Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so

Subject: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: EBarnacle
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 07:41 PM

A friend sent this to me. I would have trouble seeing him get a Nobel before Pete.


Nobel prize odds a-changin' for Bob Dylan
Late surge in betting sees singer-songwriter's price shorten from 100/1 to 10/1 to win literature's highest honour

Alison Flood

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 4 October 2011 10.46 EDT



Nobel prize for lyrics? Bob Dylan performing in China earlier this year. Photograph: Yan Bing/EPA
A late gamble on Bob Dylan has sent the singer-songwriter soaring up the odds to become the fourth favourite to win the Nobel prize for literature on Thursday.


Ladbrokes said this morning that the unlikely contender's odds of landing the world's most prestigious literary award had tumbled from 100/1 to 10/1 over the last 24 hours following "a substantial gamble from clued-up literary fans". Dylan sits behind favourite Adonis, the Syrian poet, at 4/1, Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer at 7/1 and Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami at 8/1.


For some years, Dylan has made a showing as an outside contender at the bookmaker's. And it is not the first literary prize he has been in contention for – nor even the first this week. The singer was nominated for the major $50,000 Neustadt international prize for literature earlier this summer, but missed out at the weekend to Indian-Canadian writer Rohinton Mistry.


Ladbrokes said it would have "a significant five-figure payout" on its hands if Dylan wins the Nobel on Thursday.


"We've seen enough activity from the right people to suggest Dylan now has a huge chance this year. If he doesn't make the shortlist at least there will be some seriously burnt fingers," said spokesman Alex Donohue. "As Dylan said, money doesn't talk, it swears. If he does the business there might be a few expletives from us as well."

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:08 PM

I think Seeger deserves one for the Peace category, but Dylan deserves on for Literature.

I ain't

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:11 PM

gonna argue it, because I read only English and my French is terrible.

That aside, I have NFI why that last post happened, because this post was meant to be part of it.

My buddy, LH, will post to explain what I have so eloquently stated in fewer than one hundred words. LH, over to you.

BM

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: BTNG
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:13 PM

I don't think so either, as GUEST,999 has said, Pete Seeger definitely deserves one, he's done more for this world than Mr Zimmerman could ever hope to do

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:29 PM

Dylan deserves a Nobel simply for listening to all the crap pumped out over the years about him..................Yeah.....he ain't a "folk" singer and he stole tunes and ideas and for all that I could give less than a short-squirt shit. He is one helluva' poet with a huge volume of work that has been a monstrous influence on the music industry.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Frug
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:32 PM

With you on this Spaw....

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: bobad
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:55 PM

Update from the Guardian:

Bob Dylan now favourite to take the Nobel prize for literature

Odds on Dylan running away with the Nobel prize for literature tomorrow tumble from 100/1 to 5/1
   
Sizzling-hot Nobel update! We reported yesterday that a late surge in betting on this year's Nobel prize for literature had seen the odds on Bob Dylan tumbling from 100/1 to 10/1 over 24 hours, making him fourth-favourite to take the prize. Well, it didn't end there: Ladbrokes have just issued a press release saying that Dylan is now installed as the firm favourite, after 80% of bets taken in the last 12 hours were placed on the singer-songwriter. Odds on him are now 5/1, ahead of Adonis (6/1), Haruki Murakami (8/1) and Tomas Transtromer (10/1).

Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "Everything now points to Dylan taking the prize. At first we had him down as a rank outsider but the committee have been known to spring a shock and punters the world over feel Dylan will be the beneficiary."

Can it really be? I still can't credit it, to be honest. I love Dylan as much as the next person whose father played him incessantly during the car journeys of their youth, but in a field that also includes Amos Oz (25/1), Les Murray (16/1) and Thomas Pynchon (20/1) can he truly be considered, as Alfred Nobel specified when he endowed the prize, "the person who ... produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"?

In a word, no. But - inexplicably! - I'm not on the Nobel committee this year, so who I am to say? We'll be blogging the announcement tomorrow - tune in to see whether or not I have to eat my words

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Elmore
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 08:56 PM

After Leonard Cohen. Then Dylan (maybe)

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 10:23 PM

Well...either Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan would be perfectly reasonable contenders, based on their huge body of work and the great effect it has had on popular culture.

I'd have no objection to seeing either one of them win it. I wouldn't be devastated if they didn't. ;-)

Who would I recommend for a Nobel prize for brilliant song lyrics? Either of the above gents, Al Stewart, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Lynn Miles. That's just for a start. There'd be others too.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 10:47 PM

I can't see it personally. Who is the Syrian poet? I would certainly like to see someone from that struggling nation get it over someone who has enough..enough money, enough fame..and I don't know why he particularly would deserve it..don't know anything Mr. or Ms. Syrian either but it seems like this should be their hour with all that is going on.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: melodeonboy
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 03:05 AM

Hmmm.... much as I dislike using it, the expression "dumbing down" comes to mind!

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 07:19 AM

"a monstrous influence on the music industry"

That's a bit unkind, spaw!

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 07:23 AM

40 years ago maybe, now NO!

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 12:15 PM

It's only been the last 10 years or so that I've become somewhat familiar with the greater body of Dylan's work. What amazes me about him is the wide-ranging themes of his songs and his ability to so clearly present the core of so many thoughts and ideas. Not to mention the sheer volume of his work.

As far as denigrating his current output- at his age I don't consider it surprising that his brilliance has dimmed in recent years. We didn't hold it against Albert Einstein.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Amos
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 12:26 PM

I believe he didn't get the Nobel this year, but it is a perfectly reasonable option, IMHO; his poetry, often put to music, defined the soul of a generation.


A

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,Hi Lo
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:49 PM

I love Bob Dylan, however, he is a musician and not a "writer" in the literary sense. Perhaps they need a prize for musicians of conscience..in which case I would give it to Joan Baez of Bruce Cockburn.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:52 PM

I am going to make a prediction. Ahem! Going out on a limb here...

Chongo Chimp will not win the Nobel Prize for Literature this year.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: BTNG
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:58 PM

and the winner is......(envelope please) The Nobel Prize in Literature 2011 is awarded to Swedish writer, Tomas Tranströmer "because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality".

Tomas Tranströmer

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 02:03 PM

See? I told you Chongo wouldn't win it.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: BTNG
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 02:31 PM

I'll bet Chongo could give us "fresh access to reality" as well

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 06:51 PM

Perhaps... but outside of Chongo's seminal 3-volume autobiography, Feral Fantasies and Far-Flung Feces, what has he published lately?

I mean, we are talking literature here.

Jay

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 07:01 PM

Dylan has my vote... His writing is truly unbelievable... But as someone posted about Pete Seeger deserving on for peace... Yeah, he's got my vote, too...

B~

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Songwronger
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 11:57 PM

Didn't Bob Dylan get popped for plagarizing from a novel once? Some album came out, then later it was shown that he lifted whole lines from the book to use in his lyrics. I remember the author of the book didn't seem to mind, but still, plagarism is plagarism. If that's acceptable to the Committee, then let me spend the next year publishing all of Albert Camus under my name. Publish it on Amazon Kindle and brush off my tux for the Nobel soiree next year.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Ron Davies
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 12:11 AM

Read some of Dylan's "poetry".    Without the vocal element, a large portion seems remarkably feeble and sophomoric.

What, opinionated, moi?

Perish the thought.

Good thing nobody else is opinionated.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,Don Wise
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 05:24 AM

DON'T PANIC!!!!

CALM DOWN!!!!


His 'Bobness' was passed over in favour of an aged swedish poet.


Next year perhaps?

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 09:25 AM

Of course, Bob has some powerful champions from the world of poetry, including former British "poet laureate" Andrew Motion, and Allen Ginsberg.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Ron Davies
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 09:34 AM

Or next year perhaps not.

Maybe turgid sophomoric pseudo-apocalyptic verbiage is not what they're looking for after all.

Hope I'm not too subtle.




Music can cover up a multitude of literary sins.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 10:22 AM

I don't think that music "covers up" literary sins. Music and literature are two different things, each of which require a different set of skills. As a lyricist Dylan is very good..but not deserving of a prize for literature.

Subject: RE: Dylan for Nobel? I don't think so
From: Helen
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 08:43 PM

Re: plagiarism comments, did you also see the news articles about Bob Dylan's paintings?

Bob Dylan paintings spark controversy

Paintings uncannily similar to work of famous photographers
CBC News
Posted: Sep 29, 2011 1:04 PM ET
Last Updated: Sep 29, 2011 1:02 PM ET


Music icon Bob Dylan is under scrutiny for several of his paintings on display in New York, after media and others noticed their close resemblance to images by noted photographers.

The Gagosian Gallery is mounting an exhibit titled The Asia Series, with the work shown described as a "visual journey" inspired by Dylan's visits abroad.

Several of the painted works — which purportedly reflect the singer's travels in Japan, China, Vietnam and Korea — appear uncannily similar to images captured by legendary photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Léon Busy and Dmitri Kessel.

The controversy, first reported by media outlets such as The New York Times, has divided Dylan fans online.

Though many artists paint from photographs, critics have criticized the singer because the works had been described as creations inspired by his own firsthand travel experiences.

Still, others defended the paintings as Dylan "riffing" on previous artistic creations and argued that many artworks today are derivative.

The gallery issued a statement defending the artwork, saying that "the composition of some of Bob Dylan's paintings are based on a variety of sources, including including archival, historic images."

The "vibrancy and freshness [of the works] come from the colours and textures found in everyday scenes he observed."

In the exhibit's catalog, Dylan is quoted as saying he paints "mostly from real life. It has to start with that: real people, real street scenes, behind-the-curtain scenes, live models, paintings, photographs, staged setups, architecture, grids, graphic design. Whatever it takes to make it work."

Dylan has dabbled in drawing and painting for decades, with his work featured in high-profile exhibits in recent years.

see also 2 paintings compared with famous photographs