I'm a Bob Dylan geek. Ask me anything.

[Longgrain]

Not a copycat, I really am. Sort of.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. What does that mean?

"... a Bob Dylan geek"?

[Longgrain]

6. I'm not sure exactly,

I'm guessing it means I know more than most people about Bob Dylan. Some one else had an "I am a Beetle's Geek" thread up, so I though I'd copycat 'em...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

27. Well, good, then

Because I think a Dylan geek is much more interesting than a Beatles geek.

[DODI]

2. What BD albums feature The Band?

[Longgrain]

7. The most notable ones I know off the top of my head

Are Planet Waves, and the Basement Tapes...

Tho I think Self-Portrait might also be included.

(If you really want to get technical there's also the Bootleg Series among others, that feature outtakes from the afore mentioned Albums...)

[bigwillq]

3. Have you ever seen Dylan in concert?

I'm not sure when the last time he toured.

[Longgrain]

8. Five times.

The first was at Woodstock '94.

My favorite Dylan concert experience was a few years later. At the then dubbed Great Woods Pavilion here in MA. A whole mess of us ran toward the stage toward the end of the concert, and stood there basking in the great one's shadow.

I can sincerely say I've stood with-in fifty feet of Bob Dylan.

[bigwillq]

10. Wow, that's cool!

:bounce:

[Longgrain]

21. Yeah, we stood there for quite some time too.

Right on the edge of the stage for the last twenty minutes of the show.

For some reason there weren't that many people at the show, so the security did nothing. It was a pretty cool experience that I'll never forget.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

28. He's almost constantly on tour

Bob's a troubadour, plain and simple. That's all he ever was, but people never caught on. He's on tour almost all the time.

http://bobdylan.com/live/

[Longgrain]

32. YeP...

I think his Last Tour has gone on for almost ten years now. :toast:

Great guy that Bob.

[fishwax]

47. Dylan still tours quite a bit, actually

he took some time off a few years back when he was hospitalized, but he is still on tour most of the time, in case you should ever have the urge to check him out.

And despite widespread criticism since the 80s about the unevenness of his live work, he still puts on a hell of a show in my opinion.

He also hits a lot of out of the way places, like Casper Wyoming and Bozeman Montana, which I think is pretty cool.

[davidinalameda]

4. is he a real singer

or is he just faking it

[Longgrain]

11. He can sing better than I can.

Seriously, listen to Nashville Skyline. You'd be amazed at some of his vocals on that album.

Not your normal Dylan vocals.

[JohnKleeb]

12. Seconded

:P

[Feathered Fish]

5. You, sir

are a shameless promoter. :hi: :)

[Longgrain]

13. Of course I am. As was Mr. Zimmerman.

Long before Madonna and her constant change of styles, Sir Bob knew the value of shameless self-promotion and milking the moment for all it was worth...

Who knew exactly where he was coming from...

[JohnKleeb]

9. Where's Rev?

Tonight feels so weird for obvious reasons without her.

[Longgrain]

15. Yeah I know.

I said ask me anything so I'll give you an answer...

There are several Lounge regulars I've noticed that don't seem to be around lately, or as much.

Have you tried doing a search on her name to find out where her last post was at? Eh?

Any how..."Where are you tonight Sweet Marrie."

[JohnKleeb]

16. Of course not, I am lazy

I am sure she may be on later, tell you what though, I do enjoy being myself tonight.

[Longgrain]

18. Great to see you back to normal...

I haven't seen Miss Jimmy around either. I hope she's not still sick.

[JohnKleeb]

19. Veronica just got a call otu lol

I am here listening to Lovely Rita by the Beatles.

[Longgrain]

33. Then take it to the Beetles Group Kleeb

I'm talking about Dylan...:P

[asthmaticeog]

14. How come

you're not posting this in your shiny new Bob Dylan DU Group, fanboy?

:evilgrin: :hi:

[Longgrain]

17. Because this all just a publicity stunt.

To get more people over there.

I'll be posting more over there soon. Until then here's the link for those who still haven't found us yet...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=302

[greendog]

20. "the wind"

"Wind" is one of Dylan's most common metaphors. What's it mean?

[Longgrain]

23. Blowing in the Wind, Idiot Wind

I don't know what it means to Dylan himself, but I've always interpreted "the Wind" as being the space between two individuals.

The air around one person that conveys words between one mind and another, but prevents true communication from ever taking place.

Like, we're all separate from one another, using the wind to reach out to each other, but never able to make a true connection because of distance. (Both physical and metaphorical.)

If that means anything...

[greendog]

24. Interesting...

...I interpret it as lies, deceit, and betrayal. He seems (to me) to often use it in a spiritual context so the betrayal is to a higher power (love, truth, god).

I like your interpretation too. I'll have to give it some thought.

[Melynn]

22. Did Bob Dylan jump the shark

after "Blood on the Tracks". I think he did. Or maybe even after he did "Blonde on Blonde". Still, Bob is one of the greats, no doubt about it.

[Longgrain]

26. Depends on what era you're talking about...

And who your talking to.

To some, he jumped the shark as soon as he went electric with Highway 61.

To others it was the Jesus stuff he put out in the late 70s, early 80's.

Bob's always somehow found a way to make a comeback.

As far as I'm concerned, he hasn't truely Jumped the Sharked yet. He always has something up his sleeve.

[Melynn]

29. I was expecting to get flamed

but you gave me a nice thoughtful response. Thank you.

Back in the day, I was a huge Dylan fan but I haven't listen to his recent stuff. Maybe I will give it a listen.

[fishwax]

51. Personally, I think his last two albums have been very good

I think Time Out of Mind, which came out in 1997, is one of his five best albums. I don't ever tire of listening to it. His output has slowed in the last decade or so, but he's shored up the quality from his 80s work.

[Baclava]

25. Why did the Vandals take the handle?

...and...was Maggie really so bad?

[Longgrain]

30. Why did the Vandals take the handle.

Because they wanted to pawn it to get another fix.

[NeoTraitors]

31. My favorite Dylan song is

'When the Ship Comes in.' I've always thought it was his most positive political song. The words never fail to fill me with hope for our world.

How do you interpret that song?

[Longgrain]

34. I think I was just a fun upbeat song

probably no deep meaning other than to accentuate the positive.

I always thought it was funny that that was the only upbeat song on the otherwise dark and brooding "The Times They are A-Changing".

[cheezus]

35. May a moody baby doom a yam?

explain

[Longgrain]

36. Do Geese see God?

:shrug:

[cheezus]

40. Oh no! Don Ho!

You win. :)

You listen to Al, or did you have to google?

[Longgrain]

42. A little of both...

I had to google to find more.

Madam, in eden I'm Adam.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

37. Where can I find a copy of "Hey La"?

My BIL's father co-wrote it, and I know Dylan recorded at least one version of it-- I've been trying to track it down for three years without success.

Also known as Hey La La, among other variations.

[Longgrain]

39. Here's the best I could do on such short notice.

http://hem.passagen.se/obrecht/backpages/chords/misc/hey_la_la.htm

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

45. Sorry, I should have specified

I have the lyrics. I want the actual song as recorded by Dylan. To the best of my knowledge it was on at least one album (I don't recall which one, but I think it was a live concert). I've never been able to track a copy of it down.

[Minstrel Boy]

38. Who's gonna throw that Minstrel Boy a coin?

Who's gonna let it roll?

[Longgrain]

41. Wanted Man

in California, Wanted Man in Buffalo

Wanted Man in Kansas City, Wanted Man in Ohio

[Liberal_Andy]

43. Think Bob would mind? We covered three of his last week,...

playing in a little general store. Two Dead and one Band Too!

[Longgrain]

44. Probably not, he was a old troubadour

he knew the value of borrowing in from the oldies. Half of his early
self was completely ripped off from Woody Guthry, I doubt he'd care.

Unless the record companies started hounding you for royalties.

[Liberal_Andy]

46. We did 5 of ours, so it's not all covers,...

but we love to sing the harmonies on Bob's

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
I Shall Be Released

[NeoTraitors]

48. Longgrain, as a Dylan

geek myself, I respectfully disagree with your assessment of 'When the Ship Comes In' as simply a positive, upbeat song with no deep meaning. I feel that the song described the world we would live in 'When the Ship Comes In' ie when the times truly changed.

Democrats in '72 felt that it had political meaning since it was performed at the convention that year.

And the counterculture used the line 'The whole wide world is watching!' as a rallycry at the '68 convention in Chicago.

[Longgrain]

49. Thanks for weighing in

I never really thought much of the song myself, and never looked behind the words for any deeper meaning.

thanks so much for the info...I'm going to have to look into this one...

[NeoTraitors]

53. That is what makes Dylan so great.

Songs that are masterpieces to one person are forgetable to others. I have forgotten more great Dylan songs than any other artist ever recorded.

[NeoTraitors]

50. Have you ever seen the old SNL skit from back

in the mid-70's where they show Dylan at Woody's bedside? Everything Woody says, Dylan frantically wrote down.

What did Woody say? Stuff like 'Bob don't think twice,its allright.'
'The answer, Bob, is blowing in the wind.' and 'the times are a changin' Bob.' Hilarious skit.

[TufNeck]

52. Here's my question

Why is it....It seems to me like he came out with a book to say "hey, I'm not the Mesiah" but at the same time he's kind of trying to remind everyone that he was once admired as such yet, in actuality, is now somewhat of a has-been, although highly respected nonetheless.

[Longgrain]

57. Redirect all questions here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=302

And thank me later.

[catbert836]

54. Who was he talking about in "Positively 4th Street"?

Well?

[Longgrain]

58. Redirect all questions here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=302

I'll be joining ya soon...:hi:

[fishwax]

55. Have you ever heard Dylan's live "Deep Ellum Blues"

Your comments about Dylan being, basically, a troubador with a knack for self-invention reminded me of the story.

I've got a live version of that song from (nearest I can tell) 1962, in which Dylan introduces the song as Deep Ellum Blues and then just before breaking into song, almost as if he couldn't help himself, he makes up a lie about the song, saying that it refers to a town in west texas, down about san antonio. (I can't remember the exact location he gives, but it's nowhere near the real Deep Ellum, which is in Dallas.)

I always laugh when I hear that introduction, because he sounds so self assured as he spins the yarn. And he had the story partly right :)

[NeoTraitors]

56. He was truly crazy when he first got to

New York. He told people that he was a hobo who drifted from town to town and that he was an orphan. The last thing he would ever say in an interview is that he grew up in Hibbing MN.

To address the question from the previous poster, noone really knows anything about Dylan. He changes himself every so often (see Longgrains post above) to make sure of that.

Plus he has given a grand total of jack legitimate interviews. Sure he has said a few things in public and print from time to time, but they are just modern versions of 'I was an orphan hobo' stories.

If you think he is a has been, then he is doing a good job. The only more private celebrity in history was Garbo.

[Longgrain]

59. Redirect all questions here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=302

We need your support!

[postulater]

60. What do you think of his new book?

[Longgrain]

61. Redirect all questions here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=302

There's even a Thread for the new book already.