Re: July 4, 2007 - Montreal, Quebec - set list


"M. Rick" <richardblaine@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:pXiji.10884$vG2.1600@xxxxxxxxxxx
Dylan's poetry is so evocative, lots of people have always regarded him
as
a "liberal," but I think that says more about the observer than about old
Bob himself.

Similarly, calling his fundamentalist Christian period "spiritual
renaissance" says the observer is most likely a born-again Christian. In
any event, there's a fair amount of politics from Slow Train Coming to
Infidels, including Slow Train, When You Gonna Wake Up, Property of Jesus,
Neighborhood Bully, License To Kill and Union Sundown. But not many
topical
songs after that.
Here's my take-
I think personally Bob shies away from very many topical songs because they
limit somewhat IMO what a poet can paint with their words without it coming
out too blatant or if you write it not blatent the 'topic' ends up being
misunderstood & ambiguous--which makes for good debates,& which I think is
great for poetry & songs but not so good if it concerns religion or
politics, since most have some background and a "grid" for these subjects,
be it right or wrong. Bob is private and religious/political views are
jumped on & critisized by everybody and his dog, who all believe they're
right.And why not? since the Spirit can't be seen & thus proven in a
conventionary/scientific way that minds can understand.. Bob knew after his
last overtly spiritual LP he couldn't keep saying the message of the Gospel
over and over or it would lose him listeners(3-4 LP's was about right for
each of Bob's "periods"), so he did what he has done with all of his
periods: he added it to the overall picture of himself & Dylan. He stated
to Robert Shelton(bio 1985) that whoever was supposed to pick up on the
spiritual messages would) He still sings the folk, topical, rock, country,
blues, gospel and now has added topical songs on mortality (TOOM),plus other
subjects in a mixed bag covering about everything in these last two CD's,
though I am a L&T fan over the other two-- I think he's putting some closure
to what he started in GAIBTY & WGR(and way back at the beginning: to pay
homage to ALL the music & artists he has loved over the years. And his
Radio Theme Show is also a perfect way for him to get all of the rare and
overlooked music played, the kind of music he was so in love with in 1960
that he would steal to hear it. And there was a lot of Gospel he was exposed
to early on and it showed in Sign of the Cross, When the Ship Comes In,
Gospel Plow, Little Moses and many more. New Morning CD had a lot of truth
and spirit in it, too. He called JWH album the 1st biblical rock record,
though it is mostly acoustic. The new Dylan fan would be better able to
appreciate Bob to know where these references come from(Bible,Literature,Old
& New Music, Movies/TV,Private life/Relationships,etc But that his songs may
lose their punch if studied too often or be dismissed as the ravings of an
immature writer or drugged out freak if glossed over,as some have done in
past papers.Plus in his Chronicles Volumes we get to peer into the mind of
Dylan about as good as it gets. He's just setting the record straight in his
own Dylanesque way. I think Bob wants the folk/blues, rock/gospel,
cowboy/old world folk songs to get their credit without just coming out and
saying it. As a good artist he wants to let the listener go on the voyage
with him. We will never understand all he writes nor can we. Just as the
writer opens our minds and hearts and draws on our own imparted knowledge,
learned from experience,etc and our familiarity with the writer's (BoB's)
work and his many faces and masks he has shown us in his unique way of
writing and delivering his art. I hope someone picks up the Dylan vision but
carries it farther, being even more illuminating and entertaining, writing
and singing to all ages spiritually discerned songs of poetry that is
sourced deep in good roots. Don't know if it'll be in my lifetime, though.

Steve


.

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