Bob Dylan and American History III

 

by Larry Fyffe

Bob Dylan gets back at his manager, Albert Grossman, for not informing him about financial details in a contract whereby Dylan is required to write a book that eventually becomes the novella “Tarantula”.

Jewish Grossman therein is associated with the Christian existentialist whose name is Kierkegaard who wrote a famous book called “Fear And Trembling” that urges a subjective and authentic faith in God by choice rather than one that follows institutionalised dogma.

Figuratively, in the song below, the young and naive Dylan dies:

(H)ere lies bob dylan
murdered from behind
by trembling flesh
(Bob Dylan: Tarantula)

Zimmerman doubles down; Grossman’s depicted as the thirty-pieces-of-silver disciple Judas!  It could be said that Dylan presents himself as the betrayed Jesus Christ, sacrificed for money.

Anyway, he ain’t, according to the man in the following song:

Well, I rapped upon a house
With the US flag upon display
I said, "Could you help me out
I got some friends down the way"
The man says, "Get out of here
I'll tear you limb from limb"
I said, "You know they refused Jesus too"
He said, "You're not Him
Get out of here before I break your bones
I ain't your pop"

(Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan's 115th Dream)

Seems that the trembles of existentialist Kierkegaard take hold of Dylan himself in the song beneath. Grossman as “Judas Priest” tempts and corrupts innocent Frankie with money, liquor and women.

In the allegory, Albert won’t even offer Bob a cup of water when asked; so a big part of the naive Dylan disappears, dies:

Well, Frankie Lee, he trembled
He soon lost all control ...........
For sixteen nights and days, he raved
But on the seventeenth be burst
Into the arms of Judas Priest
Which is where he died of thirst

(Bob Dylan: The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest)

The following address to an unnamed “Landlord” can be easily interpreted to be directed at Bob’s manager, and that the singer/songwriter/musician gives out a warning that the landlord’s tenant is not as naive as Grossman might suppose:

Dear Landlord
Please don't dismiss my case
I'm not about to argue
I'm not about to move to no other place
Now, each of us has his own special gift
And you know this was meant to be true
And if you don't underestimate me
I won't underestimate you

(Bob Dylan: Dear Landlord)

 

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