No Direction Home, Dylan documentary by Martin Scorsese.
This afternoon I rewatched this great film, probably the best documentary on a musical figure I've ever seen. It is not only interesting from a historical perspective, but is also very entertaining and funny, particularly Part 2. Methamphetamine really seemed to enhance Bob's sense of humour. ;-)
The movie contains one segment I found particularly relevant in our current state of affairs. In December of 1963 the ACLU presented Dylan with their Tom Paine Award. He accepted it, but not without making the following statement:
"There's no black and white, no left and right to me anymore. There's only up and down, and down is very close to the ground. I'm trying to go up, without thinking about anything as trivial as politics."
Needless to say, the ACLU was not pleased. Dylan obviously had no desire to be the organization's poster boy, so I then wonder why he showed up at the awards ceremony, and accepted the "award"? IMO, Jackson Browne should have followed Dylan's lead; he hasn't been worth sh*t since he started making political statement albums.
Remember the scene in The Last Waltz in which Band bassist Rick Danko says " We're not trying to save the world, only improve the neighborhood"? Speaking of neighborhood, I am reminded of Dylan's song "Neighborhood Bully". Not explicitly political, but mighty close.
Slaw, I agree with you. Let the music make the statement. Nothing turns me off more than a political rant at a music concert. Remember the Fish cheer? It was a good one!
@bdp24 If you wake up in the morning and you are warmer than room temperature then it's a good sign :) Please stick around, I enjoy reading your posts!
Damn, 80 years old. Of course some people live to be 100, but not often in the music biz. On the road at 80 years old---brutal! Though he stays in nice hotels, has a crew to do all the heavy lifting, etc., performing under hot lights for an hour or more night after night is not easy, even when young. He has a nice tour bus, but driving those long miles between cities is a real grind.
These days taking pain killers to combat injuries is commonplace, and can (and does) easily lead to death. Prince and Petty thought they had it under control; unfortunately, they were mistaken. But Dylan's been around a long time, and has obviously learned his substance tolerance.
Still, any day now we could wake up to the news that he has died. I had a friend who went to bed one night, and died in his sleep. Only 55, but he had a terrible diet. In the past five years, three guys I worked with have died---Emitt Rhodes, John Wicks (of The Records semi-fame), and Evan Johns, the last two younger than I. Heck, I could wake up in the morning dead. ;-)
I was only talking about this documentary on Sunday. I watched it when first out but did not look too deeply and profoundly into it. I try not too on most things and take them at face value. Probably need rewatch it sometime soon.
Crimson flames tied through my ears, rollin’ high and mighty traps Pounced with fire on flaming roads using ideas as my maps "We’ll meet on edges, soon, " said I, proud ’neath heated brow Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth, "rip down all hate, " I screamed Lies that life is black and white spoke from my skull, I dreamed Romantic facts of musketeers foundationed deep, somehow Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
Girls’ faces formed the forward path from phony jealousy To memorizing politics of ancient history Flung down by corpse evangelists, unthought of, though somehow Ah, but I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now
@bdp24 " The songs you cite were all in his rear view mirror by the time he made that statement."
Not so. Chimes of Freedom (Another side) was written after JFK’s assassination. As were Bringing it All Back Home and Highway 61. Now that I think of it, how about John Wesley Harding, a friend to the poor?
Dylan did not become the ’Voice of His Generation’ by channelling Rock-a-Day Johnny, and singing, Tell your Ma, tell your Pa, our loves is gonna grow. Ooh-Wah, ooh-wah.
I generally avoid attempting to discern what an artist meant by their creation. What is more instructive is how an artist’s work is perceived by its viewers, readers or listeners. In that vein, one way to interpret Bob Dylan’s words upon his acceptance of the the ACLU award is that he sees institutions and laws not where they lie on a political spectrum, but whether they support an individual’s quest to develop to their fullest potential or whether they oppress people (hence the up or down reference).
@tomcy6, Dylan’s statement was his announcement that he had moved on, above and beyond the plane of left vs. right (politics), to that of right vs. wrong (morality). He has done that for many years; not in the literal, obvious way of his early (pre-Blonde On Blonde) work, but in a more subtle, artistic, abstract manner. It’s like the difference between Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch. ;-) But every once in a while, Bob violates that dictum, as he did in "Hurricane." I doubt he would now write and record a song about the killing of George Floyd, but he has just done his new one about JFK. Not exactly literal, is it? ;-)
As I above said, I love Iris Dement’s "Wasteland Of The Free", which can be considered a "protest" song. It is written from the perspective of Christian values (she is a believer, raised Pentecostal), bemoaning how those in positions of religious and political power use that power not as they profess---in the service of their Savior and congregation, or constituents, but in the cynical pursuit of their own self-interest. She makes her feelings about hypocrisy very obvious.
I appreciate that, but the lyrics are not the only thing I love about the song; it is great musically. I don’t begrudge Jackson Browne his efforts in the cause of pursuing social and/or economic justice (though he does it in an entirely too "earnest" manner for my liking), but the music he puts those lyrics to just isn’t that good, not nearly as good as his earlier, pre-overtly-political lyric songs are. In my opinion, of course.
And of course it begs the question, how is the neighborhood? Has it been saved ? I suspect that Bob might have changed a bit since acceptance of that award. i appreciate his lyrics and biting commentary on Infidels a much later work... ” when will they take away his license to kill ? “ sounds like that lyric could have been written last week... and so sadly.... next week
as for Jackson, Looking East is my theme song.... but sure I love For a Dancer, etc....
@terry9, you missed the important qualifying word in Dylan’s statement: "There’s no black and white, no left and right to me ANYMORE." The songs you cite were all in his rear view mirror by the time he made that statement.
It is an interesting tiltle. The line from the song "like a rolling stone". In a 60 minutes interview Bob say's how he "made a bargain a long time ago and I'm holding up my end" - "to get where I am now". A bargain with - "the chief commander from this world and a world we cannot see" so.. No Direction Home (?)
black diamond, I was not trying to be provocative in saying I disagreed with your view, just stating mine, We can co-exist, as we have here for a long time. I live in a bubble as much as I can, so tend to avoid conflict.
Politics aside, I’m a big fan of Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne although many of their songs are blatantly political. When I listen to music, I’m not listening to see if their song aligns with my own political views. If I did, I would undoubtedly have a much smaller music library.
Fair enough, @rpeluso. I assume then that you also disagree with Dylan's assertion that politics is trivial? ;-)
Iris Dement recorded a great political song I love entitled "Wasteland Of The Free", so I'm not against them in principle. But when Jackson focusses on politically-themed lyrics, he tends to put less effort into the musical content of his songs. At least, that's how it sounds to me.
I love the great chord progressions and melodies in his earlier songs, his newer ones sounding rather common, nothing special. When he gets together with Graham Nash and David Crosby, for me there is entirely too much lecturing going on. Still love the man, and his earlier albums.
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