What does Dylan mean?
Posted by: Phil Barry on 16 December 2007
In past weeks, I've seen some great footage of Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festivals in '63 and '65, in New York, etc..
It brought back memories of growing up in Rhode Island, of missing the 1st 2 acts of Aida in the '66 Newport Opera Festival because of an auto accident, after a great day at a Newport beach with my future wife, and...
Even seeing the footage of actual Dylan performances, I realize that most of his lyrics still sound like gibberish to me.
The performances are compelling. The records, especially the early ones, are great. But for crying out loud! Every time I think I understand his point of view or what message he's trying to get across, I find phrases that I simply can't comprehend.
He sure seems to come up short when compared to Berlin, Porter, Coward, Sondhein, Lenno/McCartney. Little Richard is more comrehensible than Dylan is.
How the hell is Dylan #1 on this or any other list of rock lyricists - http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_lyricists.html?
Phil Barry
It brought back memories of growing up in Rhode Island, of missing the 1st 2 acts of Aida in the '66 Newport Opera Festival because of an auto accident, after a great day at a Newport beach with my future wife, and...
Even seeing the footage of actual Dylan performances, I realize that most of his lyrics still sound like gibberish to me.
The performances are compelling. The records, especially the early ones, are great. But for crying out loud! Every time I think I understand his point of view or what message he's trying to get across, I find phrases that I simply can't comprehend.
He sure seems to come up short when compared to Berlin, Porter, Coward, Sondhein, Lenno/McCartney. Little Richard is more comrehensible than Dylan is.
How the hell is Dylan #1 on this or any other list of rock lyricists - http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_lyricists.html?
Phil Barry
You speak to me
In sign language
As I'm eating a sandwich
In a small cafe
At a quarter to three
But I can't respond
To your sign language.
You're taking advantage,
Bringing me down.
Can't you make any sound?
'Twas there by the bakery
Surrounded by fakery
Tell her my story
Still I'm still there.
Does she know I still care?
William Shakespeare eat your heart out.
In sign language
As I'm eating a sandwich
In a small cafe
At a quarter to three
But I can't respond
To your sign language.
You're taking advantage,
Bringing me down.
Can't you make any sound?
'Twas there by the bakery
Surrounded by fakery
Tell her my story
Still I'm still there.
Does she know I still care?
William Shakespeare eat your heart out.