The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #85005 Message #1572394
Posted By: BrĂan
29-Sep-05 - 05:31 PM
Thread Name: Joan Baez- uncensored Dylan Movie
Subject: RE: Joan Baez- uncensored Dylan Movie
When one considers how thoughtful Joan is about the power of language, it seems especially offensive that her own words should be censored in the context of a social documentary. I recall having a discussion with a friend about Brendan Behan's The Borstal Boy who thought it wasn't necessary for him to use offensive language to discuss the conditions of the British juvenile penal system. What I found most surprising about Behan's work was that it neither received nor needed much editing even with the offensive language.
I found the recorded criticisms of Dylan's improvisations with the harmonica and guitar strumming on live performances such as Mr. Tambourine Man particularly amusing. Dylan was continually composing in his live performances the same fashion any folk artist is continually modifying the words and melody to their own and others work.