Dylan on American Idol?

[Stu]

I had never heard this before. Dylan wanting to be a judge? There's a blurb at the bottom of the linked story.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243446,00.html

 

[texas_jack]

Please god say it ain't so. Plus, did you see Cowell quotes? He's now officially dead to me. If the man doesn't realize the writing talents of Dylan he doesn't belong in the music business.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

He's now officially dead to me.

Was he ever alive in the first place?

 

[matadorpoeta]

i agree with cowell. i like dylan as a good poet, but he should stick to poetry. his singing is awful and his music is rather mediocre.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by matadorpoeta

his singing is awful and his music is rather mediocre.

that's kind of the point.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Originally Posted by Violinist

that's kind of the point.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by Violinist

that's kind of the point.
then why am i not famous?

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by matadorpoeta

then why am i not famous?

Probably because what you have to say isn't very interesting.

You see, Bob Dylan was huge for music for a whole lot of different reasons. I'm not going to go into it, but his sound is very much part of his message. It is terrible if you listen mechanically, but he has a diction and purpose in his delivery which I think has made him quite effective. I used to say he sounded terrible but once you understand the context a bit better you start to get it. That being said, he isn't that important to me. I do, however, acknowledge what he did for 20th century music.

 

[Brian SD]

Bob Dylan is not American Idol material. He's a folk musician, not a coked-up airbrushed has-been pop star.

The production values of Dylan's music don't bother me, nor does his lack of singing standards. I can't believe I hear people make ridiculous statements about bands that got famous for covering his songs, like the Byrds or Jimi Hendrix, or Guns N' Roses (they covered Knockin' on Heaven's Door, didn't they?). The covers completely lack the Americana, vitriol, angst and agony in the originals. Proof that most people who listen to music have no interest in it past a fleeting rush of adrenaline.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Bob Dylan is not American Idol material. He's a folk musician, not a coked-up airbrushed has-been pop star.

The production values of Dylan's music don't bother me, nor does his lack of singing standards. I can't believe I hear people make ridiculous statements about bands that got famous for covering his songs, like the Byrds or Jimi Hendrix, or Guns N' Roses (they covered Knockin' on Heaven's Door, didn't they?). The covers completely lack the Americana, vitriol, angst and agony in the originals. Proof that most people who listen to music have no interest in it past a fleeting rush of adrenaline.

Brian,

GNR was famous for their own material. See album sales of Appetite for Destruction. Also, their cover is quite vitriolic, and Dylan himself credited them for it. Just watch their cover of it at Freddie Mercury's tribute concert, or the performance at the Roxy. There's a lot of feeling behind their cover.

I agree with you that most people's knowledge and taste in music is absolutely abysmal.

 

[Brian SD]

Originally Posted by Violinist

Brian,

GNR was famous for their own material. See album sales of Appetite for Destruction. Also, their cover is quite vitriolic, and Dylan himself credited them for it. Just watch their cover of it at Freddie Mercury's tribute concert, or the performance at the Roxy. There's a lot of feeling behind their cover.

I agree with you that most people's knowledge and taste in music is absolutely abysmal.

I thought about that when I added them to the list. I know they didn't get famous because of that cover, but became one of their better-known songs.

 

[bachbeet]

Briansd wrote: Bob Dylan is not American Idol material. He's a folk musician, not a coked-up airbrushed has-been pop star.

The production values of Dylan's music don't bother me, nor does his lack of singing standards. I can't believe I hear people make ridiculous statements about bands that got famous for covering his songs, like the Byrds or Jimi Hendrix, or Guns N' Roses (they covered Knockin' on Heaven's Door, didn't they?). The covers completely lack the Americana, vitriol, angst and agony in the originals. Proof that most people who listen to music have no interest in it past a fleeting rush of adrenaline.

I pretty much agree with you and violinist. And, after taking voice lessons from an opera singer and understanding what a singer should sound like (at least for opera/classical), I realize that a LOT of pop singers do not sing properly. Yet, even my teacher said that she enjoyed Dylan simply for the raw quality and for his lyrics. Listen to his It Ain't me Babe and contrast it with the Turtles' cover. No comparison. Dylan captures the mood perfectly.

However, I disagree about at least two of the covers - Jimi and the Byrds. I like Hendrix's Watchtower as much as Dylan's. His cover of that song is the best cover of a Dylan song ever. He took it and gave it a different meaning and feel. He didn't try to make it feel like a Dylan song sung with a different voice. In short, Jimi's own genius shone. And, I love the Byrds' version of You Ain't Going Nowhere. I also love all of the Band's versions of Dylan's songs: Tears of Rage, This Wheel's on Fire...

I agree about GNR's Knockin'. Terrible. But, I also think it's among Dylan's worst. I also hate You got to Serve Somebody mainly because you don't. In general, his whole "Christian" period is a nadir for him. Self Portrait was a big disappointment. However, Nashville Skyline has a few good tunes. He came back with Blood and Desire.

As for vitriol, Dylan did indeed show it in many of his songs. One of the most vitriolic was Positively 4th Street. He also wrote some of the most beautiful poetic love songs. Such as, Love Minus Zero, No Limit. I used part of it in my wedding speech.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by bachbeet

I also hate You got to Serve Somebody mainly because you don't.


That is the whole tenent of the Cristian philosophy, you either serve the Lord or, if you don't, by default you serve the Devil. I was enthused when Dylan got saved because I thought he would do some amazing things with Christian theology and his poetry, but I agree, the results were really disappointing.

I pretty much agree with everything else you wrote Bach, especially as to Jimi's version of "Watchtower."

 

[bachbeet]

Thanks Stu. Not to get too off topic, but you may know how I feel about geniuses like Jimi, Dylan, and Mozart. Their music will stand the test of time. Genius is like that. For example, you are probably a lot younger than me, yet you are familiar with Mozart, Watchtower, and Dylan's stuff. Yet, you probably don't remember trash like Yummy, Yummy, Yummy I Got Love In My Tummy. No genius. Quite moronic. Forgotten a year or so after it was current. I only remember it because it was so bad that it became a running joke and measure of comparison for crap with friends of mine.