Only Boomers and musicologists can know more than half of these songs. I skimmed the numerous whose titles and artists I'd never heard.
Despite the title, this is nowhere near a work of philosophy. It's brief reflections on dozens of songs, usually in two parts: an abstract meditation on the lyrics and a historical musing. I surprisingly favored the latter, with its tangible nuggets, over the airy former. Dylan is a qualified and commanding historian. The abstractions were still impressive in their word association and imagery. All of this proves Dylan is a real writer, of more than just moody songs. My perception of him really grounded after Scorsese's Rolling Thunder. I thought he'd lost his mind over the decades, withering, blubbering, stiff. That's just his stage persona. In the documentary, in the podcast, in this book, Dylan is sharp of eye and tongue.
This book is neither the "master class" nor "momentous artistic achievement" of the cover flap. As a musician in 2023 I didn't learn much, and as a Dylan fan I can say the artistry shrinks beside any slice of his songwriting. It's nice to hear him musing lightly though, and people who grew up with these songs may appreciate the reflections. At 80, is he still the voice of his generation?
Favorite passage:
"A big part of songwriting, like all writing, is editing--distilling thought down to essentials. Novice writers often hide behind filigree. In many cases the artistry is in what is unsaid. As the old saying goes, an iceberg moves gracefully because most of it is beneath the surface..." and his ensuing portrayal of Townes Van Zandt.
No comments:
Post a Comment