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Bob Dylan on Barack Obama
Bill Flanagan of the London Times has and exclusive interview with my personal Saint, Bob Dylan:
Makes sense to me...
You must play his new song; Feel A Change Comin' On
Please don't be concerned that time hasn't been kind to Bob's voice; it's worser then ever.
We luv u, Bob... Peace.
Bob Dylan on Barack Obama, Ulysses Grant and American Civil War ghosts
Question, is my hero coloring his hair or am I just jealous cause he's older?
BF: You liked Barack Obama early on. Why was that?
BD: I'd read his book and it intrigued me.
BF: Audacity of Hope?
BD: No it was called Dreams of My Father.
BF: What struck you about him?
BD: Well, a number of things. He's got an interesting background. He's like a fictional character, but he's real. First off, his mother was a Kansas girl. Never lived in Kansas though, but with deep roots. You know, like Kansas bloody Kansas. John Brown the insurrectionist. Jesse James and Quantrill. Bushwhackers, Guerillas. Wizard of Oz Kansas. I think Barack has Jefferson Davis back there in his ancestry someplace. And then his father. An African intellectual. Bantu, Masai, Griot type heritage - cattle raiders, lion killers. I mean it's just so incongruous that these two people would meet and fall in love. You kind of get past that though. And then you're into his story. Like an odyssey except in reverse.
Makes sense to me...
You must play his new song; Feel A Change Comin' On
Please don't be concerned that time hasn't been kind to Bob's voice; it's worser then ever.
We luv u, Bob... Peace.
Bob Dylan on Barack Obama, Ulysses Grant and American Civil War ghosts
Question, is my hero coloring his hair or am I just jealous cause he's older?
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Steve, you hit it out of the park AGAIN. Great blog.
An odyssey in reverse. See. You either got it or ya don't.
April 6, 2009 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have spent a few at your hotel, Dick, The Daze Inn...s
April 6, 2009 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the same interview...
Harharharhar!!!
I guess that was the less inspiring part of the interview.
April 7, 2009 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait.
Bob Dylan liked Barack Obama because he's like a fictional character?
Because Obama's mother was from a state that has a history Dylan fancies?
The Wizard of Fucking Oz Kansas?
Are you joking?
Are you high?
These are reasons to vote for Obama for president?
Hey, Bob Dylan: Fuck you! And thanks for the health insurance!
April 7, 2009 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it beats voting for an alcoholic because you'd like to have a beer with him. Or because of all the great experience of being a First Lady.
And I don't think that is why he said he wanted him to be President; he just said that it made him interesting.
April 7, 2009 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
All I know is, I still don't have health insurance!
Scratch that. I also now know I will never give a shit what Bob Dylan thinks about anything.
Sometimes idolatry shouldn't extend into areas of non-expertise. It boils down to Dylan likes Obama from reading one of his books. So what? That's nothing to idolize Dylan for.
April 7, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me know when the London Times gives a fuck what you think about anything.
What, did you have a nightmare about Bob Dylan last night or something?
From whence this hatred for answering a fucking interview question?
April 7, 2009 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
You don't have health insurance. I get that, But this is April 7th. Talk to me in a year. Are you actually saying that you despise Dylan because his opinion of Obama was influenced by a book written by him, and yet you are spewing negatives because that same person has been in office for less than 3 months and you STILL DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE?
Have you read Obama's books? Have you read the stuff about what republicans are doing to sabotage every Democrat?
Let me tell you something my friend: If Congress actually had as its goal to act only for honorable reasons, and wanted only to get our economy going again regardless of who got the credit, it would still be hard. Now. Realize that all republicans have as their ONLY goal to sabotage Obama and all Democrats. Try working through that. Try acting like you don't think they are the creepy shits that they are. Try taking over after a bunch of criminals were in charge and fearing that if you highlight all the crimes it could actually make things worse instead of better.
I disagree with the last premise -- I think we have to know what happened and send the criminals to jail, but I am not President.
Now, what do you have to say about these thoughts?
April 7, 2009 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. I never said I "despise" (your word) Dylan. I highlighted how stupid and out-of-touch with reality Dylan's answer was because it had all to do with Dylan's fantasies rather than with Obama's policies (such as health care, for example). Is that the best Dylan can do? If so, he's not worth talking to about politics.
2. I'm objecting to idolizing Dylan's stupid answer simply because it came from him. Talent in music does not necessarily translate to talent in other areas.
3. I haven't criticized Obama's progress. Didn't say one word about it. I'm criticizing Dylan's answer only.
4. Dylan is rich. Apparently it's no skin off his nose if Obama has any real policies that affect the rest of us.
In other words, I would have preferred Dylan had responded to a serious question by answering that he liked Obama for (at least some of) his policies or even Obama's mindset or even Obama's talent. Instead, Dylan likes Obama for his "exotic" origins. If it were someone other than Bob Dylan, people could argue that his fantasy (the African part, at least) is vaguely racist.
In any case, I now know I don't need to pay attention to what Bob Dylan has to say about anything.
April 10, 2009 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree with you on this one. Dylan is a poet troubadour, not a political activist. I found his statements on "Dreams of My Father" delightfully thought-provoking on Obama's biography, nothing more.
I think the real pity here is expecting political endorsements from artists to matter. I don't care what Dylan thinks about health care reform and who is best to execute it. I am, on the other hand, interested in any myths and imagery he finds interesting, because I think he is very gifted at that.
April 10, 2009 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess it's that old guilt-by-association with real political activists that makes people think Dylan himself is political.
The question Dylan was asked about Obama was:
Restated, Dylan's answer could have been: "Nothing, until my imagination took over." My point is that Dylan said nothing about Obama; what he said was about himself.
Here are two of the druggiest-sounding comments I've heard in a long, long time:
and
If I wrote for SNL, I would use these. Classic Dylan rhythms but the content is unintentionally funny. I can totally hear him.
April 11, 2009 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dude, what do you mean "readytoblow"? That baby is long gone.
April 7, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
In the new version of Wizard of Oz, Barack and Toto give away all the lollipops to the Wicked Witch of the West, and instead of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Barack sings "Bend Over and Get Humped by the Banks."
The role of the public is symbolically represented by the Tin Man...
Tin Man (the public): "Ouch! The Wicked Witch just chopped of my Medicare!"
Obama: "Cackle cackle!"
Toto (generic Obamaoid): "Arf! Arf!"
Cowardly Lion (Harry Reid): "Grr? But oh golly! Did I just growl? Why would I growl? Please don't hurt me!"
Scarecrow (MSM): "If I only had a brain,
there's lots of thoughts
I would be thinkin'
if I only had a brain!"
Munchkins: "Barack Obama is the best President Munchkinland ever had!"
(And what are you laughing at? The Munchkins have their very on star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! What have you got? A worthless IRA and a ticket to Hooverville! Harharharhar!!!)
April 7, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
"...their very own star..."
April 7, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
older?
Don't you remember?
April 6, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Brought to you by; Just For Men Shampoo-In Hair Color
Tnx JR - made my day...
April 6, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just For Men
Clyde says: "He shoots! He SCORES!!
April 6, 2009 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
PETER PAN.HAHAHHAHA
April 6, 2009 7:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
PETER PAN
Actually, my sister *was Peter Pan, I was Captain Hook.
(Never got over it...why couldn't I be Peter, I was a real little boy...Damn Mary Martin, anyway....hence, my current personum: Captain Hook as played by Peter Pan.)
*Summer, 1955, Camp Kent
April 6, 2009 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh I always come back for links, especially when they are more than one page cause I get lost and lose the rec and...who cares.
This is another great link. Fun to read this. Funny how people respond. This idiot goes on to call BD a racist. Cause he feels something in the south. But he calls it a purgatory between heaven and hell for Chrissakes. (Blesses himself) GO FIGURE.
April 6, 2009 7:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't you remember....
We built this city on Rock and Roll.
April 6, 2009 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't ever do that again
April 6, 2009 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're right. Now it starts dancing with no warning whatsoever....
April 6, 2009 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hot diggidy dog, dog, a new Dylan album coming.
April 6, 2009 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink