Jan 25, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: Gates of Eden
What you should know about this song: Rolling Stones Magazine listed “Gates of Eden” under the five most inscrutable lyrics by Dylan that “keep Dylanologists guessing” (Issue 1131), and if you listen to the song there’s no wondering why. The song is very majestic and the lyrics mysterious. The allure of the acoustic guitar will draw you in, and the lyrics will leave you lost in a Dylan daze.
“It’s an amazing song. So many of the songs he wrote around that time were influenced by people like Martin Carthy, and by his trips over to England and his absorption of traditional forms. It is not a giant step from what bob played on ‘Gates of Eden’ to an Irish or Scottish tune.” – Ralph McTell*
Photo Source: Daniel Kramer
Jan 24, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
What you should know about this song: Dylan debuted “It’s Alright Ma” at the New York’s Philharmonic Hall in October 1964 just before recording it for Bringing It All Back Home. It is an excellent example of his transition from the politically-driven music to a more all-encompasing theme of life. The lyrical composition coupled with the unique rhyme scheme and melody in this song is astounding, really. Dylan drew from Arthur Koestler (author of Darkness Sat Noon), the Book of Ecclesiastes, and even some Elvis Presley tunes to create this masterpiece. “He not busy being born is busy dying”…. by far my favorite line of this bluesy Dylan song. I feel like I would need to listen to the song hundreds of times before I could even begin to understand all that poured out of Dylan’s heart when he wrote this piece.
“I’ve written some songs stat I look at, and they just give me a sense of awe. Stuff like “It’s Alright Ma’, just the alliteration in that blows me away.” – Bob Dylan, 1997*
“He has, at certain moments in his writing career, crystallized stuff so well that it will last for a thousand years of human history. If we don’t destroy ourselves by then, in the year 3000 someone somewhere will be singing, ‘He not busy being born is busy dying.’ That’s significant. That’s really making a contribution to your art.” – David Crosby*
“I don’t know how I got to write theses songs. Try to sit down and write something like that. I did it once, and I can do other things now. But I can’t do that.” – Bob Dylan in 2004 about “It’s Alright, Ma” (Rolling Stone Magazine, Issue 1131).
“It’s always been a tricky song for Dylan to sing- a snapshot of a particular moment in his artistic development, a jewel that he’s lucky enough to own rather than a machine whose workings he understand from having built it.” – Rolling Stone Magazine, Issue 1131.
Photo Source: Daniel Kramer
Jan 23, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Links to Song: Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds’ version: Mr. Tambourine Man
What you should know about this song: This is another one of Dylan’s most famous songs. It’s a beautiful song, really, composed with poetic grace that was unique and monumental for the time. Dylan debuted the song during a concert in London in 1964, but some would attribute its popularity to the success of The Byrds’ folk-rock version in 1965.
“On one session, [producer] Tom Wilson had asked Bruce to play tambourine. And he had this gigantic tambourine, it was as big as a wagon-wheel. He was playing, and this vision of him playing this tambourine just stuck in my mind.” – Bob Dylan, 1985*
“When I heard him sing that song, I started crying. I knew I was seeing the emergence of a major artist.” – Liam Clancy*
“Bob’s lyrics were exquisite. ‘To dance beneath he diamond sky with one hand waving free’ – that was the line that got me. At the time of ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ I think he was finding himself as a poet. He was learning to be beautiful.” – David Crosby (taken from Rolling Stone Magazine, Issue 1131)
Photo Source: Daniel Kramer
Jan 22, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Links to Song: Maggie’s Farm
What you should know about this song: This comedic satire on greed and hypocrisy, based on “Down on Penny’s Farm,” became an anthem for people in the decades to follow.* British radicals, for example, adopted the song as their on while enduring life under leadership of Margaret ‘Maggie’ Thatcher, Prime Minister of the UK form 1979 – 1990. The song also inspired Barak Obama, who used it during the 2008 election. In fact, he told Rolling Stone Magazine, “I’ve got probably 30 Dylan songs on my iPod… One of my favorites during the political season is ‘Maggie’s Farm.'” (Issue 1131).
“This was electricity married to content. We were hearing music with lyrics that had a meaning, with a rock beat, drums and electric guitars. Absolutely stunning.” – Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records*
Photo Source: Daniel Kramer
Jan 21, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Links to Song: Subterranean Homesick Blues
The Lumineers Cover: Subterranean Homesick Blues
What you should know about this song: The title isn’t the only thing that’s intriguing about this song, which made its appearance as the first track on the 1965’s Bringing it All Back Home album, but the rock ‘n’ roll rhythms and electric guitar also seemed to produce a bit of a shock factor for Dylan’s more conservative followers.* Dylan was innovated when it came to his music, which is why I wasn’t too surprised to come across a song that sounded so different from his previous material.
“It’s from Chuck Berry, a bit of ‘Too Much Monkey Business’, and some of the scat songs of the 1940s.” – Bob Dylan, 2004*
