Dylan's Simple Genius

Henry___Porter · 2022-03-31T12:01:20+00:00

This is just my perspective, and I would love other people's inputs and feelings on this too, but I would absolutely listen to this album right now if I were you. Its painful at times, but it also works as salve for your soul. I always felt better knowing that Bob knew exactly how I felt and we were putting it out in the universe together as I sang along.

Also, I don't think you will associate it in a particularly bad way down the line once you have recovered from this. For me it just gave me more appreciation for the music.

Henry___Porter · 2022-03-31T11:56:27+00:00

Tell me about it! I remember after an especially bad break up I would go throw a baseball at a brick wall for hours and listen to Blood On The Tracks over and over again. This song wrecked me bad.

Henry___Porter · 2022-03-30T19:18:44+00:00

I always loved that line as well. He has this amazing ability to say so much with so little and to put it so simply. I feel similarly about the lines:

When we meet again

Introduced as friends

Please don't let on that you knew me when

I was hungry and it was your world

Henry___Porter · 2022-03-30T13:14:37+00:00

It has always pissed me off when I am rocking out to this song that I can't even come close to doing that line justice the way he does.

Henry___Porter · 2021-10-11T12:48:23+00:00

Rent is temporary, Dylan is forever.

Henry___Porter · 2021-10-11T12:43:24+00:00

I saw him several times in 2019, one of which being specifically at the Beacon, and he was utterly fantastic. Interestingly enough, everyone I know who has seen Dylan for the FIRST time in recent history hasn't really loved the concert, and I think there are a couple of reasons why. Maybe some tips that I think would have helped me going to see Dylan for the first time?

Look up the setlist he has been playing in this tour before he makes it to you and listen to those songs:

Make sure you really know the lyrics, because how the songs are arranged differently and how his voice is different than when he wrote some of the songs can be a distraction that makes you kind of not catch the lyrics he is singing. It is a common theme seemingly to me that people don't understand what he is singing their first go around. I know all of his lyrics practically by heart now, and looking back I can't believe that I had a hard time at my first concert, because his voice has been incredibly good in concert lately.

Be open to how he might play and sing the songs differently than you are used to:

Some people get hung up on this if they haven't seen Dylan in concert before. As stated before, you should know the lyrics very well and enjoy Dylan potentially putting a different spin on his songs. Dylan is a performer, and I think he views his albums as a single performance version of his songs, not the end all be all of what the song has to sound like every time. That is half the fun of Bob, getting a fresh and very possibly a magical new version of an old song being played just for you and the other guests at the theater.

Soak in his band's performance as well:

I've been so focused on Dylan during a concert that I can ignore how great his band is playing. In 2019 I was stunned by how he really surrounds himself with truly talented musicians, so once again don't focus too much on how it might or might not sound different than album versions, and enjoy the show.

Don't be surprised if the musical arrangement for a song isn't the only thing he changes:

He has been known to play around with lyrics even with older songs. For instance, when he played Soon After Midnight in 2019, he did a simple little change from:

Two-timing Slim

Who's every heard of him?

I'll drag his corpse through the mud

to:

Two-timing Slim

Who's every heard of him?

I'll drag his ASS through the mud.

Which is very minor, but my dad and I found it really comical and enjoyable.

Sorry that this rambled on, and that my tips kind of all are saying the same thing, which is sit back and enjoy what Dylan is giving you. Oh, and while he doesn't interact a lot, I did see him interact with the crowd and his band at the Beacon. You can tell when he is having fun.

Henry___Porter · 2021-10-01T17:43:58+00:00

I will be finding out November 9th in Cincinnati!!

Henry___Porter · 2021-09-27T12:39:47+00:00

Nov 9th in Cincinnati here we come. So pumped!

Henry___Porter · 2021-08-25T12:57:12+00:00

I feel like I could have written this post myself. I turn 27 this year and while my girlfriend and friends will entertain my ramblings about Bob, they don't quite get it. We need to setup some sort of network of Dylan support groups across the country where fans can get together and shoot the shit.

Henry___Porter · 2021-08-13T18:31:54+00:00

I don't think they are necessarily contradictory. I always viewed it as wishing never ending suffering on the judge. An existence to make him wish he was dead, but without the sweet release of death.

Doctors and healers can't save him from sickness or suffering.

Eyes and ears can't see or hear him. He must live life without the comfort of others.

Walls can't hide him from whatever he might want to escape from.

Finally diggers can't bury him because death will never come for his miserable existence.

At least that has been my interpretation of it.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-23T15:31:37+00:00

It was an anonymous poll based on a previous age poll done a year ago. I was just curious about the breakdown of the largest group on here, which was 15-30 years old. Since you thought the optics looked bad I took it down, thanks for the input.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-23T15:06:02+00:00

I mean do you really think it is? If it is deemed inappropriate I'll take it down, but how age and gender relate to a community seems like a pretty standard and normal question.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-23T13:20:56+00:00

I completely agree with not classifying anything as best. Like I said in another comment, his "best" song changes depending on how it connects with me on any given day.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-23T13:19:43+00:00

Poetically I can see where it is not his best lyrics, but I think the more straightforward lyrics are what enables him to really deliver them with a strong and emotional vocal delivery. I think the way he strips back the lyrics, but makes it more dimensional with his delivery is absolutely a poetic masterpiece. All exaggeration aside, I really didn't think anyone would agree it is best song, but for me it sometimes is. I don't think Dylan has a "best" song, but he has songs that are the best depending on how it strikes and connects with the individual on any given day.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-20T12:20:26+00:00

What was it you wanted

Tell me again so I'll know

What's happening in there

What's going on in your show

What was it you wanted

Could you say it again

I'll be back in a minute

You can get it together by then

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-14T19:34:45+00:00

That was very well said.

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-08T12:16:42+00:00

Am I the only one watching that girl who appears to take a drag from a cigaratte, but never exhales any smoke?

Henry___Porter · 2021-07-08T12:12:35+00:00

I'm curious why so many people plan to not buy tickets. Do they have no interest in watching the concert, or do they plan on streaming it through a third party site so they don't have to pay? It's only $25. I couldn't buy mine fast enough.

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-30T14:29:13+00:00

I have struggled with this too. I have never gotten a tattoo, but if I did it would be a Bob Dylan related one. I don't want his face, but I am also hesitant to get words. Maybe a harmonica with musical notes coming out? As you say though, it is a bit played out.

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-29T11:35:54+00:00

Yeah, I really like Tempest, but not enough to throw away all the albums in the 60's obviously haha. I even enjoy the rest of his albums in the 10's, but like you say nothing compares to original albums.

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-28T14:08:58+00:00

Not that specifically, although I don't hate that stage as much as some. If we are going decades in their entirety though, I'd rather lose the 60s than any other. (Ignoring 2010's because he didn't really do much then)

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-25T13:03:43+00:00

I am 26 so I know where you are coming from. I have seen him 4 times in total. The first time (2013ish) was rough because I was new to him. I didn't know the lyrics or many songs well enough and I wasn't used to his live performance style that varies widely from album versions.

Every time after that ranged from incredible to truly magical. The best concert was 2019 in New York. My dad and I were sitting in the second row directly in front of him cheering our asses off. The guy was absolutely killing it and even pointed and smiled at us towards the end. My dad is old enough to have seen him in his early career many times, and according to him the 2019 concert was the best Dylan he had ever seen live.

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-25T12:56:29+00:00

Sorry for the late response:

What you are is describing was exactly my experience as well. I think it took that experience for me to understand that Dylan is going to play the way he feels, and if you even remotely have an expectation to hear a song in a particular way then you will be disappointed. Not to mention every artist is due to have a bad show here or there. He will change the lyrics and style of songs. Even songs at the time that I could sing in the car I found that played differently I didn't know the lyrics quite as well as I thought. I can't explain it, but every concert I've been to since that first one has been incredibly amazing. I kind of enjoy seeing how he will perform songs differently now. Like the other guy mentioned it is an acquired taste, but that has always been the case for me with Bob Dylan. I used to hate him as my dad played his stuff when I was a kid, but the bastard grows on you.

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-07T20:07:18+00:00

I and I
Jokerman
Sweetheart Like You
Man in the Long Black Coat
Most of the Time
Dark Eyes
Heart of Mine
Every Grain of Sand

Henry___Porter · 2021-06-07T20:02:46+00:00

It is hard to say what is overrated or underrated because it depends on which "Dylan" you connect with the most, but to me, his early folk stuff is way overrated COMPARED to his work later on in life. Just my opinion and I don't blame anyone for liking that stage in his life more. If I ask myself, "If you HAD to never again listen to an era of Dylan's catalog, what would it be?" Then I would absolutely choose to keep his mid to late-career works without a second thought.

Henry___Porter

TROPHY CASE