what the hell just happened. Which in its one way works perfectly for Dylan. Seeing that is the way you feel after some of his music and some of the things that he has said in the past. The video does represent the song, it is about a love for each other that is the only thing that is important, “beyond here lies nothing, but the moon and stars”, there love is the only thing keeping them together, it is their only option.

Recommended Products

On my website I recently wrote an article about some recommended products that I think that Dylan fans should really check out. In no way am I saying that if you don’t like these recommendations that you are not a true Dylan fan, I just think that these are just a couple products that I think that Dylan fans would enjoy if they haven’t already owned them. One of course would be Highway 61 Revisited. I have wrote in the past how I feel about this album I really just think that it is great. The songs on the album are ones that I never seem to get tired from and are always willing to go back to listen to. Another product that I recommended would be the album Blood on the Tracks a great album that usually is a little further down the list of his great albums, but great nonetheless. The reason why I like this is because it seemed to be a resurgence for Dylan putting him backs in good faith with not only fans but also critics. Finally the last product that I would recommended would be No Direction Home. Again this is something that I have talked about in the past but I can’t help to try to get everyone out there to watch this movie. This is a little bit more of an obscure choice. Many people don’t want to watch because of it is so long, but if you got time I think every Dylan fan could enjoy. So if you want so more in-depth information on these three products head over to my website and check it out.

http://bobbydylanfan.webs.com/

Dylan Intro

The other day I was reading something on Dylan’s never ending tour, I came across the introduction that he uses for all of his shows, thought I would share it for those who have never heard it. It really is a great a introduction and does a good job of trying to touch all of Dylan’s different moments over the past 50 years. It goes as follows. “Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the poet laureate of rock 'n' roll. The voice of the promise of the 60s counterculture. The guy who forced folk into bed with rock. Who donned makeup in the 70s and disappeared into a haze of substance abuse. Who emerged to find Jesus. Who was written off as a has-been by the end of the '80s, and who suddenly shifted gears releasing some of the strongest music of his career beginning in the late '90s. Ladies and gentlemen — Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan” I like this intro very much, but it comes as a bit of surprise that this is the intro that he uses. Only for the pure fact that Dylan always seems to try to down play who he is a muscican, and I don’t know why, but this intro certiantly takes credit for everything he has down. Maybe the reason why he feels so comftoable with it is because of how it came to be. It wasn’t written by him, or someone on his payroll, it was written in the Buffalo local news and Dylan seemed to like and decided to go with it.

Traveling WIlburys

The Traveling Wilburys is a fantastic super group that people often forget about. Although not on the same level as Cream of Blind Faith it still is in the conversation when people talk about super groups. The reason why this supper group is so important is because of the amount of amazing song writers that are involved. This includes Jeff Lynne from ELO, Roy Orbison, George Harrison of Beatles fame, Tom Petty and of course Bob Dylan. Unfortunately the band was only able to put together two albums due to the death of band mate Roy Orbison. The story of how they came together is very interesting. It so happens that Lynne and Orbison were meeting Harrison at Dylan’s home studio to record a track for Harrison’s new album. The entrance of Petty into the group was completely by chance as Harrison had left his guitar at Petty’s house earlier. The five of them enjoyed working together so much that they decided to make an album together. The first album The Traveling Wilburys: Volume One was meet with great response, included two number two hits “End of the Line” and “Handle with Care” and would go one to win the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Group of Duo in 1989. “Handle with Care” was the song the originally intended for Harrison’s Album and “End of the Line” is a great song in which everyone gets a verse except Petty, who sings the chorus, and Dylan who sings in harmony. After the death of Orbison they did try to release a new Album, purposely called The Traveling Wilburys: Volume Three but was not as big as a hit and hence the end of the short lived super group.

Recommended Readings

I recently wrote an article on some great articles from RollingStone that I think any Dylan fan should read. These would be the “Immortals”, “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, and “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. These are just three features in the magazine that I would recommend to someone. The cool thing about these articles is that not only do they have information on Dylan but also other great artist that anyone would like to read about. This would include the greatest like The Beatles, The Dead, Hendrix, Elvis, and so much more. Dylan got some great honors in these features. His song “Like A Rolling Stone” was voted the number greatest song of all time; a amazing honor and I can’t say that I disagree. Although not my personal favorite song, it is one of the best. When it came to the albums he got two in the top ten and only the Beatles had more albums than he had. Albums included Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited just to name a few. Me personally I like to read things about Dylan that compliments him, it assures me that my obsession is justified. The most intriguing article is the one naming Dylan the second greatest artist of all time, again the Beatles beat him, but that is ok with me. The thing that I love about the article is that the Boss Bruce Springsteen writes it. This is just a few articles that RollingStone has written about Dylan and for the past ten years they have stood the test of time in my book. So if you want to read the full articles there are links on my website and a more in-depth review of the articles.

Perfect Dinner Guest

People have often asked me if I could have dinner with any one person alive or dead my answer always seems to be the same. Bob Dylan. I don’t knot what it is about this man but he has always caught my eye. His life has been nothing but a conundrum and it has consitelantly intrigued me. Many of my friends are often confused by this. They know what a huge Dylan fan I am but they also know what a huge history buff I am. Many people I know would think that I would say someone like Genghis Khan JFK or Jimmy Hoffa. The truth is as much as those are some of my favorite historical figures and as much mystery there is surrounding their lives I can’t help but want to pick Dylan’s mind. He has done so much for music in his career and affected so many others there are just so much I want to know. The only problem is that I am not even sure if I could get him to talk if I had the chance. Many use the word open book to describe people, well Dylan is a closed book, and the only problem is that he is an encyclopedia. He has so much knowledge and I just would like to hear. I know he has written books and I have read many of them, and although they have great information I would just puffers to ask the question I want to. There are so many things I would want to know I don’t even know if he could answer them. But yeah if had a pick of anyone to spend a day with eat dinner all that jazz it is no doubt Bob Dylan.

When the Ship Comes In

When the Ship Comes In is a fantastic song off the Album The Times Are a Changing. Another one of my favorite songs of Dylan. The song is basically about how people will eventually get what they deserve. Not only to people get what they deserve they get it bad and those around you wont care. The story of this song as I heard from a Joan Baez interview was that Dylan was once giving a hard time about staying in a hotel because of his look, Dylan was not famous as of yet. Once the incident was over he went upstairs and wrote the song in a matter of minutes. When listing to the song you can tell that it is a basic screw you. You can see the nerve it struck with Dylan because of the in depth description he gives of the demise of them. It is a great song and a great song to listen to when you really want to tell some screw you.

Oh the time will come up

When the winds will stop

And the breeze will cease to be breathin'

Like the stillness in the wind

'Fore the hurricane begins

The hours when the ship comes in.

And the seas will split

And the ship will hit

And the sands on the shoreline will be shaking

Then the tide will sound

And the wind will pound

And the morning will be breaking.

Oh the fishes will laugh

As they swim out of the path

And the seagulls they'll be smiling

And the rocks on the sand

Will proudly stand

The hour that the ship comes in.

And the words that are used

For to get the ship confused

Will not be understood as they're spoken

For the chains of the sea

Will have busted in the night

And will be buried at the bottom of the ocean.

A song will lift

As the mainsail shifts

And the boat drifts on to the shoreline

And the sun will respect

Every face on the deck

The hour that the ship comes in.

Then the sands will roll

Out a carpet of gold

For your weary toes to be a-touchin'

And the ship's wise men

Will remind you once again

That the whole wide world is watchin'.

Oh the foes will rise

With the sleep in their eyes

And they'll jerk from their beds and think they're dreamin'

But they'll pinch themselves and squeal

And know that it's for real

The hour that the ship comes in.

Then they'll raise their hands

Sayin' we'll meet all your demands

But we'll shout from the bow your days are numbered

And like Pharaoh's tribe

They'll be drownded in the tide

And like Goliath, they'll be conquered.

Pat Garrett

When I was thinking about the song “knocking on Heavens’ Door” I could not help but think how well that song goes with the scene in the movie. I know yesterday I said that it was one of the most touching scenes of the movie but it really is true, it almost brings a tear to my eye. The scene opens with Garret coming to get help from a sheriff and his wife whom he calls mama. They went down to try to find Billy and come across a shoot out. The sheriff, played by Slim Pickens is mortal injured in the battle in which the music starts. As Garrett finishes out the gun Battle Sheriff Baker staggers toward a near by pond, in which he sits a stone. Looking over the waterfront as the sun begins to set and he looks over to his wife and the line “takes this badge off of me” is said. Pickens just sits their with a look of confusion on his face as he realizes that his time is done as the music continues not much changes in the scene until it is eventually flashed forward. There is another version of the movie that is just as powerful. The kid walks into a room thinking that his woman is there and it turns out to be Garrett. Garrett shoots him before the Kid even knows what happened and again the sun sets as the Kid meets his final demise. The movie is a favorite of mine and that is just one touching scene among a bunch of great fight scenes and witty comments.

Dylan Covers

The other day I did a post on a new Dylan cover by My Chemical Romance. It got me thinking about other Dylan covers. There have been hundreds of Dylan covers and some of them are pretty good, some even think well than the original (I would disagree). I was listing them in my head and I must say that there have been some very good ones so I thought I would do a quick list on the most known Dylan covers out there. This is not an extensive list, Dave Matthews, the Dead, Johnny Cash have all had great covers but when I think of Dylan covers their three songs that come to my mind almost immediately.

3. “Mr. Tambourine Man”- The Byrd’s: The Byrds have been known for their multiply covers of Dylan songs, but this seems to be the most popular. I must say when I hear this song on the radio I think I am just as likely if not more likely to hear the Byrds version of Dylan’s. Although I do think it is a good song I don’t really think that it is better than the Dylan version.

2. “Knocking on Heavens’ Door”-Guns n Roses: A great cover of the song that Dylan wrote for his 1974 movie Pat Garret and Billy The Kid a western about the cat and mouse game played between Garret and the Kid. A fantastic song and the moment it is played in the movie are actually a touching scene and one of my favorites of the movie. This version is a little longer, and one I enjoy but again have nothing on the original.

1. “All Along the Watchtower”- Jimi Hendrix: Not much I can say about this song that hasn’t been said before. An amazing cover with amazing guitar and drums on it. Hendrix knows this song there are many out there who don’t even known that Dylan did the orginal. Easily the best cover, and although I like the Dylan version better this is a very close second. I can listen to either or depending on my mood and I never gets sick of either of them,

Desolation Row

The other day I was in the car with a friend of mine and then all of a sudden a song came on the radio that caught my ear. It was the song Desolation Row the only thing was that it wasn’t by Dylan; it was by a band called My Chemical Romance. Apparently the song was created for the movie Watchman that came out over a year ago. When I told my song that it was a Dylan cover they were shocked. She said that the song was one of her new favorites and that she had no idea. Now the song itself is ok it is only two and half minutes taking only a portion of the song. It is a rock song, some would consider it almost pop punk, and it is loud, fast, and screamed. It obviously isn’t the best Dylan cover but I’m sure it is not the worst. The one thing that I like about the song is that it helps get Dylan music out to a younger generation. Even though I am only 22, young I know, but this band reaches out to people in grade school. It is important that people get into Dylan’s music young so they can have a strong base for his music when everyone else is listing to the newest pop song. I looked up an interview about the band and they said that they were huge fans of Dylan and that he was a big influence on them something I found shocking seeing that their music is very different from Dylan’s. If there is one thing I like to see it is Dylan across many ages.

Parenthood

Dylan’s music is everywhere once again. The other day I was in the other room of my apartment when I heard Forever Young coming from the TV. I walked into the room to see what was on. To my surprise the song was being used for a theme song for a new TV show. The show is called Parenthood; it is on NBC on Monday at 9 pm. Being the weirdo that I am I decided to watch the show just because the opening song was a Dylan song. It turned out to be pretty interesting so I looked up so info on the show. I found out that it is based off a Ron Howard movie by the same name. The show is all about the troubles of raising a family on all levels. It follows a family of four siblings, their children as well as their parents. The show covers just about every topic imaginable from divorce to masturbation and everything in between. The show has actually become one of my new favorite show and I have since not missed an episode. In a matter of fact I saw that the movie, which was made in 1989 a year after I was born, was on so I watched in and liked it. It is amazing what Dylan can lead me to, just because of a song that was an intro into a TV show made me want to sit down and watch it and I am glad that I did. Now I’m not saying that I like the show because of the song, but hearing that song made me give it a chance, which in the long run I am glad that I did.

The Times They Are-a Changing

This song off the 1964 with the same name was letting people all around the world that we were witnessing a change in the world. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing and things were eventually going to be different in the world. He calls on all types of people to come “head the call” and take up action. From writers to politicians, and the mothers and fathers who don’t want change. The times truly did change and I think Dylan, although not an instrumental figure like Kennedy of King, still was able to reach people in way those men could not, sure they were great orators and gave us some of the greatest speeches of all times, but Dylan was able to reach them in other ways and that was through the power of song. He was able to reach people who were not affected by these actions and didn’t see them every day and make them realize that something had to be done and as it was you had to be on the right side.

Come gather ’round 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’.

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 naming.’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’.

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
There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’.
It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.

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 agin’.
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’.