Bob Dylan
This is possibly one of my favorite photographs of all time.
Oh, Bob Dylan, how I love thee! I am pretty sure Bob Dylan is the coolest human being walking around on Earth. That curly spout of hair on top his head, his brooding good looks, his mysterious charm - oh how I swoon over Bob Dylan. I do not care that he is a mere 48 years my senior. All those boys I see on the street mimicking his mop of curls, hiding behind those oh so cool Wayfarers, struggling to fit into those tiny drainpipes, walking around in their Carnaby Street boots - you mean nothing to me. No one can ever compare to the great Robert Allen Zimmerman (Bob's real name for those who are unaware.)
For five decades Bob has been projecting out folk songs left and right. He has released albums almost consecutively year after year. Dylan is more of a poet rather than a lyricist. It is because of these meaningful words he became the poster boy for civil rights. Many times Dylan coloured outside the lines - he left his folk roots to dabble in a variety of genres including blues, gospel, rock & roll, and jazz. Not to mention, he does all of these well. Frankly, I believe Bob Dylan is a Midas type, anything he touches, well, it turns to gold. Dylan also proved his musical genius by playing a multitude of instruments including the guitar, piano, and the reason I first fell in love with him - the harmonica. Oh how I could listen to him wail on the harmonica day in and day out. But of course, Dylan's most famous instrument is his voice. You could pinpoint his nasally crooning anywhere, it is just so distinctive. I actually have a list of voices I would die for, guess who rings in at number one?? I spend hours with Hannah trying to perfect our Dylan accents. For me, it is just Heaven. For others (like my mom) will agree with Joyce Carol Oates in describing his voice "as if sandpaper could sing." Now that I think about it, it does sound like sandpaper, but more like diamondpaper.
My top five essential Dylan tunes
Dark Eyes
This is the song that essentially caused me to fall in love.
I Want You
I want you too Bob Dylan, I want you too. For the sole reason of how you pronounce "flute."
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
I am 93.7% sure this song was written for Edie Sedgwick. Which is only another reason to add to my list of why he is just so damn cool
All I Really Want To Do
The diamondpaper crooning at it's best!
Like A Rolling Stone
My best friend recently got this tattooed on her arm. I am not jealous or anything...
Dylan once said of his mentor, Woody Guthrie, "You could listen to his song and actually learn how to live." Well, I wonder if he knows that many a kids these days are saying the very same thing of him.
2 comments:
I think that Joyce Carol Oates actually had a huge crush on Bob. She dedicated one of her very popular short stories "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" to Mr. Dylan. It was later turned into a movie with Treat Williams and Laura Dern.
You love having me as a mother don't you? I am filled with just SO much useless trivia. :)
That is indeed a wonderfully-cool photo. My husband is a huge Dylan fan and I admire him as well. Fun post. :)
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