Bob Dylan

[justsoyouknow 0]

Here's an argument that I have with my friend constantly...he states that Bob Dylan is not as influential as everyone claims, wrote horrible poetry that he put to horrible music, was a horrible vocalist, and ultimately offerred nothing to the world of music.

 

I argue against him, bringing up the fact that Blonde on Blonde is a necessity for every music collection, as well as citing the changeover from acoustic to electric, and I spout some random gibberish about Blood on the Tracks.

 

But still, he denies that Dylan did anything worth noting, saying that he may have been good in the world of folk, but when you look at music in general, he's worthless.

 

So, I'm asking you, the Smusic (smart music) board, what are your thoughts on Bob Dylan? How was he influential to music? Favorite albums?

[1234-5678 0]

I've never really gotten into him, with a few exceptions, but to say Dylan isn't influential is just ridiculous. A bad vocalist? Possibly. A bad songwriter/poet? No way in hell.

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

Nonsense. A straight-out example to use against your friend would be to point out how Bob Dylan directly influenced the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Clubs Band," which in turn influenced pretty much everything. I believe that some of Dylan's work also influenced Bowie a whole lot, who REALLY influenced everyone, whether they know it or not.

[k thx 0]

How the hell did Sergent Pepper influence everyone? If anything, it was Revolver that influenced the most out of the Beatles albums. And Dylan's influence on Pepper was far less than other forms of music and drugs.

 

As for Dylan, he's more of an icon than an influence, at least in the long term.. He's the gateway for many into that style of music because he's so famous, and has had his songs covered so many times that he can claim to be linked with most bands, but most musicians would probably name more underground artists as being an influence.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Whenever I think of Dylan, the first thing that comes to mind is Overrated.

[justsoyouknow 0]

Whenever I think of Dylan, the first thing that comes to mind is Overrated.

Elaborate, please.

[k thx 0]

Personally, I think Dylan is pretty overated. He's touted as the best singer-songwriter of all time, but in my view he just plain isn't. Granted, he had a pretty long purple patch, but he isn't the God people describe him as.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

I frequently hear people say that "Dylan has a great voice and is a great singer" and when I call them out on this, the response is usually "it works for the music". Then I ask why they don't hold up the same standard for Ozzy Osbourne or Brian Johnson and say they are also great singers, and that's when the argument usually ends because they can't think of a comeback.

[godthedog 0]

dylan got the beatles to start smoking pot. this was the single most influential act of any musician of the 20th century.

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

dylan got the beatles to start smoking pot. this was the single most influential act of any musician of the 20th century.

The funny thing is, is that that's pretty much 100% true.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Yeah, I don't love him, but I do like him and his best albums very much. And I think you'd be hard-pressed to argue many more important solo artists in the history of rock music. You can be lame and say something like Chuck Berry for being one of the first, or you could probably make a decent argument for Hendrix or Elvis (though Elvis' legacy is filled with so much crap that I think it dilutes a lot of his power), but I'd be stuck on much else.

[1234-5678 0]

Hearing about Dylan perform in concert is one of the main things that inspired Jim Morrison to get involved in music.

[Guest Choken One]

I never really enjoyed his music as his voice was always annoying for me, He was a good lyricist but there are ALOT of good poetry out there as it was anyways.

 

Influential? Yeah. No question.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

I honestly think its more about the age of the person, and how much "knowledge" of music, pop culture and social history they have.

 

If someone does know/care about how an artist tranceends their output (the songs/albums/whatever else they've done) then all they see is just their body of work.

 

I wouldn't knock anyone for saying Dylan is overrated, hell I think Elvis is the most overrated artist of all time (topic for another day) but no one can deny that Elvis wasn't one of, if not THE most influential aritist to ever grace a stage. But to someone who just hears the music and just doesn't like it or is neutral about it (whatever degree you want to use) and doesn't know (or care) what Elvis Presley did for rock, country, r&b, pop culture as a whole, ect then they'd be all "What was the fuss about this guy?"

 

Steve

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Dylan's influence is felt more in spirit than in any specific thing. As far as music from the 60s goes, the Beatles and the Velvet Underground were, far and away, the most influential bands.

[Art Sandusky 0]

How about the Beach Boys?

[Anorak 0]

There's loads of modern songwriters who want to be Brian Wilson. He's probably the most openly influential artist in terms of how so many bands strive so directly (even including BB references in lyrics/song titles in quite a few examples) for his combination of melodies and vision. Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are regularly cited as major influences by songwriters who have so often deliberately set out to expand/make their own version of Wilson's music its almost become a new sub-genre in rock music.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

Hendrix and The Velvet Underground were influenced by Bob Dylan if that counts for anything. Velvet Underground, Lou Reed in particular were obviously influenced by alot more than Dylan's "spirit", since you can hear alot of Dylan in Reed. Dylan also has had a ton of songs covered by everyone from Johnny Thunders to Guns N Roses, which in most cases, means the bands were at least fans of the original versions, and somewhat influenced by them.

Edited December 19, 2003 by Coffin Surfer

[Guest krazykat72]

Dylan's influence is incredibly far reaching.

 

Without, Bob Dylan, people like Bruce Springsteen, The Byrds, Tom Petty, The Doors, many of the 70's "singer-songwriters", and others wouldn't have the careers they did. He was very influential to the Beatles as well (specifically George Harrison). People can debate all day on whether or not they enjoy his voice (I do, in fact, him and Billy Corgan are 2 of my favorites), but as far as his influence, range and songwriting abilities, they are almost unparalleled by anyone. Consider that he wrote 'Blowin' in the Wind at 21 or 22, and was still cranking out really good stuff just a year or two ago on his 'Love and Theft' album and his longevity is striking too. The man is a true icon, who no doubt has his flaws, but will forever go down as one of the most influential and inmortant artists in modern music history.

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Vern Gagne 0]

dylan got the beatles to start smoking pot. this was the single most influential act of any musician of the 20th century.

I'm in the minority, but I prefer the Ed Sullivan Beatles, to the Sgt. Pepper Beatles.

[godthedog 0]

dylan got the beatles to start smoking pot.  this was the single most influential act of any musician of the 20th century.

I'm in the minority, but I prefer the Ed Sullivan Beatles, to the Sgt. Pepper Beatles.

...

 

wow.

[Guest Brian]

Jimi Hendrix should be much of Dylan's legacy. As his father tells it, Jimi heard Dylan one day and realized he could sing, that you didn't need to be a great vocalist, and pushed himself in that direction. Jimi recognized that not everything had to be put in a perfect rhyme or rhythm and worked songs out the other way around: pushing the guitar to the forefront. That's Dylan's influence on Hendrix in a nutshell.

[Vern Gagne 0]

dylan got the beatles to start smoking pot.  this was the single most influential act of any musician of the 20th century.

I'm in the minority, but I prefer the Ed Sullivan Beatles, to the Sgt. Pepper Beatles.

...

 

wow.

Sorry, but I never got into the psychodelic hippy music.

[Guest Smues]

Bob Dillion wrote Mr. Tambourine Man. Bob let the Bryds cover it. William Shatner latered covered it. If Not for Bob Dillion I would be deprived of one of the great pleasures of life, listening to William Shatner stumble through Mr. Tambourine man. Bob Dillion is NOT overrated.

[Guest Brian]

Why did the Byrds need to cover so many Dylan songs?

[Guest goodhelmet]

Personally, I think Dylan is pretty overated. He's touted as the best singer-songwriter of all time, but in my view he just plain isn't. Granted, he had a pretty long purple patch, but he isn't the God people describe him as.

I have never heard anyone EVER call Dylan one of the greatest singers of all-time...EVER.

 

As for his songwriting abilities, his use of the English language is about as close to poetry set to music you will get in the last 50 years.

 

Add to the fact that he was protesting the Vietnam War long before any other popular artist.

 

Also add that he did not directly affect Sgt. Pepper. He directly affected the Beatles during the recording of Help! and Rubber Soul. Brian Wilson was so affected by Rubber Soul, and to a lesser extent Revolver, that he created Pet Sounds, which in turn, influenced Sgt. Pepper.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I'm in the minority, but I prefer the Ed Sullivan Beatles, to the Sgt. Pepper Beatles.

And to be honest, there is nothing wrong with that. Some of those early songs from Please, Please Me and Hard Days Night are some of the best pop songs ever constructed.

 

Just know that the psychedelic-era Beatles lasted all of two albums (Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, and to a lesser extent the Yellow Submarine soundtrack) before they went back to their "roots" so to speak.

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

Also add that he did not directly affect Sgt. Pepper. He directly affected the Beatles during the recording of Help! and Rubber Soul. Brian Wilson was so affected by Rubber Soul, and to a lesser extent Revolver, that he created Pet Sounds, which in turn, influenced Sgt. Pepper.

*ahem* Excuse me if I'm being rude but... did you just rip that directly from the Rolling Stones' Top 500 Albums Of All Time issue, or what? That's pretty much what it says word for word.

[Anorak 0]

Why did the Byrds need to cover so many Dylan songs?

The Byrds covered a lot of Dylan on their first few albums but avoided them completely soon after. I suppose they chose Dylan covers because he was just as respected and influential in the mid 60's. The fact that bands own sound didn't imitate Dylan directly meant that they made the songs their own (especially in the case of something like Mr Tambourine Man) and made them sound different to a Dylan version.

[snuffbox 0]

of course Dylan wasnt influential...just dont tell James Taylor, John Lennon, Neil Young, David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Beastie Boys, Jeff Buckley, Paul Mccartney, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Corgan, Rage Against the Machine, Stephen Stills, Gram Parsons, Harry Chapin, Don Mclean, Graham Nash, Beck, Axl Rose, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, America, Bread, or Bruce Springsteen.

 

fucking stupid question.