Those grumbling that a singer/songwriter like Bob Dylan doesnt deserve the Nobel Prize for literature especially Everett True should get over themselves. The American icon is, in essence, neither a singer nor a songwriter. Hes much more a poet who happens to play an instrument. And hes important with a capital I.
In Martin Scorseses documentary portrait, No Direction Home, made for the American Master television series, when Dylans at home during his early peak years, we almost never see him noodling on the guitar. A scene with Joan Baez shows him in the background endlessly tapping away on his typewriter, never looking up, wholly absorbed in creating pointed, ironic, savage yes, political, even though he denied it (which always pissed me off) lyrics.
Of course, Blowin In The Wind is a terrific song, and he churned out a few more perfectly structured tunes. But what made Dylan special were the rambling 10-verse poems that broke format the music was always almost an afterthought. His best album, Blonde On Blonde, on my list of the top five albums of all time, is basically a spoken word triumph.
Do you think John Lennon would have imagined he could exercise his genius through nimble wordplay if Dylan hadnt blazed that trail before him?
Most telling is that very few great singers whove covered Dylans songs Baez (Its All Over Now, Baby Blue, among many), Roberta Flack (Just Like A Woman), The Band (I Shall Be Released) being notable exceptions could elevate them. Because it isnt the tune that matters its the content. So Im guessing the Nobel came Dylans way more for a song on the subject of relationships like Absolutely Sweet Marie than for Lay Lady Lay.
And really, if the melodies were all that important, why does Dylan so consistently mangle them while hes on the concert stage? Answer: because he doesnt give a rats ass about them, and neither should we.
Notice that Ive sometimes referred to Dylan here in the past tense. Thats because he really hasnt done a thing noteworthy in the past 30 years. His 2009 Christmas album is excruciatingly bad, and even he believes his creative skills have been deeply diminished. Thats something critics of the Nobel panel could complain about.
But in his prime, he was uniquely magical. Read a lyric sheet of the songs off albums two through 12 and youll see what I mean.
susanc@nowtoronto.com | @susangcole
