Thesis: To consider what the chance intersection of ideal beauty and intellectual confusion would mean in determining the fate of Earth. Phase 1: While touring San Francisco, I stayed at the Sir Francis Drake. The bartenders were adequate. Phase 2: I began a blog. I learned romance might exist, but depends upon whether a man and a woman can tread the maze individually and reach its center at the exact same instant in time. Phase 3: The center comes and goes as if it were a mirage.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Music & the distant past
Don't Think Twice & Baby Blue
One of the few (maybe only) music legends to emerge from Minnesota is Bob Dylan, who was born Robert Zimmerman in 1941 at Hibbing. Never heard of him? I do not believe you if you said "no." In any event, here is a pair of early recordings by Dylan, just for the fun of it. As you watch these performances (if you watch these performances) think of them in terms of their age -- about 45 years old, give or take. What were you doing 45 years ago; were you even here 45 years ago? Are Dylan and his songs more or less relevant today than he/it was two generations ago? Ain’t life something else? See there? Rock and roll is not the only music in my world.
On the top is, "Don’t Think Twice, It's All Right," which appeared in 1963 on Dylan's second album.
On the bottom is, "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," which was among the songs on his fifth album, from 1965.
Hi Fram :) Thanks for sharing the nice videos. I love Bob Dylan...and I can't believe how young he looks in these. These songs are a little sad though, I think...I suppose that's life, happy and sad, good and bad, little bit of everything...each in it's time and place. Hope you are having a nice day today :) xox Kelly
PS: I didn't answer your question. I believe some things in life never change, especially when it comes to human relationships...his words are as relevant today as they were back in the '60's.
Ha, touche, again, my friend. Bob is Bob, innit? (That's my London slang, 'innit'). I had to defend him on my blog against an article written my one of my favourite columnists, but one who occasionally becomes too opinionated for her own sake. She said that Dylan was not a lyricist. Oh, boy! Just looking at these two clips... you know... how can someone...? Well, I guess that part of growing up is accepting other people's opinions. Many thanks for posting this. Here you will find a link to her column
"Things Have Changed" is a strange song to me. I think I am right on the cusp of the lyrics, and understand completely what Dylan is talking (singing) about in this piece.
All the Zimmermans were born in Brooklyn? Maybe that is why Bobby left Minnesota in 1961 and headed for New York City. He could stay with Uncle Louie while he wandered the streets singing his songs.
Both songs are "goodbye" songs, Kelly, which by their nature would make them sad. Dylan said the "Baby Blue" piece dated back to his high school days. If I were to speculate, I would think he wrote these songs as a means of telling a couple of young ladies who once dumped him to take a look at him now -- and then to eat their hearts out.
I would go so far as to say I think most of Dylan's old songs are more relevant now than they were at the time of their origins. Other than technological "miracles," my continuous mantra is that all levels of governmental, societal and legal standards have dramatically worsened during the past two generations. Life today, I believe, is demonstrated through the old axiom of, "we have met the enemy and he is us."
I will read these two pieces later today, CiL, but I wanted to state right now that in many cases the lyrics of Dylan, in my estimation, comprise some of the better poetry to emerge during the second half of the 20th Century.
I am curious to discover what my reaction will be after having read the article by the columnist and your response to it.
very, very relevant Fram! Love both the songs you`ve mentioned. "Dont think twice" is majorly 'influenced' by Paul Clayton(even some parts of the lyrics I believe!). Its pbly one of the lyrically best ways to show the middle finger to the girl who did him wrong :):) Loved Joan Baez in the video. Isnt she beautiful?
And ohh, while we`re on the topic of Dylan, one of my fav numbers is 'Dignity'. Talking of dignity and its relevance in present times, here`s a link you`d pbly like. David Brooks has always been my favorite conservative writer
Well, you have me laughing now, Piper, because of the way all of the differing ideas emerged from your comment.
To begin, young Mr. Dylan was an expert at telling anyone and everyone where to get off, ranging from Uncle Sam to young ladies and even to fans. Yes, and you are right, "Don't Think Twice" is an epitome of the not-so-sweet farewell.
Next, you should win a prize. I doubt one person in 100 would recognize Joan Baez in the brief clip.
Finally, my own view is that David Brooks was suffering from a hangover due to indulging himself with a three martini lunch by the time he wrote the final paragraph of the column you cited. Dignity, very possibly, would be among the last words in the dictionary I would apply when describing Barack Obama. I will stop at that, and simply scratch my head in wonder.
Yes, Fram - thanks for the blast into the past with Dylan in the late 60s! Although I listened to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot (and Beatles and Rolling Stones of course) in my teen years, more than Dylan and Baez, Dylan was a staple of any teen in the late 60s. In those years it was all about the Vietnam war and protests of all other sorts - Make Love not War ... (insert flash back on memory lane here)
After the USA got out of Vietnam and in the ensuing decades - from where I was sitting - things seemingly changed - we had achieved peace and prosperity reined supreme- until 1991 and the Gulf War. With that war and in the other wars since - there are parallels with the Vietnam War because we ourselves are not being threatened. In these wars we are fighting to bring our standards for justice and (what was called in the 60's) "the American Way" to others. And so full circle.
Dylan's songs are as relevant today as ever. With the war in Iraq we see a revival of the Protest song. So, I am not sure that the Times they are a Changin but think we may just be caught in things going round and round in the Circle Game...
Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English (= literature) and history (= reality). Master of Arts in literature. Once upon a time, U.S. Marine Corps = Semper Fidelis. These things pretty much explain everything there is to know about me.
Other than that, ask, if you actually are curious .... I like to drift where the current takes me within this endless sea of blogs, read what others write in their blogs, observe, learn, question and, hopefully, understand, while offering a few comments of my own along the way .... by the way, the photo of me actually is me .... was me .... will be me .... hmmmm ....
Fotocursus voor compactcamera
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Als fotograaf en cursusleider krijg ik vaak de vraag of je echt een dure
spiegelreflex- of systeemcamera nodig hebt om goede foto’s te maken. Het
antwoor...
COLANTARE DUBA
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Colantare Auto Duba la Graphis Advertising: Transforma vehiculul într-un
adevărat instrument de marketing!
*Graphis Advertising* îți oferă soluț...
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bisons, I decided to pluck up the courage to drive to Frary Peak.
The road to ...
This or this? #9
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Normally when I do this feature I give you two photos from which to choose.
(once I gave you two pairs) This time I have four photos with the same
subject....
Halcón peregrino (Falco peregrinus)
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"A través de mi ventana" A la memoria de Richard Pegler, naturalista,
fotógrafo y buen amigo. Tu alma vuela libre junto a las aves de las Islas
Sorlingas.
¿Te vienes de biblioteca?
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Será el próximo jueves 17 de octubre a las 18:30 h. en la Biblioteca
Pública José Luis Sampedro.
C/ Felipe el Hermoso, 4 Chamberí (Madrid)
Metro Iglesia
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update
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I think a little up date is good
Det er lenge siden jeg har vært her og blogget
Men her er noen søte svaner med baby
Jeg syns de er veldig fine og ...
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The Portable Jack Kerouac
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I have lots of things to teach you now,
in case we ever meet, concerning the message
that was transmitted to me under a pine tree in North Carolina
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A Carteira Perdida!
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*A Carteira Perdida é uma belíssima história de amor verídica, que recebi
já traduzida faz um bom tempo por via e-mail. Ao procurar quem escreveu uma
car...
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I'm not quitting, just taking a break
In my natural habitat (photo by Deborah Jaffe)
I started this blog in June 2007. After an uncertain beginning, it pr...
UNIWIGS
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Hello my beloved readers! I am glad that there are still so many of you
with me. Even though I'm not the best blogger, haha. Let's start with what
really ...
Blogini osoite ja nimi on muuttunut
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*Tervetuloa lukijaksi uuteen blogiini*
* te kaikki tämän vanhan blogin lukijat*
*sekä myös uudet lukijat.*
*Pääset tästä linkistä uuteen ➣ Kuvallista bl...
4 years ago
Romance, from Fram
I discovered Romance might yet exist, but it depends upon whether a man and a woman can tread the maze, individually, and reach its center at the same moment in time.
The Actual Instant of Love, from Fram
I am a jealous guy, of the sort John Lennon sang about. Any man who says he is not a jealous guy either has no genuine depth of feelings for the woman he is saying it about or is a liar. I can remember very distinctly, for example, when my feelings for my wife vanished. It happened in an instant. When love vanished, so did jealousy.
Actual love happens in an instant, I believe, although it does not always seem to be that way. I am not talking about "love at first sight," but, rather, "love at first instant." This means two people might have known each other for weeks, even for years, before the "instant" occurs. It comes with a single sentence spoken by one, or a single action taken by one, that strikes the other like lightning.
Affection grows; love is born. Love also disappears in an instant, I believe, although it does not always seem to happen that way. Incidental to my point, I do not believe in "love at first sight." That is no more than simple, physical or emotional attraction, which is the cause of countless and never-ending problems.
Happiness is momentary, from Fram
When I was age eighteen, a wise, old man of twenty-six told me that happiness is a momentary thing. It might last for minutes or days or weeks or, sometimes, even for a few years. But, like life itself, happiness is a transitory thing and, like fate, it is capricious. At some point along the road, I came to realize this wise, old man had been right.
The Three Sorts of Friends ....
Though friendships differ endless in degree, The sorts, methinks, may be reduced to three. Acquaintance many, and Conquaintance few; But for Inquaintance I know only two -- The friend I've mourned with, and the maid I woo!
Samuel Taylor Coleridge poet & philosopher Fragment 10: "The Three Sorts of Friends"
Time retains ....
Time retains its sacred right to meddle in each earthly affair. Still, time's unbounded power that makes a mountain crumble, moves seas, rotates a star, won't be enough to tear lovers apart: they are too naked, too embraced, too much like timid sparrows.
Old age is, in my book, the price that felons pay, so don't whine that it's steep: you'll stay young if you're good. Suffering doesn't insult the body. Death? It comes in your sleep, exactly as it should.
When it comes, you'll be dreaming that you don't need to breathe; that breathless silence is the music of the dark and it's part of the rhythm to vanish like a spark.
Wislawa Szymborska poet, essayist & translator Nobel Prize for Poetry 1996 "Entropy"
Yesterday is History ....
Yesterday is History, 'Tis so far away -- Yesterday is Poetry -- 'Tis Philosophy --
Yesterday is mystery -- Where it is Today While we shrewdly speculate Flutter both away.
Emily Dickinson poet "Yesterday is History"
Never the answers
The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers.
Will Durant historian, philosopher, teacher
The equality of man
Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.
Thomas Jefferson president, patriot, free thinker
The audience
Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self.
Cyril Connolly writer, editor, literary critic
I am free
I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. Robert Heinlein science fiction writer philosopher
Marine Corps Forever, from Fram
To all Marines, those among the dead, those who still live, those yet to be born: Semper Fidelis, to the end of time ....
Have gun .... will travel
Once upon a time: "She said, There is no reason ...."
Time & again ....
Time .... he's waiting in the wings .... he speaks of senseless things .... but, if you could heal a broken heart, wouldn't time be out to charm you?
Voluspo 28-29
Alone I sat when the Old One sought me .... The terror of gods, and gazed in mine eyes .... "What hast thou to ask? why comest thou hither? .... Othin, I know where thine eye is hidden" .... Deep in the wide-famed well of Mimir .... Mead from the pledge of Othin each morn .... Does Mimir drink: would you know yet more? ....
12 comments:
Very relevant, Fram…
May I add another gem to your collection? 45 years later, “Things Have Changed…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQDeYzUkXOU
P.S. Thought all Zimmermans were born in Brooklyn, NY!!!
Hi Fram :) Thanks for sharing the nice videos. I love Bob Dylan...and I can't believe how young he looks in these.
These songs are a little sad though, I think...I suppose that's life, happy and sad, good and bad, little bit of everything...each in it's time and place.
Hope you are having a nice day today :)
xox
Kelly
PS: I didn't answer your question. I believe some things in life never change, especially when it comes to human relationships...his words are as relevant today as they were back in the '60's.
Ha, touche, again, my friend. Bob is Bob, innit? (That's my London slang, 'innit'). I had to defend him on my blog against an article written my one of my favourite columnists, but one who occasionally becomes too opinionated for her own sake. She said that Dylan was not a lyricist. Oh, boy! Just looking at these two clips... you know... how can someone...? Well, I guess that part of growing up is accepting other people's opinions. Many thanks for posting this. Here you will find a link to her column
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jun/30/popandrock.poetry
And here's my answer to that charge of doggerel
http://cubaninlondon.blogspot.com/2008/12/killer-opening-songs-bob-dylan-blowing.html
Greetings from London.
Yes, Natalie, very relevant.
"Things Have Changed" is a strange song to me. I think I am right on the cusp of the lyrics, and understand completely what Dylan is talking (singing) about in this piece.
All the Zimmermans were born in Brooklyn? Maybe that is why Bobby left Minnesota in 1961 and headed for New York City. He could stay with Uncle Louie while he wandered the streets singing his songs.
Both songs are "goodbye" songs, Kelly, which by their nature would make them sad. Dylan said the "Baby Blue" piece dated back to his high school days. If I were to speculate, I would think he wrote these songs as a means of telling a couple of young ladies who once dumped him to take a look at him now -- and then to eat their hearts out.
I would go so far as to say I think most of Dylan's old songs are more relevant now than they were at the time of their origins. Other than technological "miracles," my continuous mantra is that all levels of governmental, societal and legal standards have dramatically worsened during the past two generations. Life today, I believe, is demonstrated through the old axiom of, "we have met the enemy and he is us."
I will read these two pieces later today, CiL, but I wanted to state right now that in many cases the lyrics of Dylan, in my estimation, comprise some of the better poetry to emerge during the second half of the 20th Century.
I am curious to discover what my reaction will be after having read the article by the columnist and your response to it.
Later today has arrived ....
My suspicion always has been that Germaine Greer was invented rather than born. Her column and your response lend credence to my belief, CiL.
I think the Guardian would be well advised to have you take over her role as columnist.
very, very relevant Fram! Love both the songs you`ve mentioned. "Dont think twice" is majorly 'influenced' by Paul Clayton(even some parts of the lyrics I believe!). Its pbly one of the lyrically best ways to show the middle finger to the girl who did him wrong :):)
Loved Joan Baez in the video. Isnt she beautiful?
And ohh, while we`re on the topic of Dylan, one of my fav numbers is 'Dignity'. Talking of dignity and its relevance in present times, here`s a link you`d pbly like.
David Brooks has always been my favorite conservative writer
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/opinion/07brooks.html?_r=1&em
Well, you have me laughing now, Piper, because of the way all of the differing ideas emerged from your comment.
To begin, young Mr. Dylan was an expert at telling anyone and everyone where to get off, ranging from Uncle Sam to young ladies and even to fans. Yes, and you are right, "Don't Think Twice" is an epitome of the not-so-sweet farewell.
Next, you should win a prize. I doubt one person in 100 would recognize Joan Baez in the brief clip.
Finally, my own view is that David Brooks was suffering from a hangover due to indulging himself with a three martini lunch by the time he wrote the final paragraph of the column you cited. Dignity, very possibly, would be among the last words in the dictionary I would apply when describing Barack Obama. I will stop at that, and simply scratch my head in wonder.
Yes, Fram - thanks for the blast into the past with Dylan in the late 60s! Although I listened to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot (and Beatles and Rolling Stones of course) in my teen years, more than Dylan and Baez, Dylan was a staple of any teen in the late 60s. In those years it was all about the Vietnam war and protests of all other sorts - Make Love not War ... (insert flash back on memory lane here)
After the USA got out of Vietnam and in the ensuing decades - from where I was sitting - things seemingly changed - we had achieved peace and prosperity reined supreme- until 1991 and the Gulf War. With that war and in the other wars since - there are parallels with the Vietnam War because we ourselves are not being threatened. In these wars we are fighting to bring our standards for justice and (what was called in the 60's) "the American Way" to others. And so full circle.
Dylan's songs are as relevant today as ever. With the war in Iraq we see a revival of the Protest song. So, I am not sure that the Times they are a Changin but think we may just be caught in things going round and round in the Circle Game...
You took me by surprise, Peggy. I did not notice you had commented here until a few minutes ago. Thank you.
I really do think the music of Bob Dylan is pertinent today and, possibly, even moreso than it was way back when he first began to sing it.
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