Yeah, very interesting.

I agree that it would be ridiculous to say that any short phrases -- musical or lyrical -- "belong" to any one composer or lyricist. That's why you can't copyright song titles or other such short phrases or 2-bar musical lines.

But there's a huge difference, IMO, between "piggybacking" on phrases and tunes you've heard before -- without claiming to "own" them -- and trying to copyright protect them so that anyone else who so "borrows" from, not only your own songs, but the ones you borrowed from, is subject to a lawsuit.   I do think there have been some who have tried to do the latter. Not sure if Dylan is one of them.

Genie