The Philosophy of Modern Song was Bob Dylan’s publication provided after he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his work as a songwriter. My suspicion was that Bob didn’t actually realise that he was going to be required to write a book, as a response to the honour of being given the PhD, but either way he dutifully did it.
But of course the one thing that you don’t have, if you have the book, is a copy of each of the songs so you can listen to each one and consider why Bob included that particular song in his selection. So I have tried to make that easier with a short commentary about the song in each case, and (much more importantly) a recording of the song so you don’t have to go searching.
This labour of love is now complete (the list of the songs with links to recordings that exist on the internet – at least at the time I wrote the review) but it left me wondering what Dylan song (or maybe the stretch a point, what two Dylan songs) should be added to the list.
Now I must admit I am not sure about the criteria that Bob used in selecting the songs that he did – if indeed he had a criteria at all (rather than just picking some songs that he really liked).
I guess he did, because his work as a DJ suggests a lot of thought goes into his work (and just to make the point I will put the list of songs that Bob chose for “The Philosophy” series below. Each article has at least one recording of the song within it in case you are not familiar with the piece.)
What I take from the list of songs that Bob gave us in his Philosophy is that several factors could be considered in choosing a song. It could be a set of lyrics about love, but played out in a new way (All in the game), it could be a love song expressing the love as never before (Black Magic Woman), it could be an article of clothing (Blue Suede Shoes), or maybe a reflection on travel to or from a lover (By the time I get…) and so on.
In fact thinking along these lines made me realise just how many different subjects were covered in the songs chosen for the Philosophy. Which then made me think, what subjects has Bob covered in his songs.
Now you might recall that way way back I actually did try and create a classification of the subject matter of Bob’s songs and it got a lot of comments at the time. So I wondered (without actually testing the idea out) if that can be expanded in any way.
Starting with “Songs of Leaving” I offered
1. Songs of my leaving, (which say, that is just how it has to be), for example
- One too many mornings
- It aint me babe
- Don’t think twice – perhaps the classic Dylan “song of leaving”. “Look out your window and I’ll be gone – you’re the reason I’m travelling on”
- Someday Baby is an interesting “I’m gonna leave you” blues song which contains all the essential ingredients of the blues.
- Most likely you go your way. A touch of disdain, but just a touch
And I added the note, “Tambourine Man is a leaving song, but not of leaving a woman, but of leaving this world, rather like the pied piper.”
Subsequently, readers kindly added
Songs of Leaving:
- Farewell;
- Restless Farewell;
- Tomorrow Is a Long Time;
- Wheels of Fire;
- Boots of Spanish Leather
- Farewell Angelina;
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
A question was also raised as to why I included “It ain’t me babe” in this category – which was because it has always struck me that it is about a couple who have got together for a short while but the singer is saying “that was fine for a one night stand but I’m not the guy you want for a permanent relationship”
Since the original article did get quite a bit of attention, I began pondering Bob’s songs of most recent times that are to do with leaving.
And really I have to launch this with “Summer Days” which has one of the most violent leaving lyrics I’ve come across
Well, I’m leaving in the morning as soon as the dark clouds lift Yes, I’m leaving in the morning just as soon as the dark clouds lift Gonna break in the roof—set fire to the place as a parting gift
Bob seemed fascinated by the conept of moving on at this time, for at the heart of Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee is the notion of moving on
Well, they’re going to the country, they’re gonna retire They’re taking a street car named Desire Looking in the window at the pecan pie Lot of things they’d like they would never buy Neither one gonna turn and run They’re making a voyage to the sun “His Master’s voice is calling me,” Says Tweedle-dee Dum to Tweedle-dee Dee
Quite where they are off to in their old age I really am not sure, but possibly they are in old age and ready to pass on. But then again Bob seems less interested in moving on in his more recent songs. Maybe it is a young man’s dream to keep on moving on.