Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Justa Picker
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:37 PM

(Steve, anything Taj does is right by me. Yes I've heard his version -great as well. Also, my two fave Taj albums are Senor Blues, and Dee Ole Folds at Home/Giant Step. You have those two, the rest are gravy.)

(Apologies for the thread creep.)

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: 53
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:34 PM

the beatles are the best, but they did like the early dylan songs, and mostly they just smoked it up and got high instead of playing music BOB

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:26 PM

I can understand being a fan. I'm a fan of many different musical acts, to varying degrees of fandom. But why the personal attacks on people who disagree? What part of one's own ego is wrapped up in Bob Dylan's good name? Why isn't it okay for people who aren't intoxicated by the Tambourine Man to exist and have their say, especially when they feel the Bobbites are carried away by their own infatuation?

Alex

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:21 PM

Liar, too. blicky

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:21 PM

The cowards are back, I see.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:14 PM

It always annoys me to hear Elvis described as The King and Bruce Springsteen as The Boss. There is only one King and one Boss; Bob Dylan is in a class by himself, then come the others. Incidentally, I don't like Love and Theft, yet!

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:14 PM

Ooooooooo! Nasty....

- LH

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST,Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:00 PM

Question: What's the difference between Bob Dylan and Mousethief?

Answer: Mousethief starts all the threads at Mudcat that are about Mousethief. The ones about Bob Dylan are started by other people.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 02:54 PM

Justa,

It's a bit of thread creep, but have you heard Taj Mahal's version of Honky Tonk Woman? It's awfully good. I haven't heard the Travis Trit version.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 02:52 PM

To call him the King of Rock is a mistake as well. Rock is certianly young peoples' music. He has made a lot of contributions, but so have others. Bob may have been King in 1961. He isn't now.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Clifton53
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 02:50 PM

Dylan didn't make himself "pretender to the throne", we did that for him Alex. And if his songwriting is "spotty" may I be afflicted with it. What nonsense!

Clifton

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Justa Picker
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 02:49 PM

Funny I thought Travis Trit was :-)

(Anyone heard his cover of "Honky Tonk Woman" on the album "Stone Country"? - great album by the way.)

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 02:00 PM

Mousethief,

Does Bob have an ego? Yes, a massive one (although I get the sense it has toned down lately). Did this ego allow him to stick to his guns and put out the kind of music that he wanted to when he wanted to? Absolutely. Does he claim that folk music, e.g Talking Blues, did not exist before 1961, absolutely not. Does he sing like Sinatra? No. Does he use his (albeit limited) voice as an instrument to convey the feel of every song he has ever sung? Absolutely. Has he continued to write intelligent, musical music for over forty years? Again, absolutely. Have there been duds? yes, but his duds are far less than his good to great works.

Yes, there are those who don't get Bob, never will. Fortunately there are enough of us who do that there will always be a market for whatever direction he wants to take next. Having said this, there is a lot of Dylan material that I'm not fond of and would never buy. But to off handedly dismiss Dylan is a mistake.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:37 PM

Every one of us is king of his own ego, Alex! (Except those who have achieved Self-realization, that is...) That's where all the trouble stems from.

- LH

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:20 PM

Little Hawk,

I've heard it said that it was the first rap song.

Steve

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:20 PM

Talking blues, and many other forms of spoken word over music, go back LONG before Bob "pretender to the throne" Dylan.

I'm not even sure what category I'd put him in. Folky pop? Fop? Polk? Surely a great songwriter at times, but spotty even there, and don't even get me started about his so-called voice. If he's king of anything, it's of his own ego.

Alex

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:16 PM

I think the original meaning of "Folk-Rock" may have been something like...Rock with intelligent lyrics. That's what I took it to mean at the time, anyway.

Steve - Does that mean that Bob was actually the originator of rap??? What a scary idea!

- LH

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:02 PM

I thought he was the Jack of Hearts.

Steve Latimer said most of what needs to be said, but I can't resist jumping in on a Bob Dylan thread. Once again, we're in the realm of definitions; since we've beaten the "What is Folk?" question to death, we're finding a back-door route to discussing "What is Rock?". In my view Dylan is one who expanded the boundaries of rock, thereby broadening the definition. But if you define rock only by what existed in the 1950s, then obviously he doesn't fit the definition.

Dylan has always drawn on more than one tradition, even back in the days when he was trying to be another Woody. I don't see the sense in trying to restrict him to one category, especially an artificial one like "folk rock" (in my opinion ALL rock is folk rock).

I only picked up Love and Theft the other day, and only got a chance to listen to the first half. It ain't Blonde On Blonde, but there's something there worth hearing. And even if his voice is more of an acquired taste than ever, it's better than it was five years ago. I'm still listening.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 12:52 PM

Geez Clinton, if I dismissed stuff that I didn't like on first listen my musical tastes wouldn't be anywhere near as broad as they are.

LH, Bob could be King of Rap if only for Subterranean Homesick Blues. (Kidding)

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 12:46 PM

No sweat, Clinton...we question the validity of most of your ramblings too. :-)

Aside from that, to call Bob merely the "King of Rock" is to trivialize him, since he has done so much in addition to rock...still I can't help but appreciate the sentiment!

One thing he is not is the "King of Rap"...thankfully. I wonder who is? On second thought...no, I'd rather not know. (***Grin***)

- LH

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 12:22 PM

Why borrow it?? I HAVE listened to it... I didn't like it...

I question the validity of anything that some one says "You need to let it grow on you"...

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 12:17 PM

Clinton, You'd mentioned that in another thread. I would suggest borrowing a copy and listening to it a few times through. I was very leery of the hype that preceeded it, but having heard it a few times through I think it's one of his best.

Subject: Bob Dylan is the Kink Of Sock
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 11:47 AM

well, what I've heard of Love & Theft has left me pretty cold... glad I didn't spend any $$ on that p.o.s. album...

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 11:16 AM

Chance, I'm recommending Love & Theft to anyone who will listen. Rock, Swing, Jazzy Crooning, Highway 61 style blues, It's one of his best. It is a tribute to the past, yet is absolutely viable and current. Start there, if you like it PM me and I'll suggest some others.

Jack the Sailor, I'm a Woody fan myself and I'm well aware of his influence on the young Mr. Dylan. However, I think that what has made Bob so superior to anyone else I've heard is that he had many other influences. He listened to Traditional folk, Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, Hank Williams, Jimmy Rogers, Bluegrass, Little Richard, Elvis etc. He has incorporated all of these influnces into his own sound. Incredibly, it worked and continues to do so.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:55 AM

King of Rock, I don't know about that. After Woody Guthrie the king of folk, Yes. Since Woody is dead, I'd give that honour to Bob. Steve with due respect. Woody was Bob's idol in writing songs that mean something and his record is unparalleled in popularizing folk music.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:29 AM

Try Love & Theft.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Fortunato
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:27 AM

Steve, I'm listening, can you recommend a CD? Dylan's contribution is huge, it's true. I have trouble thinking past 1967 sometimes. 1956 is where my Rock and Roll head sits. Make a few suggestions if you don't mind and I'll pick them up. HELP! I DON'T REALLY WANT TO LIVE IN THE PAST. Regards, Chance

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:20 AM

I think that Bob is the most important popular musician of at least the last 40 years. Yes, he can Rock with the best of them, to say he stopped doing it in '67 only means that you haven't heard Love and Theft, Oh Mercy, The Bootleg Series, Infidels and many others. Songs like Political World, Everything is Broken, Seven Days, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, Dirt Road Blues, Summer Days, Honest With Me etc. This ain't Folk Rock baby, it's the real deal.

Having said that I think that Bob's greatest contribution to music is that he forced others to write songs that say something. He is so rooted in Rock, Folk, Blues, and traditional music that he draws on any and all of these styles when creating fresh sounds.

The scope of his work continues to amaze me.

But I'm not crowning him King of Rock, I think it would minimize his contributions to so many other styles.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: Fortunato
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 08:45 AM

Hmm, King of Rock? Let's see. My opinion would put Bob Dylan where?:

Elvis Presley

Little Richard
Carl Perkins

Jerry Lee Lewis

Gene Vincent

Chuck Berry

Fats Domino

Buddy Holly

Bo Diddley

Forget it. He's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down there amongst the "Kings of Rock and Roll". IMHOP of course. There used to be a genre called folk/rock. When Bob Dylan hired The Band to tour and record with him that was Folk/Rock. Bob by himself IMHOP couldn't rock do do.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST,Whistle and Bagpipes
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 08:30 AM

Bob Dylan is NOT the king of rock. He isn't a rocker at all. How can you even say he is? He just happens to have a "rock" audience - but he is in no way, shape or form a "rocker' - nevermind the KING of rock. That is ludicrous. He doesn't play danceable, screaming, hard driven music. His contribution to rock was his lyrics. His only "rock" period would be between 1964 and 1967. The rest is just folk for a rock audience. That's all.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST,Grubby
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:35 AM

Oh MAN!! I totally concur! Bob Dylan is the coolest man alive.

Subject: RE: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST,Beavis
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 11:09 PM

YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT HE IS!!

Subject: Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock
From: GUEST,Mr. Dabone
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 11:08 PM

Bob Dylan is the King Of Rock. There IS none higher.