Monday night I attended a concert called Dylan 65: A Birthday Tribute. (http://www.imtfolk.org/html/imt06_avantgardeners.html) It was sold out and fantastic. Several local (DC area) musicians and groups performed, and they were all outstanding. Many of them were too young to have heard Dylan in the 60s, but it was obvious that they all loved his songs. Some joked about being in competition as to who would play what. I saw the PBS special on Dylan a few months ago, and, like this concert, it jolted me back into recognition of how very powerful Dylan's songs were. Here is a collage of my reactions to some of these songs then and now.

I Shall Be Released.
I still believe it.

Mr. Tambourine Man
"My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming."
I felt this way for so long. I thought I had gotten past it, but I'm there again now, and I cried vehemently.

If Not for You
What a sweet love song.

The Times They are A'Changin'
I once made a Unitarian minister wince by saying that I thought that "The loser now will be later to win" was originally written by Bob Dylan.

Forever Young
I played this with a friend who sang it at the baptism of another friend's daughter. Years later, I tried to play it with a friend who was going to sing it to celebrate his wife's birthday, but...I guess we should have practiced. She enjoyed it anyway.

Chimes of Freedom
I still believe this one, too.

Everything Is Broken
It still hurts.

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
I kind of like this sleazy, dirty old man song, but the woman who sang it Monday night made it seductive in a more appealing way.

Girl of the North Country
So sweet and sentimental that it sounds traditional.