by Robert Wilkinson
On May 24 we celebrate the birthday of a true American original, the amazing Bob Dylan.
His work is vast, awesome, majestic, and compelling. We haven't known an American poet who embodied such electricity since Woody Guthrie, and before him, Walt Whitman. Robert Zimmerman, aka “Bob Dylan,” was one of my most potent influences as a teen in 60s Amerika, as well as when I wrote a few hundred songs between 1980-1984. Some of his offerings still have the power to blow the illusion to the far side of Pluto.
He has influenced popular music in countless ways, and gone through quite a few personality changes, as would befit his Gemini nature. His songs are among the most covered in music:
"Blowin' In The Wind," "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall," "Like A Rolling Stone," "Desolation Row," "Forever Young," "The Times They Are A-Changing," "Love Minus Zero No Limit," "Chimes of Freedom," "Don't Think Twice," "Mister Tambourine Man," "I Shall Be Released," "Gates of Eden," "Just Like A Woman," "All Along The Watchtower," "Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again," "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," "It's All Right Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," "Ballad of A Thin Man," "The Mighty Quinn," "She Belongs To Me," "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," "Knocking on Heaven's Door," "Gotta Serve Somebody," "Things Have Changed," and a few hundred more, some of which will take your breath away.
A sample of his story telling from one of the best:
"They're selling postcards of the hanging They're painting the passports brown, The beauty parlor is filled with sailors The circus is in town, Here comes the blind commissioner They've got him in a trance, One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker The other is in his pants, And the riot squad they're restless They need somewhere to go, As Lady and I look out tonight From Desolation Row.."
Various chapters of his life have been covered in several films. "Don't Look Back" is an unbelievable piece of work if you've never seen it, the first of its kind, and while the young prince was somewhat obnoxious, it's understandable when you consider that the world was looking to a poet for answers to its nuclear brinkmanship and wars started by manipulative war criminals. Even the Beatles were in awe of his music. He took the world by the scruff of its neck and made it sit up and pay attention, since in his immortal words, "You know something's happening here but you don't know what it is, do you, Mister Jones?" Full song lyrics at the end of this article.
Most of Bob Dylan's performances have been yanked from you tube, so what I offer today is a bit of a hodgepodge. Still, enjoy America's bard!
Here are a few clips of Bob Dylan at various Newport Folk Festivals.
First, A brief narrative explaining just how mind blowing Dylan was back in the early 60s.
From 1963 at Newport, Bob in a live performance of “North Country Blues”
Here he is live doing “Talkin’ World War III Blues”
From 1964, a live performance at Newport by Bob Dylan doing his classic, “Mr. Tambourine Man”
From one of the Newport live performances, Bob doing “It Ain’t Me Babe”
Here’s the performance that blew minds and pissed off a whole lot of folk purists! From 1965 Newport, Bob Dylan, Mike Bloomfield, and members of the Band doing the classic “Like A Rolling Stone”
From a 1964 BBC television show, Bob doing the incredible, irreverent, and very satirical “With God On Our Side”
On google videos we find major footage of Dylan's life, unreleased clips from D.A. Pennebaker's pioneering movie "Don't Look Back," and videos from quite a few amazing performances. You can see parts of "Don't Look Back" here (unfortunately, parts 1 and 3 have been deleted from you tube and are nowhere to be found):
When you can, check out the whole thing. There's also a lot more at BobDylan.com so by all means have a look around.
I found a few performances!
The Byrds are joined by Bob Dylan on February 24, 1990 at the Roy Orbison Tribute to Benefit the Homeless, at the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, doing "Mister Tambourine Man."
Some of these have obnoxious ads, so please hang in there.
The music video of Bob performing one of his best from the 70s, "Tangled Up In Blue."
Bob performing "Knocking On Heaven's Door"
Here's Bob doing "You Gotta Serve Somebody" on the Grammy awards, 1980.
The music video for "Things Have Changed."
A video performance of "Not Dark Yet"
Here's a video of Bob performing "Sweetheart Like You"
Bob in a music video of images from various times in his life performing "Thunder on the Mountain."
Here's the post I did with lyrics for "Forever Young" and "Love Minus Zero No Limits," two of my favorite Bob Dylan love songs. Rather than his usual stream of consciousness story telling, these are some very beautiful songs with beautiful imagery and messages. For your enjoyment, Bob live with the Band in an amazing live performance of “Forever Young” And to echo a sentiment posted with the video, RIP Levon.
Here Dylan is joined by Bruce Springsteen in a live performance of "Forever Young"
Here Bob plays the White House in a great waltz arrangement of the classic "The Times They Are A-Changin’”
Here are a couple of Bob and George Harrison at the Concert for Bangladesh doing Dylan’s great love song “Love Minus Zero No Limit” and their rehearsal of “If Not For You”Here's a site that claims to have quite a few Dylan videos, including "Blood In My Eyes," "Just Like A Woman," "Most Likely You Go Your Way," "My Back Pages," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," and "Things Have Changed." It's also upfront about ads that will play before the videos, so we get to learn anew that patience is a virtue.
In a rare bootleg from the Palomino Club in North Hollywood in 1987, we find George Harrison, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Jessie Ed Davis, and Taj Mahal in an unrehearsed set doing a bunch of amazing tunes!
Here's a post I did featuring performances by the Byrds, as well as a spectacular performance by the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, doing Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom." Full song lyrics included that will move anyone with a heart. Even though neither performance has the full second and third verses, still check them out!! (Unfortunately, the link to Dylan’s live 1964 performance is busted, and a replacement clip is nowhere to be found, but the other two links work just fine!)
Here's Bruce doing a 9 minute performance of "Chimes of Freedom" in East Berlin, 1988.
So if you're inclined, join the party, and send up a prayer of thanks to the man who wrote "May God bless and keep you always, May your wishes all come true, May you always do for others, And let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars, And climb on every rung, May you stay forever young..."
Thanks, Lucky. Not bad for a boy from Hibbing, Minnesota, up on the iron range. When you left for New York it was the world's gain. You set a standard for wordsmithing that exemplifies the best of Gemini. Sorry Nelson and Lefty Wilbury have left the building. May you stay forever young, and have many, many more birthdays in the years to come.
In a special nod to 1965's "Highway 61 Revisited," the original studio version of "Like A Rolling Stone," said to be the number one song of all time that broke countless musical barriers.
As I told you above, I'd give you the lyrics to "Ballad of a Thin Man," another song from "Highway 61 Revisited." This one's heavy.....
Here's a treat! From Copenhagen in 1966, Bob Dylan at his best in a live performance of “Ballad of a Thin Man”
BALLAD OF A THIN MAN
You walk into the room With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard But you don't understand
Just what you'll say When you get home
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You raise up your head And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says "It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?" And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God Am I here all alone?"
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You hand in your ticket And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible" As he hands you a bone
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You have many contacts Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect Anyway they already expect you
To just give a check To tax-deductible charity organizations
You've been with the professors And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read It's well known
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you And then he kneels
He crosses himself And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back Thanks for the loan"
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Now you see this one-eyed midget Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?" And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?" And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk Or else go home"
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, you walk into the room Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law Against you comin' around
You should be made To wear earphones
Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Copyright © 1965; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music
Copyright © 2012 Robert Wilkinson
pretty generous selection considering all that youtube deleted... thanks Robert! love that Bob Dylan... Namaste :)
Posted by: Valerie | May 24, 2012 at 04:51 PM
He didn't get it then and he doesn't get it now... Thanks, Robert.
Posted by: Anne | May 24, 2012 at 09:25 PM