'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World

Subject: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: bobad
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 05:41 PM

LONDON (Reuters) - Bob Dylan's song "Like a Rolling Stone" topped a poll Friday to find the 100 songs, movies, TV shows and books that "changed the world" in the opinion of musicians, actors and industry experts.

Dylan's 1965 single beat Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" into second place in the survey for "Uncut" magazine.

Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, Robert Downey Jr, Rolling Stone Keith Richards and Lou Reed were among those who gave their views for the poll.

"I absolutely remember where I was when I first heard it. It got me through adolescence," rocker Patti Smith said of the winning song.

Ex-Beatle McCartney picked "Heartbreak Hotel" as his number one choice.

"It's the way (Presley) sings it as if he is singing from the depths of hell," McCartney said. "His phrasing, use of echo, it's all so beautiful. Musically, it's perfect."

The Beatles' song "She Loves You" ranked at number three, followed by the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" emerged as the most influential film at number five, followed by "The Godfather" and "The Godfather II" films in sixth place.

"The Prisoner" was the top-ranking TV series at number 10, while Jack Kerouac's novel "On the Road" was the highest-ranking book, in 19th place.

Actor Edward Norton and ex-Beach Boy Brian Wilson also took part in the poll, marking the magazine's 100th issue

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: greg stephens
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 06:37 PM

I'm very surprised Clive Dunn's "Grandad" didnt get a look-in, but fashion's a fickle thing.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 07:02 PM

Why no Sam Larner?

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 07:50 PM

A downright silly poll.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 07:53 PM

Changed the world from what? Into what?

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 10:20 PM

Wait a minute, aren't you all being a little harsh? 'Like a Rolling Stone' certainly changed me, and while I may not have had a significant influence on the way the world works, had it not been for the song I might have.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: number 6
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 11:01 PM

Great to see the Prisoner as a top rating TV series!!

'Like a Rolling Stone' isn't my favourite Bob Dylan song, I do believe it deserves the accolades.

Re: Clockwork Orange I saw it way back then when it premiered, was impressed.I'm a big Kubrick fan But seeing again about a month ago I was deeply disturbed, actually quite shook up ... I attribute this to how much the movie has evolved into reality and an 'age thing'.

sIx

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: michaelr
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 11:24 PM

What, LSD didn't make the list?

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 11:27 PM

It wasn't a media-owned thing, so likely didn't count for this survey. Quite influential, though, as you say.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 03:43 AM

Like A Rolling Stone is a great song but songs don't change anything,
apart from how long singles were that is.

eric

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 04:30 AM

I think that war, religion, science, technology, economics etc., etc. probably had a greater 'World Changing' effect than a silly song by some bozo who has never seemed to have the ability to actually sing!

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 04:40 AM

...and neither of you (eric & guest) think that a song could have any effect on war, religion, science, technology economics etc.?

I find that incredible. Even if the length of singles was the only thing changed by it, don't you think that alone had a cummulative ongoing effect? I mean didn't that ultimately produce Springsteen?

(Or is that a bit of a long bow to draw?)

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,Knowsfuckallaboutanything
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 05:29 AM

When my Dad explained to me what Chuck Berry's "My Ding-A-Ling" was all about, it certainly changed my world.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 05:38 AM

It was just a song. It didn't change anything.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 05:43 AM

It was a very different song from any that had ever been on the hit parade before. It changed everything.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 05:52 AM

what kind of people called themselves Uncut?
uncut with talcum powder? half cut with LSD? nicked with safety razor?

they are a bad influence on our nation's children, the sort of people who watch the 2nd showing of Neighbours when they've already seen the first.

ethnic diversity ....its our only hope.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 06:08 AM

"Uncut" means not curcumcised doesn't it?

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 06:09 AM

Not not curcumcised, not circumcised.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 06:22 AM

Didn't change mine much...

The Labi Siffre song 'So Strong' did though....

So did David Grays' 'This year's love'..... but for totally other reasons!

LTS

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 06:40 AM

It changed me from "Is THAT Bob Dylan? " to "Gimme more Bob Dylan. Still love it and I don't worry about wether it changed anything or anybody.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: number 6
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 08:51 AM

It did change the world ... with the arrival of that song in the pop charts there there was, for a brief period in history, rock music with intelligent content and structure.

sIx

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: bobad
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 09:18 AM

It gave a lot of us awakening adolescents six minutes of grinding time on the dance floor which I guess changed our lives if only for that period of time.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 10:24 AM

OK John O'Lennaine, what exactly did it change ?

eric

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 11:09 AM

I could not agree more with the poll's choice of "Like a Rolling Stone". It certainly changed me. I felt the same way Patti Smith did about it. It changed everything. The first time I heard the song, I just sat there in amazement, and then I played it over 3 more times before listening to the rest of the album (Highway 61 Revisited). It turned me overnight into a total Dylan fanatic. It said everything that an angry, frustrated young person wanted to hear. It was totally incredible. It was unlike anything that had been done before. It was cathartic, highly intelligent, and emotionally stripped bare. I soon found out that you could say that about a whole lot of the rest of Dylan's catalog too. His songs are gallant, they are courageous, they are enlightening, they are extraordinary. They make you think...or else maybe they don't. ;-) In the case of people who find that Dylan's songs don't seem to make them think...well, they obviously have a great need to listen to something else instead. Fine with me.

Of the other songs, I can certainly agree that "Satisfaction" changed a lot too. A great, great song. "Heartbreak Hotel"? Yeah, for sure. Elvis changed a lot in society. The Beatles? No question. They ALL changed the World...because they changed people's perceptions. The World you SEE is the World of your perceptions...nothing more, nothing less...and that is ALL you will EVER see. Your perception of reality.

No other song changed people's perceptions quite as radically as Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone".

Thank you, Bob!

"I'll remember you
When I've forgotten all the rest,
You to me were true,
You to me were the best.
When there is no more,
You cut to the core
Quicker than anyone I knew.
When I'm all alone
In the great unknown,
I'll remember you."

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: number 6
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 11:17 AM

"The World you SEE is the World of your perceptions...nothing more, nothing less...and that is ALL you will EVER see. Your perception of reality."

You got it with that line LH!

And Bob did change the world with that song.

sIx

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: MissouriMud
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 01:23 PM

Like a Rolling Stone certainly had a significant musical influence on me in several respects - it seemed to symbolize the move of "folk music" into "pop music" - up to then even with the Byrds doing Mr Tambourine Man - my folky group of friends had considerd Dylan a folk singer, but after that we werent sure what his music was   - it was cool but it wasnt stuff we could replicate on our accoustic 6 strings any more.   It really emphasized the progression in popular music away from traditional folk tunes presented in realtively simple formats (Kingston Trio, Brothers Four, early Joan Baez etc) to a much greater almost exclusive dominance of singer songwriter material and more complex modern productions.   This had started earlier, including, Dylan's first album, but the electrification just acellerated it. The Animlals electrified House of the Rising Sun earlier I think but we never considered them a folk act - but the combination of the Dylans electrification, the singer songwriting aspect and the very untraditional tune and lyrics and the fact that it was Dylan, who was really a folk god at that time - just came together to affect my view of music. Basically for my purposes around 1965 traditional folk music was dead (in my mind) and it took me about 35 years to get back to it. I was aware of people like Doc Watson (I did see him in 1967) and John Hartford, but Dylan really moved me - and I think many of my contemporaries- away from that type of music for a long time.   I cant say the content of the song really did much for me but stylistically it was very significant.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,Dave'sWife
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 05:36 PM

Can someone please post a link to the place where this came from? Thanks

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Peace
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 07:12 PM

It was the first single to break the three minute mark for airplay. Prior to 'LaRS', DJs and their 'corporate' sponsors woould only play three-minute songs to keep the advertizers happy. Dylan's song changed that. How does it feel? Pretty damned good, Bob.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: bobad
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 07:13 PM

Here's the link you requested.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 07:47 PM

Eric -

The song itself changed the nature of popular music. It changed what was played on radio all over the western world. It changed what listeners wanted from radio. One could argue that newstalk radio was a direct result of that song.
But these are just opinions and would need a lot of supportive evidence. That was not what I found incredible.

The incredible statements were that "songs don't change anything" (yours) and "war, religion, science, technology, economics etc., etc. probably had a greater 'World Changing' effect than a silly song..." (guest's).

The Scots would argue that the bagpipes have swung more than one battle their way, and I wonder why William of Orange went to the trouble to outlaw the harp in Ireland if songs are so inconsequential. (Was it W. of O.? Not sure.)
Consider also the influence Pete Seger had on the war in Vietnam.

I think you are underestimating the power of songs to move public opinion. You might say that not much has improved, and you may be rigfht, but consider how the world might be if he had not sung that song.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 08:07 PM

Well, I've heard of (and even heard) some of those songs, but none of them changed my world!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 10:51 PM

When was the harp ever outlawed in Ireland? Itinerant harpers (and other musicians) were subject to very strict licensing (and severe sanctions if unlicensed) in the Elizabethan period (in England and Ireland alike) because they so often worked as spies, and were frequently a public nuisance. I don't believe that the harp was ever considered a threat in itself, though I suppose the sturdier builds might make a handy club at close quarters.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 11:16 PM

People seem to consider their own little group "the world."
Like Dave, I may have heard some of these songs but I never paid any attention to them at the time.
A 'rolling stone gathers no moss' I remember from childhood. Dylan's song doesn't seem to have been good enough to make the Mudcat DT.

How many people outside of North America and Europe heard these songs? How many people IN North America and Europe heard these songs?

To reiterate my earlier comment, a silly poll with meaningless results.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,Boab`
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 12:00 AM

Eh? Never heard of it!!!

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 12:04 AM

Yes, I can't find any evidence of harps ever being banned in Ireland. I thought I'd read it somewhere. My mistake. I beg your pardon.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,Minstrel Boy
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 12:21 AM

Q - There is a great deal of creative work of lasting value that you will not find in the Mudcat DT! "Like a Rolling Stone" is just one example among uncountable thousands of them...

It didn't fail to get in the aforementioned DT because it wasn't "good enough", it failed to get in because it lies somewhat outside the petrified mental boundaries of whoever composed the Mudcat DT in the first place.

You know what Dylan said about folksingers back in the early 60's? He said, "When I hear the word 'folksinger' I think of a room full of fat old people playing guitars." He NEVER claimed to be a folksinger. The fact is, he HAS played just about every style of music except jazz by now...country, rock n' roll, acoustic blues, electric blues, acoustic folk, trad folk, folk-rock (for lack of a better term), rock, religious/gospel, piano, guitar, harmonica, dust bowl ballads, and other stuff (like "Gates of Eden") that is simply uncategorizable.

Dylan reaches so far beyond the Mudcat DT that it's ridiculous to even refer to it as a judgement on his work.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: number 6
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 12:26 AM

"I think you are underestimating the power of songs to move public opinion. You might say that not much has improved, and you may be rigfht, but consider how the world might be if he had not sung that song."

Exactly John O ... Like a Rolling Stone hit the pop charts pretty hard ... it was the beinning of the word reaching out to the top 100 crowd, h .. what was to follow influenced more people like never before ... but as I mentioned this was a short period of time in history ... a short time but it had undeniably changed history.

sIx

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 01:25 AM

The world is a pretty big place, I don't think it changed anything for Kalahari bushmen or in England the Conservative party.

Personally I love this song and still consider it folk music, I was amazed by it but not changed.

eric

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Paul Burke
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 04:15 AM

Of course it changed the world. The true Taoist position is that ANY action whatsoever changes the world. In fact, I've changed the world by writing this..

Watch out for hurricanes in Florida in 25 years time.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 06:27 AM

It's interesting that Dylan himself said "Hitler didn't change history, Hitler was history." This is very true, but he did jump up unexpectedly and do something remarkable. So remarkable in fact that we can try to imagine what the world would have been like had he not done it. So did Dylan.

Note however that neither Hitler nor Dylan had any perceivable effect on the Kalahari Bushmen or the English Conservative Party.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 06:27 AM

The physisist's position is that any action leads to an increase in entropy (disorder). I think that we need a bit less world-changing and a bit more appreciation of what is in the world at any particular time. 'World-changers' can often be quite dangerous people (although, in my opinion, Bob Dylan is just an over-hyped silly-billy).

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 06:29 AM

I hope Dylan said that. Album cover I think. Better go check. I've done enough apologies for today.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 06:54 AM

'And all the heat in the world is gonna coooool down... that's entropy man!'

LTS

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 07:21 AM

I believe the songs, films, books and obje d'arte are merely paraphenalia relating to a bygone era that makes you wonder if we are really progressing in these fields of culture and entertainment. Obviously our tastes are more sophisticated and diverse than ever before so it always amazes me when people throw up the same song titles and albums as being "the best," or "most important" etc. The people I respect are the likes of Sir Paul who actually bought that record at the time and still feels as strongly about it 50 years after that momentous occassion in "his" life.As for the rest of the 20 or 30 somethings who voted for Zimmermans 23rd best song how did they participate in the cultural shift that supposedly occurred when 45s doubled in playing time? And what was so wrong with the 3 minute opuses that enthralled us before then? I vote for The Ronettes "Be My Baby" because I can; and because I have continued to play and enjoy my original copy for decades after. Can these sycophants say the same about "Like A Rolling Stone," can you Mr Jones?

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 10:08 AM

I buy 'Uncut' most months, and just like 'Mojo' and 'Q' magazine it appears to be stuck in the 1960's. Of course a poll amongst aging hippies will throw up relics like Mr Dylan and Elvis Presley. Time to move on perchance?

                Even strawberries get it.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 10:48 AM

The imagination and innovation that was occuring in mainstream music at that time (late 50's to late 60's) leaves today's radio and TV music totally in the dust. However...there is equally great imagination and innovation going on right now that you don't HEAR on the radio or TV. You hear it at small song circles and outdoor folk festivals and various places that the $ySStem doesn't give much of a shit about (not enough money involved). Tin Pan Alley has reasserted itself on the public airwaves, via radio and television and is busy feeding the public a daily diet of predigested garbage that all sounds the same and says NOTHING. What was different in the 60's was that Tin Pan Alley had lost control of the situation for about a decade and a half...and some utterly amazing stuff happened. By the time they foisted disco on us, the $ySStem was getting things well back under control, and it has only gotten steadily worse ever since. You can hear the empty echo of its crass insanity in every shopping mall.

So to hell with the $ySStem!!! It stands for disease, malaise, and death. It's a heartless killer. It honors nothing. Every young person knows this in their gut. They know they're being primed and prepared for a life of slavery. Why do you think their music is so full of anger? Why do you think the young Bob Dylan was so angry? Same reason.

Dylan wrote many songs which can arguably be called greater songs in one respect or another than "Like A Rolling Stone"...but..."Like A Rolling Stone" had the biggest single cultural and musical impact of them all. It was the watershed in popular music. Some others that had an almost similar level of impact, and may prove more durable in the end, were: "Blowin' In The Wind", "Mr Tambourine Man", "The Times They Are-a Changin'", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)", "It Ain't Me, Babe", and "Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall".

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 01:39 PM

Count me in with John O'L., Little Hawk, fatB** et. al. The appearance of "Like a Rolling Stone" was an event that signaled the emergence of, for lack of better terminology, "youth culture" or "counterculture" into the mainstream of the Western World.

A huge number of young Americans and Europeans from a wide spectrum of social classes ~ including many future big shots, plenty of just-plain-folks-to-be, and of course a bunch of future burnouts, too ~ were suddenly shown that their thoughts and values [i.e., "How Does It Feel"] were no longer marginalized and invisible, but indeed had an impact on the world at large.

If you don't believe that something affecting me, for example, or Paul Burke, might have "changed the world," what can you say about something that has to have affected so many members of an entire generation throughout the English-speaking world, including, undoubtedly, some very influential folks. It's hard to imagine, for instance, that young Bill Clinton would have been unaffected by Bob's anthem and its sudden widespread fame. It's probably a bit easier to imagine that George W Bush may not have noticed or cared, but he was probably affected to some degree, too, just like so many of us born during the aftermath of World War II.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 02:05 PM

Good post, Poppa Gator. The job of creative artists is to articulate in some powerful way what others are feeling, but have not yet articulated themselves. So the song signalled the change in progress...or was part of the change, as you suggest. Dylan's gift was to be the one there at the right time to put it into words and music for the rest of us.

As for those who were "not affected"...well, yeah! There are people who are remain unaffected by just about anything you could care to mention. I heard there was some guy who slept through the attack on Pearl Harbour. ;-) I have met more than a few people who've probably never had an original thought in their lives. Anything is possible when it comes to human beings.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: John O'L
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 08:04 PM

They guy who slept through the Pearl Harbour attack could not possibly say that he was therefore uneffected by it.

Subject: RE: 'Like a Rolling Stone' Changed the World
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 09:10 PM

Aha! That's true. And likewise, the guy who slept through Dylan's performance of "Like a Rolling Stone" and attached no importance to it may very well have been affected by it also in some way, because the greater society around him was. We are all affected by cultural changes, whether or not we give it conscious recognition. There is no question that we have all been affected by Elvis, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, Joan Baez, etc...

This does not necessarily mean that we are conscious of how we've been affected though, does it? Nor does it mean that we must like that music. I sometimes think the people who are most affected by a new style of music are not just those who like it, but also those who don't. I remember older people in the 60's who were positively obsessed with the Rolling Stones. They hated them. Those people were profoundly affected by the Rolling Stones. I wonder if they learned anything useful from the experience?