bob dylan

[imonthestereo]

P.S.

A songwriter who in my opinion has similar lyrical skill (if not better, since he shares some of the obscure metaphors and references in Bob's style but seems to try harder at his craft consistently) but is also a great writer of melodies is John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats. I'm sure some are familiar with them, but I've just recently become a convert. I'm always skeptical of simpler, stripped down things like this, as I'm more for experimental-ish stuff (Liars, Deerhoof, Lightning Bolt, Animal Collective, etc.) but the guy just writes great songs. He really balances all of the facets of the craft, making catchy tunes, good orchestrations, varied feels and textures, and lyrics that are both eloquent and consistently meaningful, since they are either based on semi-fictional characters with ongoing narratives throughout his career or are just straight up autobiographical.

Check him out. Tallahassee and Sunset Tree are two pretty accessible and less lo-fi releases.

[sears]

I admire him as a singer who writes beautiful music but I don't really listen to or know his lyrics, except a few songs I've heard on the radio a lot. He's a master of pacing. Listen to how non-square his phrases are, how he makes room for asides.

He's also a great bandleader and his harmonica playing progressed to where he invented his own impressionistic style.

He's a consummate musician who also happens to have written a few dozen timeless songs. When I meet someone who's listening to Dylan, I almost automatically like them.

[BlueBoy]

I really like Dylan a lot. I haven't taken much time to analyze his music, I just know that there's something in it that I can relate to, something that moves me, makes me feel like somebody out there is on my side, and I would guess that a lot of people like him for the same reasons.

I would have to claim Leonard Cohen as my favorite songwriter, though.

[ifeellikeatourist]

i also think that his influence on rock, and on popular music in general, was more negative than positive. after Dylan everyone was expected to write their own material, when few possess that ability; lyrics became over-emphasized relative to musical content; and songwriting followed modern art into reductionist abstraction.

I must disagree with most of this. While music imo should be emphasized as much as or greater than songwriting, I think that musical content prior to Dylan was virtually nonexistent, while plenty of rock groups after Dylan placed music over lyrics such as the Beatles, zappa, pink floyd, king crimson ,etc. As far as the over emphasis of lyrical content, turn on the radio and listen to a pop song from any decade and tell me the lyrics arent just as mindless if not far worse than the music. Dylan was also a big proponent of the cover song, his first album had more covers than originals, so songwriting was neither why he got into music nor is it the talent that got him signed originally.
Lastly, I think its arbitrary to judge an artists work by the influence that it may or may not have had on others. I also think it is completely subjective whether one chooses to hold musical or lyrical content in higher regard than the other.

This is also just my opinion and you are entitled to yours

[metalmariachi]

i also think that his influence on rock, and on popular music in general, was more negative than positive. after Dylan everyone was expected to write their own material, when few possess that ability; lyrics became over-emphasized relative to musical content; and songwriting followed modern art into reductionist abstraction.

I must disagree with most of this. While music imo should be emphasized as much as or greater than songwriting, I think that musical content prior to Dylan was virtually nonexistent, while plenty of rock groups after Dylan placed music over lyrics such as the Beatles, zappa, pink floyd, king crimson ,etc. As far as the over emphasis of lyrical content, turn on the radio and listen to a pop song from any decade and tell me the lyrics arent just as mindless if not far worse than the music. Dylan was also a big proponent of the cover song, his first album had more covers than originals, so songwriting was neither why he got into music nor is it the talent that got him signed originally.
Lastly, I think its arbitrary to judge an artists work by the influence that it may or may not have had on others. I also think it is completely subjective whether one chooses to hold musical or lyrical content in higher regard than the other.

This is also just my opinion and you are entitled to yours

Well said.

Mindless drivel has driven recorded pop music from the 1920s it’s no better or worse there’s just more of it out there.

I love Dylan, I also love stupid songs with a catchy tune.

MM