Just some thoughts for Bob Dylan fans who might have some time on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
After hearing a radio program this morning about Bob Dylan and his switch from folk hero to pop icon, I did a little bit of reading on the internet. It took me from Like a Rolling Stone to The Band to Jimi Hendrix.
The radio interview referred to a famous Dylan performance in Manchester England in 1966. He played the first set with guitar and harmonica and he was well received. The second set he went electric and the reception was icy, to say the least. In the pause before the second to last song, someone in the crowd shouted out “Judas”, which accurately reflected the feelings of betrayal felt by Dylan fans and the folk movement of the day. Dylan responded by saying, “I don't believe you. You're a liar"! He then told the band to "play it fucking loud" Here is a recording of part of that performance in Manchester. There are lots of other versions on Youtube. Its interesting to see the many versions of the song. The higher quality recordings are the later versions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlVyIzVa4H0
The song is based upon a short story written by Dylan about a debutante who becomes a loner when she falls out of high society. The lyrics that made it into the song are only a small part of what was in the story. Some pop historians say the song is about his friend Joan Baez, while others say it is self referential. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the greatest song of all time.
Dylan recorded another version in 1970 for his Self Portrait album. This time, he used experienced session players in Nashville, Tennessee. Ron Cornelius played guitar on the album and told us about the session: "You're not reading manuscripts. In Nashville the players are booked because of what they can create right now, not what's written on a piece of paper. Everybody's creating their part as the tape is rolling. Out of everybody I've worked with, I don't know of anyone who's been any nicer than Bob Dylan. He treated me wonderfully, but at the same time you knew being around him day after day that this man wakes up in a different world every morning. On a creative level that's a really good thing and to try to second guess him or to ask him what he actually meant by these lyrics, you're shooting in the dark because he's not going to tell you anyway. And he might be telling you the truth when he says "I don't know, what does it mean to you.'"
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2737
Jimi Hendrix, who was a big Dylan fan, played the song at the famous Monterrey Pop Festival. For those who are interested, here is a video of the event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwZ8I8wOGA
An interesting account of the song and how it was recorded: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595846/like_a_rolling_stone
“There is nothing like any sort of system evident in the recording session. To traditional professional musicians, it would have seemed like mayhem. There were no charts, no arrangement. Dylan lacked any sort of language to convey to the others whatever sound he may have wished to hear. It seems simply a process of trial and error, and mostly error, with the recording tape continually rolling, ready to capture whatever might emerge, and with most of the takes breaking down mid-song after obvious failures. There was general satisfaction expressed after only one take — the one that eventually became the master — but even then, there was no indication that anyone thought that they were done, or had produced what would eventually be hailed as the most masterful rock recording of all time.” http://www.reasontorock.com/tracks/like_a_rolling_stone.html
“I had them play me the fucking thing five times straight before I could say anything. What I realized while I was sitting there was that one of US — one of the so-called Village hipsters — was making music that could compete with THEM — the Beatles and the Stones and the Dave Clark Five — without sacrificing any of the integrity of folk music or the power of rock ’n’ roll. “
— Record Producer Paul Rothchild
I wonder if the lyics have a special resonance for terbites. Especially the chorus:
Like A Rolling Stone
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
After hearing a radio program this morning about Bob Dylan and his switch from folk hero to pop icon, I did a little bit of reading on the internet. It took me from Like a Rolling Stone to The Band to Jimi Hendrix.
The radio interview referred to a famous Dylan performance in Manchester England in 1966. He played the first set with guitar and harmonica and he was well received. The second set he went electric and the reception was icy, to say the least. In the pause before the second to last song, someone in the crowd shouted out “Judas”, which accurately reflected the feelings of betrayal felt by Dylan fans and the folk movement of the day. Dylan responded by saying, “I don't believe you. You're a liar"! He then told the band to "play it fucking loud" Here is a recording of part of that performance in Manchester. There are lots of other versions on Youtube. Its interesting to see the many versions of the song. The higher quality recordings are the later versions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlVyIzVa4H0
The song is based upon a short story written by Dylan about a debutante who becomes a loner when she falls out of high society. The lyrics that made it into the song are only a small part of what was in the story. Some pop historians say the song is about his friend Joan Baez, while others say it is self referential. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the greatest song of all time.
Dylan recorded another version in 1970 for his Self Portrait album. This time, he used experienced session players in Nashville, Tennessee. Ron Cornelius played guitar on the album and told us about the session: "You're not reading manuscripts. In Nashville the players are booked because of what they can create right now, not what's written on a piece of paper. Everybody's creating their part as the tape is rolling. Out of everybody I've worked with, I don't know of anyone who's been any nicer than Bob Dylan. He treated me wonderfully, but at the same time you knew being around him day after day that this man wakes up in a different world every morning. On a creative level that's a really good thing and to try to second guess him or to ask him what he actually meant by these lyrics, you're shooting in the dark because he's not going to tell you anyway. And he might be telling you the truth when he says "I don't know, what does it mean to you.'"
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2737
Jimi Hendrix, who was a big Dylan fan, played the song at the famous Monterrey Pop Festival. For those who are interested, here is a video of the event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwZ8I8wOGA
An interesting account of the song and how it was recorded: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595846/like_a_rolling_stone
“There is nothing like any sort of system evident in the recording session. To traditional professional musicians, it would have seemed like mayhem. There were no charts, no arrangement. Dylan lacked any sort of language to convey to the others whatever sound he may have wished to hear. It seems simply a process of trial and error, and mostly error, with the recording tape continually rolling, ready to capture whatever might emerge, and with most of the takes breaking down mid-song after obvious failures. There was general satisfaction expressed after only one take — the one that eventually became the master — but even then, there was no indication that anyone thought that they were done, or had produced what would eventually be hailed as the most masterful rock recording of all time.” http://www.reasontorock.com/tracks/like_a_rolling_stone.html
“I had them play me the fucking thing five times straight before I could say anything. What I realized while I was sitting there was that one of US — one of the so-called Village hipsters — was making music that could compete with THEM — the Beatles and the Stones and the Dave Clark Five — without sacrificing any of the integrity of folk music or the power of rock ’n’ roll. “
— Record Producer Paul Rothchild
I wonder if the lyics have a special resonance for terbites. Especially the chorus:
Like A Rolling Stone
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
