BOB DYLAN

One of the Bobs to be covered in this Blog is, of course, Bob Dylan. Anyone who knows me even slightly knows that I have been crazy about the music of Bob Dylan for over 40 years. Just a few verses of Tangled Up In Blue can always bring a tear to my eye (and not because I'm thinking about Bob's chicken scratch lead guitar). Highway 61. 66 Tour. Basement Tapes. John Wesley Harding. That's what I'm talking about.

 The week after Bob's 67th birthday seems like an appropriate time to turn my attention to his music. At 67 years old with the Never Ending Tour on the road, Bob is still going strong. From all reports, this band is playing well and Bob's singing is......not getting any worse. Hope he plays somewhere this summer where I can catch a show.

 For me, the best part of his music has always been the lyrics. If you compare song lyrics before and after Mr Tambourine Man, you see the impact Bob had on the song writing process. With that song and others like it, he opened up a whole new world of possibilities when it came to song writing.

 Remember listening to Kingston Trio records (Tom Dooley)? Bobby Darin (Splish Splash)? That's what songs were like before Bob's influence kicked in. Can you imagine the scope of the lyrics of the Byrds, the Band, Townes Van Zandt, or Robert Earl Keen without the influence of Dylan? Don't think I can. Even the music of the Beatles (Norwegian Wood) started changing when John Lennon  heard what Bob was writing.

That said, Bob also could always craft simple songs that speak about very enduring subjects. On this list, I think Forever Young is very near the top. 

          May you build a ladder to the stars

           And climb on every rung

          May you stay forever young

               May your heart always be joyful

               May your song always be song

               May you stay forever young

Nice stuff. Do your ears a favor, put some Bob on your playlist.

 Also, thanks to certain singer-songwriter for the encouragement about the Blog. Glad to know someone is listening.