Originally Posted by blastingas10

Yes folk music had been around for a long time. But Dylan did put it on the map, he popularized it more than any other folk artist before him and he is responsible for the development of folk rock.


Really, It was just a childhood fascination? How do you figure? Considering that Professor Christopher Ricks was born 8 years before Bob Dylan, I think it was more than a childhood fascination. You think the professor of poetry at Oxford University knows a little more about poetry than you do? Maybe, just maybe.



I did not say that Dylan pioneered lyrics. I said He pioneered depth in song lyrics by adding the intellectualism of classic literature and poetry. I dont think you seem to understand that protest songs made up only a small fraction of his career. He was tired of writing them after a few years. He went in a different direction after that and that is when he became really unique. Its pretty obvious that Dylan was on another level of writing than Woody Guthrie was. It is evident when you compare their lyrics. Dylan was much more poetic. Everything you say leads me to believe that you know very little about Dylans music. Listen to Rock n roll before Dylan and then listen to it after him. There is no way you can tell me that you cant see a difference. There wasnt any rock n roll that sounded anything like the rock n roll that Dylan was making. His unique sound was obvious. He unquestionably added lyrical depth and intelligence to the music. If he didnt, tell me who did.

"The thing about rock'n'roll is that for me anyway it wasn't enough ... There were great catch-phrases and driving pulse rhythms ... but the songs weren't serious or didn't reflect life in a realistic way. I knew that when I got into folk music, it was more of a serious type of thing. The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings." - Bob Dylan

I think that is pretty accurate.


You continue to think that Dylans entire career was just a rip off of Woody Guthrie. Dylans music was based on traditional folk for only around 4 years. He went electric in 1965. It was becoming clear as soon as 1963 when he released The freewheelin Bob Dylan that he was moving away from protest songs with songs such as Girl from the North country. And then by the release of Another side of Bob Dylan in 1964, it was evident that he was done with the protest songs. So, really, Dylan stuck to the traditional folk sound for only around 3 years.

George Harrison speaks about Dylans album The Freewheelin Bob Dylan:

"We just played it, just wore it out. The content of the song lyrics and just the attitude—it was incredibly original and wonderful."


Let me throw out some more musicians that covered Dylan songs and were influenced by him.

The Animals, The Band, The Beach Boys, Jeff Beck, The Black crowes, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, Eric Clapton, Duke Ellington, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Neil Young.

The list goes on. I suppose none of these people know anything about music or have the ability to recognize good music.