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Bob Dylan and the Poetry of Salvation
Saturday Review ^ | May 30, 1970 | Steven Goldberg

Posted on 02/06/2013 10:15:17 AM PST by don-o

It is quite conceivable, therefore, that, when he bothers with politics at all, Dylan's political outlook is conservative. His emphasis on personal, as opposed to societal, salvation could very possibly leave him feeling most at home with a political philosophy that emphasizes the individual's right to be left alone to his own search for God. John Wesley Harding appeared at a time when the indescribable revulsion felt by the young toward Lyn- don Johnson was at its zenith; yet, in a time of ornate, kaleidoscopic record covers, John Wesley Harding had an Americana cover. Dylan's declaration (Continued on page 57)

that he was not about to argue or to move contrasted with the student rage that was asserting itself. If Dylan does tend toward conservatism, it is be- cause conservatism, at least theoretically, mirrors his distrust of political routes to salvation.

(Excerpt) Read more at unz.org ...


TOPICS: History; Music/Entertainment; Poetry; Religion
KEYWORDS: dylan
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To: ansel12

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/bob-dylan-predicts-an-obama-win-a-landslide/2012/11/06/5cdbfd40-283c-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_blog.html


41 posted on 02/06/2013 6:44:49 PM PST by dennisw (too much of a good thing is a bad thing --- Joe Pine)
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To: dennisw
Dylan is an Obama voter and has said as much.

Do you have the quote for that?

42 posted on 02/06/2013 8:12:58 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: ansel12

Your rock n roll idol is an Obama voter...same as the rest


43 posted on 02/07/2013 4:10:18 AM PST by dennisw (too much of a good thing is a bad thing --- Joe Pine)
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To: dennisw

No wonder you can’t find your claimed quote, you can’t even read my posts on this thread.

You can’t prove your claim, so you lash out at the people that ask for your proof, really childish.


44 posted on 02/07/2013 11:22:47 AM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: don-o

Salvation or individualism?


45 posted on 02/07/2013 11:28:24 AM PST by cornelis
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To: cornelis
Salvation or individualism?

I don't know what individualism is.

46 posted on 02/07/2013 11:54:22 AM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: don-o
Well, I don't have to wonder that you know what salvation is.

And while I'm not the expert, the author would have it mean overcoming alienation from the One through mystical experience in the form of a tune. For that Dylan uses his egregious skill to stride fragmentation and string coincidences, feelings, and experience, to convey a universal melody. There is no need to delve the entire article for more, as it's more of the same. Symbols are abandoned but we return to Eden. Words preclude access, but poetry is the thing.

How about you? You have a predilection to mystic conservatism?

47 posted on 02/07/2013 4:35:45 PM PST by cornelis
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To: cornelis

Thing is this was written eight years before Bob resolved all that by coming to Christ. He was asking all the right questions. Then, he found the answer.


48 posted on 02/07/2013 5:25:31 PM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: don-o
I don't know what individualism is.

My guess is that the author has no clue what the proper role of political philosophy is, or if he does, disdains it for being unable to accomplish what it actually can't accomplish.

It struck me how Goldberg's recognition of powerlessness (how does he say it?--confusion? fragmentation? endless repetition?) helps him to find music as a solace. For Goldberg, Dylan's poetry is salvific because it is the poetry of solace. We are capable of mystic feeling, therefore we are capable of salvation.

49 posted on 02/07/2013 5:38:20 PM PST by cornelis
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To: don-o
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the answer's always Jesus.

What Goldberg needs is deliverance from dualism. Maybe some Maritain's degrees of knowledge, or Dooyeweerd's sphere sovereignty.

There's a strange thing about how learning works. Familiar knowledge is a friendly stepping-stone to unfamiliarity. So here's Goldberg helping himself to some familiar knowledge on the way to understand Dylan. Alas, in the end, we learn more about Goldberg. Fragmentation, no doubt!

So, back to why you posted this in the first place--what does mysticism (there are all kinds) have to do with conservatism?

50 posted on 02/07/2013 6:34:09 PM PST by cornelis
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To: cornelis
My guess is that the author has no clue what the proper role of political philosophy is, or if he does, disdains it for being unable to accomplish what it actually can't accomplish.

AIN'T NO MAN RIGHTEOUS

When a man he serves the Lord, it makes his life worthwhile
It don’t matter ’bout his position, it don’t matter ’bout his lifestyle
Talk about perfection, I ain’t never seen none
And there ain’t no man righteous, no not one

Sometimes the devil likes to drive you from the neighborhood
He’ll even work his ways through those whose intentions are good
Some like to worship on the moon, others are worshipping the sun
And there ain’t no man righteous, no not one

Look around, ya see so many social hypocrites
Like to make rules for others while they do just the opposite

You can’t get to glory by the raising and the lowering of no flag
Put your goodness next to God’s and it comes out like a filthy rag
In a city of darkness there’s no need of the sun
And there ain’t no man righteous, no not one

Done so many evil things in the name of love, it’s a crying shame
I never did see no fire that could put out a flame

Pull your hat down, baby, pull the wool down over your eyes
Keep a-talking, baby, ’til you run right out of alibis
Someday you’ll account for all the deeds that you done
Well, there ain’t no man righteous, no not one

God got the power, man has got his vanity
Man gotta choose before God can set him free
Don’t you know there’s nothing new that’s under the sun?
Well, there ain’t no man righteous, no not one

When I’m gone don’t wonder where I be
Just say that I trusted in God and that Christ was in me
Say He defeated the devil, He was God’s chosen Son
And that there ain’t no man righteous, no not one
Copyright © 1981 Special Rider Music Read more: http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs#ixzz2KGqvJ8Dt

51 posted on 02/07/2013 6:42:00 PM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: don-o

The great thing about Dylan in my opinion is that all those classsics not only have great lyrics, but they are great rock and roll songs. Do them soft, do them hard, they all seem to translate well. Of course Dylan has always done multiple harder rocking and softer versions of his songs live, and always brings a lot of edge.

Do you have any Dylan tribute albums? I have one that Leslie West put out a few years ago, the title track ‘Masters of War’ has Ozzy. I recall that there’s softer stuff and hard rocking stuff on it. Of course nothing beats the original doing the original songs, but it’s nice to hear different takes sometimes.

Freegards


52 posted on 02/07/2013 6:42:39 PM PST by Ransomed
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To: don-o

But conservatism isn’t about getting to glory. Why is this so confusing?


53 posted on 02/07/2013 6:50:54 PM PST by cornelis
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To: cornelis
But conservatism isn’t about getting to glory. Why is this so confusing?

Maybe because I have no idea what you are talking about. "Mystic" is not a dirty word. For me, it's another way of saying spiritual - as in the workings of the inner man.

Politics and political philosophy is less and less interesting by the day. As I quoted Bob in post 32 - nothing will change until hearts change.

54 posted on 02/07/2013 7:05:17 PM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: don-o
I have no idea what you are talking about.

Rhetorical nonsense. You don't want to talk about it.

Here, have a listen: Quia Respexit

55 posted on 02/07/2013 7:21:23 PM PST by cornelis
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To: cornelis

Well, that hurts a little


56 posted on 02/07/2013 7:50:19 PM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: don-o; scott says

I hope Scott’s okay. Thanks for posting.


57 posted on 02/08/2013 6:24:42 AM PST by OKSooner ("Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell No!!")
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To: don-o

“”Mystic” is not a dirty word. For me, it’s another way of saying spiritual - as in the workings of the inner man.”

Van Morrison would agree.

Thanks for the ping. I was thinking about Scott a couple of weeks ago. Hope he’s okay & just taking a break


58 posted on 02/08/2013 7:45:34 AM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
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To: nuconvert; don-o
“”Mystic” is not a dirty word.

Who is it that thinks it is? Or better yet, who thinks political philosophy is? Who thinks politics is?

Better yet, as Wisdom has it, it's not what goes in, but what comes out that makes you dirty.

59 posted on 02/08/2013 8:39:23 AM PST by cornelis
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