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Big Tim Name the trad LP that is Dylan source (49) RE: Name the trad LP that is Dylan source 25 Jun 08


I tend to agree with Arkie that there wasn't any single album that influenced Dylan the most. I am just re-reading Sounes' biog (for at least the fourth around) and the main early influences were: the folk scene in Minneapolis, Guthrie, NYC folk scene, John Lee Hooker, Jesse Fuller, Clancy Bros, Big Joe Williams etc (all part of the NYC folk scene). The first album 'Bob Dylan' is essentially blues based, with only one original, 'Song to Woody'. Then he met Suze Rotolo who strongly influenced his political/social awareness, resulting in 'Blowin in the Wind'. The rest is history.

For 'God on our Side', Dylan used the trad melody that Dominic Behan used for 'Patriot Game' (learned from Liam Clancy). Some advance the argument that he took more than the melody, based on the phrase 'O my name it aint nothin, my age it means less', being similar to 'My name is 'O'Hanlon and I've just gone sixteen'. (Actually O'Hanlon was 20 when he was killed in '57, but never mind). Behan's widow told she thought Dylan was guily of
plaigirism. I didn't and don't agree with her but avoided an argument. However there was a good deal of resentment in the Behan camp. I recall from the 60s that Behan was gonna sue Dylan but I'm not sure that he ever did. Any know?


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