(np) Dylan's _Chronicles vol 1_ AuH20

[Richard Ryan]

Excellent (and very funny) points about the Republican cognitive
dissonance (or rather the odd lack of it) in re: Dylan and Communist
gun runner Rick Blaine.  One might also cite the notorious mid-80s
instance of Ronald Reagan and George Will citing Springsteen (more or
less a democratic socialist in his politics) as an exemplar of
American capitalist ideals.

As for being an unreliable narrator, it may be what separates the
greater story tellers from the windy re-spinners of hackneyed old
tales.

On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Joe Allonby <joeallonby at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have to agree with Mark. Dylan is an unreliable narrator. I think
> that is an artistic decision. He doesn't want you to know. Much of the
> power of his songs comes from the ability of the listener to identify
> with the narrator. If you know too much or if the lyrics are too
> specific, that connection can be endangered. He's protecting his art
> FROM politics.
>
> I know conservative Republicans who love Dylan and  find him
> inspirational. By "Blood on the Tracks", Dylan was writing songs that
> elevated being in love to an act of mythical heroism. It's like Lord
> of the fucking Rings and every poor shlub wants to be that hero in his
> mind. Even Pat Buchanon could listen to "Tangled Up in Blue" or
> "Simple Twist of Fate", identify with the narrator, and say "Wow! I
> want to be THAT fucking guy!".These are the same people who feel no
> guilt for identifying with Rick Blaine in "Casablanca" even though by
> their definition he's a commie terrorist.
>
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 4:34 PM, Jed Kelestron <jedkelestron at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Politics was always one because there were people who were trying to
>> change things. They were involved in the political game because that
>> is how they had to change things. But I have always considered
>> politics just part of the illusion. I don't get involved much in
>> politics. I don't know what the system runs on. For instance, there
>> are people who have definite ideas or who studied all the systems of
>> government. A lot of those people with college-educational backgrounds
>> tended to come in and use up everybody for whatever purposes they had
>> in mind. And, of course, they used music, because music was accessible
>> and we would have done that stuff and written those songs and sung
>> them whether there was any politics or not. I never did renounce a
>> role in politics, because I never played one in politics. It would be
>> comical for me to think that I played a role. Gurdjieff thinks it's
>> best to work out your mobility daily.
>>
>>       --Bob Dylan in Playboy interview (March, 1966)
>>
>
>



-- 
Richard Ryan
New York and the World
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