Posted on 06/02/2010 5:54:22 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
At best Dylan is pretty conservative, after all not a lot of “filthy hippy leftists” go around saying Barry Goldwater was their favorite politician. At worst (or maybe still best) he is apolitical. He never attended any marches or protests. He was never outspoken about things except for primarily one album and then a few songs on the next one.
Sometimes I think people are only aware that he ever recored The Times They Are A-Changin’ and manage to overlook the other 33 studio albums he has released. His “finger pointing” songs are such a small part of his catalog that it is hardly an accurate judge of him as a person. Especially not when we are closing in on 50 years later.
*dylan bump*
"It's Unbelievable" (Under the Red Sky)
What Good Am I?
What good am I if I’m like all the rest
If I just turn away, when I see how you’re dressed
If I shut myself off so I can’t hear you cry
What good am I? What good am I if I know and don’t do
If I see and don’t say, if I look right through you
If I turn a deaf ear to the thunderin’ sky
What good am I?
What good am I while you softly weep
And I hear in my head what you say in your sleep
And I freeze in the moment like the rest who don’t try
What good am I?
What good am I then to others and me
If I’ve had every chance and yet still fail to see
If my hands are tied must I not wonder within
Who tied them and why and where must I have been?
What good am I if I say foolish things
And I laugh in the face of what sorrow brings
And I just turn my back while you silently die
What good am I?
Copyright © 1989 by Special Rider Music
He's not really famous for anything he did past 1965. His early involvement in the "civil rights" movement is a huge part of his image.
I realize that fans of his music enjoy many of his later albums (Blonde on Blonde, Nashville Skyline, Blood on the Tracks, etc.), however Dylan the myth is greater than Dylan the singer/songwriter. Just ask Joni Mitchell.
“Dylan is a filthy hippy leftist.”
And you took a name from Frank Zappa’s music?
To each his own.
His existence in the civil rights movement consists of one and one half albums. There is nothing else. His best regarded albums aren’t among those, his most famous song isn’t on one of those albums.
And to say he is some leftist hippie ignores the truth for a myth created by others not even by him. And Positively 4th Street is how he felt about those who created that myth.
You may be a fan of his music, but his politics leave a lot to be desired. Let's not rewrite history.
1963, not 1964
Direct quote from Bob, “My favorite politician was Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater.” Who by the way voted for 12 Civil Rights acts, so it isn’t like support of the idea of civil rights in itself makes you a liberal.
Using events from 20 years before to make a declaration about someone’s politics is a very iffy proposition when there is not a whole lot to go on. And now we are at 45 years later, to think his politics stayed static that long, provided he was ever deeply political seems tough. My stance would be that he is pretty apolitical. Generally when people try to pin him down he just plays with them. His interview with Jann Wenner from a few years ago is pretty funny in that respect.
There you go again - trying to be all logical and factual on a Dylan thread.
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