Bob Dylan turns 80 on Monday

[ex-khobar Andy]

I saw him once, live. A concert at Rich Stadium, Buffalo (home of the Bills) in 1985. The Grateful Dead, Dylan and some guy I'd never heard of called Tom Petty, with The Heartbreakers.

I knew we'd be a way from the stage ($25 a ticket IIRC) so I had a pair of binoculars with me. During Petty's set a young 20-ish woman behind me asked if she could borrow the binocs: "Sure" I said and started to pass them to her. She grabbed them while the strap was still around my neck and half strangled me in her excitement. Petty was very much the guy she'd come to see and I got the impression that Dylan and the Dead were, to her, more or less how I regard Sinatra and Crosby (B, not D).

It's amazing to think that Dylan is still going strong,and that when I saw him he was nearer to the start of his career than to its end.

ETA - July 4, 1986. I just looked it up. They did only five shows.

[Long Run]

Nice story, thanks for sharing Andy. And, of course, he does still appear to be going strong while his concert mates are playing to endless ethereal packed crowds.

[MGMcAnick]

About 50 years ago, I worked with a lady who claimed to have gone to school with a kid named Bobby Zimmerman in Minnesota. She was enough older than me for it to have been plausible. She still had relatives in Hibbing.

[ex-khobar Andy]

There's a Guardian piece to celebrate Dylan's birthday - fans including Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Jones etc discuss their favorite Dylan songs. Among the BT comments there is this. I think we should be told what this is all about.



PS - Mr Tambourine Man, obv. Well, OK, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. And then of course It Ain't Me, Babe. And A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall. And you can't omit Blowin' in the Wind . . . OK I see the point.

[Gob]

Bloody hell, infamy!

[Jarlaxle]

I need to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate Dylan.

But the DOT doesn't like that frame of mind...

[Gob]

Great songwriter, but I prefer other people's interpretations of his songs, cannot stand his voice.

[Long Run]

Great songwriter, but I prefer other people's interpretations of his songs, cannot stand his voice.

About 10-15 years ago, his voice went from bad to worse, and public tv did a tribute show as part of their annual fundraising. It was striking how much better the guests were than the honoree at singing his songs. His voice recovered and it was probably no more than a couple of years before the Dylan we all know was back.

[Big RR]

I actually think his voice (or lack thereof) suits much of his music, and I enjoy listening to it. Sure there are many others with better voices who produced fine covers of his songs, but I find there is a grittiness to his voice that suits the subject matter of the songs and, at least to me, makes them more compelling. For example, while I enjoy Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of Blowin' in the Wind (I'm actually a big fan of the group), the slick production and harmonies make if less compelling than his raspy version. If I went through his entire catalog, I would be surprised if I didn't find some covers I preferred to his original versions (The Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man immediately springs to mind), but doubt it would be many.

[Sue U]

I actually think his voice (or lack thereof) suits much of his music, and I enjoy listening to it. Sure there are many others with better voices who produced fine covers of his songs, but I find there is a grittiness to his voice that suits the subject matter of the songs and, at least to me, makes them more compelling. For example, while I enjoy Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of Blowin' in the Wind (I'm actually a big fan of the group), the slick production and harmonies make if less compelling than his raspy version. If I went through his entire catalog, I would be surprised if I didn't find some covers I preferred to his original versions (The Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man immediately springs to mind), but doubt it would be many.

Ditto. I agree about The Byrds and Hendrix's version of All Along the Watchtower is better than any other (at least so far), but I can't even imagine anyone else singing Maggie's Farm or Hard Rain. (Also, I think Electric Dylan is the best Dylan.)

ETA:

[Gob]

His voice recovered and it was probably no more than a couple of years before the Dylan we all know was back.

Shame

[Big RR]

Sue--I have to agree with Hendrix' s All Along the Watchtower; a real classic.

And I can't imagine anyone else singing The Hurricane (to be fair, I have heard a few covers, but they pale in comparison).

[Sue U]

His voice recovered and it was probably no more than a couple of years before the Dylan we all know was back.

Shame

This from the guy who fairly recently paid money to see John Lydon.

[Gob]

(As recently as 2012 that is.)

[Sue U]

(As recently as 2012 that is.)

That's recent enough (and at least 20 years after it made any sense).

[Big RR]