Is Bob Dylan the Greatest American, Artistic Genius of the 20th Century ?

[protectionist]

Well, you have a point there. I've probably only heard about 1% of his songs and I'm a music guy. That's because he can't sing for shit, his chord structures are boring and too many of his lyrics are incomprehensibly dense, sort of like psuedo-intellectual nonsense.

Try listening to Chimes of Freedom & Gotta Serve Somebody. Give it a shot.

And I assure you his lyrics are not "psuedo" anything. He's about the most REAL recording artist I've ever heard and I've been listening to them since Gene Autry in 1950.

 

[August West]

Depends on one's definition of unlistenable.
Pretty hard to make a case for the word "unlistenable" for a recording artist who has sold over 125 Million records worldwide, and after 64 years, still sells out concerts at age 84.

I said that the song Quinn the Eskimo was unlistenable, not Bob Dylan.

 

[Blaster]

He's about the most REAL recording artist I've ever heard and I've been listening to them since Gene Autry in 1950.

Gene Autry was better.

 

[protectionist]

I like his songs . I enjoy other singers interputation of his work. I never read his book of poetry ,I will give it a read.
I rank Dylan in the same group as Arlo Guthrie.

Arlo Guthrie got much of his fame from being the son of Woody Guthrie. While being a good guitar guy, and having some pleasant songs, he could not be put in the same class as Bob Dylan. Not even close.

 

[protectionist]

Gene Autry was better.

At singing a few cowboy songs, yeah.

 

[Lockback]

Try listening to Chimes of Freedom & Gotta Serve Somebody. Give it a shot.

And I assure you his lyrics are not "psuedo" anything. He's about the most REAL recording artist I've ever heard and I've been listening to them since Gene Autry in 1950.

Oh, I liked his early stuff: "Freewheelin", "Highway 61 Revisited" and clear up to "Nashville Skyline". But after that ... meh ...

 

[protectionist]

I said that the song Quinn the Eskimo was unlistenable, not Bob Dylan.

10-4.

 

[protectionist]

Oh, I liked his early stuff: "Freewheelin", "Highway 61 Revisited" and clear up to "Nashville Skyline". But after that ... meh ...

To be frank, I am the same way. Not to deride his post 70s stuff, but his first 7 albums were just so powerful, unique, artistic, that you wonder how could they ever be equalled (although "Gotta Serve Somebody" - 1979 Grammy win) was one of his best.

 

[protectionist]

BTW - the title of this thread is "

Is Bob Dylan the Greatest American, Artistic Genius of the 20th Century ?​

While many people don't know this, Dylan has been a painter artist for decades in addition to everything else. I am an accomplished painter artist myself (as well as musician), and I have the credentials to be able to make an authoritative statement regarding painting art.

I would say that Dylan's painting are quite good, with clear, moody expressiveness that comes across well.

Exhibitions

bobdylanart.com

 

[Mr Natural]

I remember back in the day when Dylan went electric at the Newport folk festival.

The “folkies” were not happy.

 

[protectionist]

I remember back in the day when Dylan went electric at the Newport folk festival.

The “folkies” were not happy.

They got used to it.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

And the other artists who made them famous (ex. the Byrds) did so by making them MUCH WORSE, but in such a way that the commercial music industry would be more accepting, because the public doesn't have to use their brain for them.

The Byrds commercialized version of Mr Tambourine Man doesn't even have 1/2 of the words of the Bob Dylan original - it's a hollow carbon copy, lacking some of the most masterpiece poetry ever written. That's because the Byrds were not looking to produce something artistically worthwhile. The idea was to MAKE MONEY.

The music is as important as the lyrics. Emphasizing the music hooks, harmonies, etc., can often be improvement. Sometimes it’s the opposite. All of it depends on personal taste.

 

[OODA_Loop]

I am an accomplished painter artist myself (as well as musician), and I have the credentials to be able to make an authoritative statement regarding painting art.

Music and art is subject to interpretation of the viewer/listener not the protestations or arrogance of the producer.

Dylan's music, IMHO and listening experience, is flat and lacks feel.

 

[protectionist]

Music and art is subject to interpretation of the viewer/listener not the protestations or arrogance of the producer.

Dylan's music, IMHO and listening experience, is flat and lacks feel.

You couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Mack The Finger]

View attachment 1213782

I SHOULD PUT A PRICE ON YOUR HEAD !

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

I SHOULD PUT A PRICE ON YOUR HEAD !

James Coburn: Who are you?
Bob Dylan: That’s a good question.

 

[Mr Natural]

One of the greatest but not The Greatest.