Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate!

[gh]

A Dylan/Baez vignette (true story):

in the mid-'80s I was at a small nightclub close to the T&FN offices listening to my favorite local troubadour; couldn't help but recognize Baez sitting at the table next to me with her sister of far lesser fame, Mimi Fariña.

The singer invited her up on stage and she said sure. They sang a few duets together, but it was clear that she wasn't going to do any of her own material when somebody yelled from the audience, "Joanie, do Diamonds & Rust!" and she replied, "In a pig's ass!"

After several songs, the local guy says, "Do you know [insert name of famed Dylan song]?"

She, with about as much acid as I've ever heard in anyone's voice, replied, "I wrote the fucking thing!"

(and just to clarify, that doesn't mean that the local didn't realize she had written it; it's something that's fully credited to Dylan)

[26mi235]

Patti Smith, by the way, has an excellent book Just Kids about her and Robert Mapplethorpe. My wife thought the book was on the high side of excellent. Here is a link to a couple reviews of this relatively short National Book Award-winning book. (her next book (M Train) was as mediocre as this one was good.

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Kids-Pat.../dp/0060936223

[aaronk]

A Dylan/Baez vignette (true story):

in the mid-'80s I was at a small nightclub close to the T&FN offices listening to my favorite local troubadour; couldn't help but recognize Baez sitting at the table next to me with her sister of far lesser fame, Mimi Fariña.

The singer invited her up on stage and she said sure. They sang a few duets together, but it was clear that she wasn't going to do any of her own material when somebody yelled from the audience, "Joanie, do Diamonds & Rust!" and she replied, "In a pig's ass!"

After several songs, the local guy says, "Do you know [insert name of famed Dylan song]?"

She, with about as much acid as I've ever heard in anyone's voice, replied, "I wrote the fucking thing!"

(and just to clarify, that doesn't mean that the local didn't realize she had written it; it's something that's fully credited to Dylan)

For another view of the Dylan-Baez thing (lovers, friends, folkies-in-arms, etc), watch the DVD "The Other Side of the Mirror"---which is a fantastic overview of the '63, '64, and '65 Newport Folk Festivals!!
LOTS of songs by Dylan, plus lots of scenes of Dylan and Joanie together---when they were truly TOGETHER!

[gh]

Fascinating..... Patti Smith was chosen to sing before the winner was known. When it turned out to be Dylan she changed courses. Nice first-person piece here

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...ocial_facebook

[aaronk]

Fascinating..... Patti Smith was chosen to sing before the winner was known. When it turned out to be Dylan she changed courses. Nice first-person piece here

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...ocial_facebook

Thanks for the article---which included the full video!
So I listened to Patti sing this for the 4th or 5th time---loving it even more this last time around!
Her's is maybe the best version I've ever heard---including that of my lifetime hero himself!.
Why?
For the human-ness that oozed from every word---even the falterings!
("To err is human"!)
Her apology brought not embarrassment or shame, but respect and compassion----and tears! (Even from people in the audience in their royal dresses and regal absorption!)

I have no doubt Dylan himself will praise her performance---if he hasn't already!

P.S. I've never gotten into Patti Smith--even though I knew Dylan & she were friends---so the above observations come entirely from seeing this video---and loving it!

[bambam1729]

My favorite singer currently is a Norwegian crossover soprano / folk singer named Sissel - angelic voice who sings almost every thing. When Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize, at that ceremony, she and Josh Groban sang a duet of "The Prayer" and Sissel forgot a line - its hard to tell but its in there. She later said she forgot it because when Groban started singing, she thought that his voice was so beautiful and she blew the line. See here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQps9qY-3pQ

[GleasonTom]

Great song and one of the best things about Dylan's music is that is elicits great cover versions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV86ZtvjSds

This version has a great Jerry Douglas solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MNe8gXs3_c

I agree. This is IMHO the only song where the original is as good as a later version -- in this case with Johnny Cash.

[wineturtle]

Listen to his 27 min Nobel lecture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlcPRlau2Q


full text of todays lecture
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_priz...Raw5QM.twitter

[gh]

My favorite singer currently is a Norwegian crossover soprano / folk singer named Sissel - angelic voice who sings almost every thing. When Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize, at that ceremony, she and Josh Groban sang a duet of "The Prayer" and Sissel forgot a line - its hard to tell but its in there. She later said she forgot it because when Groban started singing, she thought that his voice was so beautiful and she blew the line. See here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQps9qY-3pQ

I bought a Sissel CD in Bergen way back in '91. My favorite cut is Westland, Westland.

[bambam1729]

I bought a Sissel CD in Bergen way back in '91. My favorite cut is Westland, Westland.

My favorite cut is anytime she opens her mouth to sing. Angelic voice.

[aaronk]

Following is the "review" of "I'm Not There"---the film about Dylan---chosen by the NYT as 1 of the Best 25 Movies of the 21st Century! They did the critique in the form of an interview with Bob---using his lyrics as both question and answer! Fascinating!!

A.O. Scott
“I’m Not There,” Todd Haynes’s film about Bob Dylan, is not a biopic. It’s an extended essay in Dylanology, with six actors (among them Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Cate Blanchett) incarnating aspects of the future Nobel laureate’s protean personality. In that spirit, we have compiled the following brief Q&A, which should clear up any mysteries about this film and its subject.

Where have you been, my blue-eyed son? Where have you been, my darling young one?

I was riding on the Mayflower, when I thought I spied some land. I yelled to Captain A-Rab, I’ll have you understand. Who came running to the deck and said, “Boys, forget the whale. We’re going over yonder! Cut the engine! Raise the sail!”

Once upon a time, you dressed so fine, you threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?

Someone’s got it in for me. They’re spreading stories in the press. Whoever it is I wish they’d cut it out quick. But when they will, I can only guess.

With your sheets like metal and your belt like lace, and your deck of cards missing the jack and the ace, and your basement clothes and your hollow face – Who among them can think he could outguess you?

I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. And for that one moment I could be you. Yeah – I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. You’d know what a drag it is to see you.

How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man?

I’m out here a thousand miles from my home. Walking a road other men have gone down. I’m seeing a world of people and things. Of paupers and peasants and princes and kings.

Now your dancing child with his Chinese suit, he spoke to me, I took his flute. No, I wasn’t very cute to him, was I?

You might like to eat caviar. You might like to eat bread. You might be sleeping on a floor. You might be sleeping in a feather bed. But you’re going to have to serve somebody.

You know something is happening here but you don’t know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?

There’s too much confusion. I can’t get no relief.

Oh, I’m sailing away my own true love. I’m sailing away in the morning. Is there something I can send you from across the sea, from the place that I’ll be landing?

I’ve got to get back into my hotel room. I’ve got me a date with Botticelli’s niece. She promised she’d be there with me, when I paint my masterpiece.

[wamego relays champ]

Journalists analyzing the Nobel Lecture come away with eyebrows raised

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/c...l_lecture.html

[Master403]

Bob Dylan just released a 17-minute song about the JFK assassination

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/...oul-1203546713

(as if Dylan songs are ever about just one subject)

[user4]

Following is the "review"
.. and Cate Blanchett) ...
Where have you been, my blue-eyed son? Where have you been, my darling young one?

I was riding on the Mayflower, when I thought I spied some land. I yelled to Captain A-Rab, I’ll have you understand. Who came running to the deck and said, “Boys, forget the whale. We’re going over yonder! Cut the engine! Raise the sail!”

Once upon a time, you dressed so fine, you threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?

Someone’s got it in for me. They’re spreading stories in the press. Whoever it is I wish they’d cut it out quick. But when they will, I can only guess.

With your sheets like metal and your belt like lace, and your deck of cards missing the jack and the ace, and your basement clothes and your hollow face – Who among them can think he could outguess you?

I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. And for that one moment I could be you. Yeah – I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. You’d know what a drag it is to see you.

How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man?

Now your dancing child with his Chinese suit, he spoke to me, I took his flute. No, I wasn’t very cute to him, was I?

You might like to eat caviar. You might like to eat bread. You might be sleeping on a floor. You might be sleeping in a feather bed. But you’re going to have to serve somebody.

You know something is happening here but you don’t know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?

There’s too much confusion. I can’t get no relief.

I’ve got to get back into my hotel room. I’ve got me a date with Botticelli’s niece. She promised she’d be there with me, when I paint my masterpiece.

Thanks for that aaronk, so many favorites there!!

she was thinking about her father who she very rarely saw, thinking about Rosemary and thinking about the law but most of all she was thinking about the Jack of hearts.

[bambam1729]

Thanks for that aaronk, so many favorites there!!

she was thinking about her father who she very rarely saw, thinking about Rosemary and thinking about the law but most of all she was thinking about the Jack of hearts.

One of my favorite songs ever - prefer the Joan Baez cover version - always prefer any cover version of Dylan to his own awful singing