Bob Dylan

Thursday Inspiration — Blowing in the Wind

Fandango10 Comments

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, Jim Adams has asked us to respond by either using the word “wind” or by going with anything else that we think fits. I decided to go with the word “wind,” and in particular, Bob Dylan’s song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

Why? Well, back at the beginning of October of 2017, I was still reeling after a day of reading about and watching the news coverage on TV regarding the horrific and senseless mass shooting of concert attendees in Las Vegas. And now, six years later, I am still reeling from the horrific and senseless mass shooting last week in Lewiston, Maine.

I think about all of the mass shootings in America that have occurred prior to and since Las Vegas, and I’m reminded that we, as a nation, have done nothing to stem the tide of such senseless gun violence other than to offer our thoughts and prayers, which accomplishes nothing.

I’m also reminded of Bob Dylan’s song, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” especially the verse that goes, “Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see.”

How many times can we experience these mass shootings in our country and pretend that there is nothing we can do to address them? How long are we going to stick our collective heads in the sand like we are a nation of ostriches?

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Image credit: Bing Image Creator.

Thursday Inspiration — Heaven’s Gate

Fandango14 Comments

For Jim Adams’ Thursday Inspiration prompt this week, we can use the prompt word heaven, or going with the above picture, or by means of the song ‘Pump It Up,’ or by going with another song by Elvis Costello, or anything else that you think fits.

I think the perfect fit for both the word “heaven” and for the picture is Bob Dylan’s song, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”

Dylan wrote the song for the 1973 Western film, “Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid.” It was written from the perspective of a dying sheriff and plays while Sheriff Colin Baker is dying from his gunshot wounds. The song features two short verses, the lyrics of which comment directly on the scene in the film for which it was written: the death of a frontier lawman who refers to his wife as “Mama.”Dylan cameos in the movie as the character, Alias.

The song was released as a single two months after the film’s premiere, it became a worldwide hit, reaching the Top 10 in several countries. The song became one of Dylan’s most popular and most covered. 

Mama, wipe the blood off of my face
I can't see through it anymore
I need someone to talk to in a new hiding place
Feel like I'm looking at heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Note: corrected lyrics.

Song Lyric Sunday — Forever Young

Fandango12 Comments

Jim Adams is thinking long-term with this week’s Song Lyric Sunday theme words: endless, eternity, everlasting, forever, infinity, and omega. The song I decided to go with is “Forever Young,” a song by Bob Dylan, recorded in November 1973. The song first appeared (in two different versions, one slow and one fast) on Dylan’s fourteenth studio album Planet Waves (1974).

I couldn’t find Dylan’s fast version on YouTube, but here’s the slow version:

Dylan had four children between 1966-1969, including his youngest Jakob, who went on to front The Wallflowers. Originally written as a lullaby for his eldest son Jesse, born in 1966, Dylan’s song relates a father’s hopes that his child will remain strong and happy. It opens with the lines, “May God bless and keep you always / May your wishes all come true,” echoing the Old Testament’s Book of Numbers, which has lines that begin: “May the Lord bless you and guard you / May the Lord make His face shed light upon you.” As I mentioned, Dylan included two versions of the song on the album, one a lullaby and the other more rock-oriented, because he didn’t want to sound too sentimental.

Here are the lyrics to Dylan’s “Forever Young”:

May God’s bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay
May you stay forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Stay forever young

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay
May you stay forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Stay forever young

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay
May you stay forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
May you stay forever young

Rod Stewart recorded a song titled “Forever Young” that was released as a single and included on his 1988 album Out of Order. The song was remarkably similar to the Bob Dylan song of the same title, sharing not only a similar melody but many of the same lyrics. Stewart agreed to share his royalties with Dylan. Here’s Stewart’s “Forever Young.”

Weekly Song Challenge — Eclectic

Fandango10 Comments

E0991E6D-778C-4B4C-93B3-ACA5BAFA8848For this week’s Weekly Song Challenge, Laura has asked us to post videos of an instrumental song, a song with a woman’s name, and one with a violin or cello solo. An eclectic mix, no?

Her rules are:

  • Copy the rules and add them to our own post, pinging back to Laura’s post.
  • Post music videos for our answers to the musical questions.
  • Tag two people anyone who wants to participate!

So here goes.

1. Post an instrumental you adore.

2. Post a popular ballad that contains a woman’s name in the title.

I think this qualifies as a ballad. Maybe?

3. Post a rock music video that has a violin or cello solo.

Okay, your turn.

Weekly Song Challenge — Gettin’ Jiggy

Fandango7 Comments

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For this week’s Weekly Song Challenge, Laura has asked us to post three videos — a song about feeling overwhelmed, about making woopie, and about protesting.

Her rules are:

  • Copy the rules and add them to our own post, pinging back to Laura’s post.
  • Post music videos for our answers to the musical questions.
  • Tag two people anyone who wants to participate!

So here goes.

1. Post a video of a song that’s perfect when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

2. Post a video of a song you’d find humorous if it came on while making whoopie.

3. Post a video of a protest song.

Okay, your turn….