Posted on 10/13/2016 12:16:57 PM PDT by Hostage
Bob Dylan, regarded as the voice of a generation for his influential songs from the 1960s onwards, has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in a surprise decision that made him the only singer-songwriter to win the award.
The 75-year-old Dylan — who won the prize for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition" — now finds himself in the company of Winston Churchill, Thomas Mann and Rudyard Kipling as Nobel laureates.
The announcement was met with gasps in Stockholm's stately Royal Academy hall, followed — unusually — by some laughter.
Dylan's songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind," "The Times They Are a-Changin'," "Subterranean Homesick Blues," and "Like a Rolling Stone" captured a spirit of rebellion, dissent and independence.
More than 50 years on, Dylan is still writing songs and is often on tour, performing his dense poetic lyrics, sung in a sometimes rasping voice that has been ridiculed by detractors.
Some lyrics have resonated for decades.
"Blowin' in the Wind," written in 1962, was considered one of the most eloquent folk songs of all time. "The Times They Are A-Changin'," in which Dylan told Americans "your sons and your daughters are beyond your command," was an anthem of the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests.
Awarding the 8 million Swedish crown ($930,000) prize, the Swedish Academy said: "Dylan has the status of an icon. His influence on contemporary music is profound."
Swedish Academy member Per Wastberg said: "He is probably the greatest living poet."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Well done Bob, you deserve it!
This ranks up there with John Nash’s prize for game theory as one of the most well deserved Nobels ever.
Well, why not? Even Obozo got a Nobel Peace Prize, so nothing would surprise me.
Well deserved. Too bad this is from the same group of idiots that gave Obama the peace prize.
Does this mean Dylan will have to don a white tie and tails to receive the award? I want to see that.
The times they are a changin’
Oh puhleeeeze
Dylan, the croak voiced hack poet honored by the same group that honored Obozo
The Nobel organization has confirmed its status as merely another nest of leftist vipers many times over across its disciplines.
Self-appointed authorities, elites, etc. must go, along with their influence.
Hey...Bobby D is awesome! He stood down all the commie hippies back in the day and gave them back their guff. I don’t care how crappy he plays harmonica, he’s awesome in my book!
Not bad for somebody whose career peaked in 1968
From what I understand, the Nobel committee in Sweden is not really associated with the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. They are two different groups.
He’ll still get suspicious looks from cops at the Jersey shore.
Not Smokey Robinson?
All downhill from the motorcycle accident.
who won the peace prize? bill Clinton for his work with (on) Haiti?
This is beyond imbecility. Dylan’s low IQ doggerel is as worthy of a Nobel as Rigoberta Menchu’s “biography” and all the other PC Nobels to small talent, mediocre minds for their service to the leftist agenda. Yeah, Dylan is just as good as Kipling or Hemmingway. /sarc/
This is beyond imbecility. Dylan’s low IQ doggerel is as worthy of a Nobel as Rigoberta Menchu’s “biography” and all the other PC Nobels to small talent, mediocre minds for their service to the leftist agenda. Yeah, Dylan is just as good as Kipling or Hemmingway. /sarc/
Absolutely Sweet Marie
Written by: Bob Dylan
Well, your railroad gate, you know I just can’t jump it
Sometimes it gets so hard, you see
I’m just sitting here beating on my trumpet
With all these promises you left for me
But where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, I waited for you when I was half sick
Yes, I waited for you when you hated me
Well, I waited for you inside of the frozen traffic
When you knew I had some other place to be
Now, where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, anybody can be just like me, obviously
But then, now again, not too many can be like you, fortunately
Well, six white horses that you did promise
Were fin’lly delivered down to the penitentiary
But to live outside the law, you must be honest
I know you always say that you agree
But where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, I don’t know how it happened
But the riverboat captain, he knows my fate
But ev’rybody else, even yourself
They’re just gonna have to wait
Well, I got the fever down in my pockets
The Persian drunkard, he follows me
Yes, I can take him to your house but I can’t unlock it
You see, you forgot to leave me with the key
Oh, where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Now, I been in jail when all my mail showed
That a man can’t give his address out to bad company
And now I stand here lookin’ at your yellow railroad
In the ruins of your balcony
Wond’ring where you are tonight, sweet Marie
Some people transcend politics. Bob is one such person.
Although he wasn’t much to look at nor much to carry a tune, neither was Edith Piaf, but he was a cultural icon that turned his poems into songs. Tales of heartbreak, poverty, working class blues, nostalgic nuances, and so much more came alive and real under Bob’s melodies and arrangements.
People here may not remember how hated the democrat President Lyndon Johnson was. Bobby gave voice to these people and taught them how to simmer down by reflecting and enjoying life no matter how rough.
Well, he's generally not one for fashion (from 2009): http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/jersey-homeowner-calls-cops-bob-dylan/story?id=8331830
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