Have you ever noticed those dark spots in the woods while driving in a strange part of the country? Even though it’s broad daylight, the sun can’t penetrate those areas. Some writers work in those spots, either attempting to bring light to the darkness represented by that space or choose to stay in the darkness.Continue reading “I and I”
Tag Archives: Bob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited
After Bob Dylan began utilizing electric instrumentation to accompany his songs with the album Bringing It All Back Home, some in the media created a new genre to describe the music: “folk rock.” That genre name always seemed affected, suited more to The Byrds covering Dylan as opposed to Dylan’s actual music. Because listening toContinue reading “Highway 61 Revisited”
Going, Going Gone
When I first got together with my then-girlfriend-now-wife, she introduced me to the band Son Volt. Their first album Traces has a front-loaded first half, which includes the absolute gems “Windfall,” “Live Free,” and “Tear Stained Eye.” The simple chorus of “Windfall” is a perfect match-up of words and melody that resonates with the listenerContinue reading “Going, Going Gone”
Subterranean Homesick Blues
My paternal great-grandfather was a legend for my Dad and my Uncle Scott and then later for me and my sisters. His name was Junebug Middelton. He ran away from home to join the circus and became a whistler. He played minor league baseball and met famed Yankees manager Casey Stengel in those days. OneContinue reading “Subterranean Homesick Blues”
Highlands
Asked by Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times in December 1997 about the genesis of “Highlands” off of Time Out of Mind, Bob Dylan said: “I had the guitar run off an old Charley Patton record [in my head] for years and always wanted to do something with that. I was sitting around, maybeContinue reading “Highlands”
High Water (For Charley Patton)
The illustrator R. Crumb is known for his love of the music of the 1920s and 1930s. In the early 1980s, he began illustrating a series of trading cards for his musical heroes of that time period. The series was eventually released in book form in 2006’s R. Crumb’s Heroes of Blues, Jazz & Country.Continue reading “High Water (For Charley Patton)”
Goin’ to Acapulco
My ideal response to a song after listening is that I want to have the urge to inhabit the world of the song. Sometimes this inhabitation means living inside the world as created literally by the lyrics being sung, or to go on the same adventure or share the same experiences as depicted by theContinue reading “Goin’ to Acapulco”
The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar
Nick Tosches writes in his book Where Dead Voices Gather: “Some people are so cool, so lie-down hip, that they can steal the right breezes simply by breathing…inhale one vision, exhale another. To steal consciously is the way of art and of craft. To steal through breath is the way of wisdom and of artContinue reading “The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar”
Girl from the North Country
Released in 1963, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was Bob Dylan’s coming out party. Boasting a number of songs that would eventually become classics, Dylan announced to the world that he had arrived as a songwriter and performer. Freewheelin’ displayed Dylan’s full breadth of songwriting talent as it included finger-pointing protest songs (“Masters of War”), humorousContinue reading “Girl from the North Country”
Foot of Pride
Like “Blind Willie McTell,” “Foot of Pride” was originally recorded in 1983, left off of Infidels, and finally released on The Bootleg Series, Vol 1-3: Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991. The song has a slinky groove with minimal instrumentation; the only musical solos are occasional harmonica flourishes by Bob Dylan. The song maintains this spare soundContinue reading “Foot of Pride”
Recliner Notes 