New Dylan
August 29, 2012 4:24 AM Subscribe
As Dylan's biggest fan, I will definitely get this, but I refuse to think of it as his last album; I am still holding out for a Bob Dylan/Tom Waits collaboration. Perhaps they can call it "Grumbly".
posted by Benny Andajetz at 4:45 AM on August 29, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Benny Andajetz at 4:45 AM on August 29, 2012 [4 favorites]
That video was actually a lot of fun. Was that Michael Rooker with the baseball bats?
posted by Elmore at 4:49 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by Elmore at 4:49 AM on August 29, 2012
My god! he's gone electric!
posted by the noob at 4:50 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by the noob at 4:50 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Judas!
posted by Elmore at 4:52 AM on August 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Elmore at 4:52 AM on August 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
And he sounds like Louis Armstrong - but not enough.
posted by three blind mice at 4:54 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by three blind mice at 4:54 AM on August 29, 2012
Catchy song, wickedly funny video.
posted by Optamystic at 4:55 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by Optamystic at 4:55 AM on August 29, 2012
That video was actually a lot of fun.
I guess. But Bob Dylan wrote and recorded an old-fashioned song about longing and distance and trains. Some guy named Nash Edgerton made a video about a guy who does stupid stalkerish things to a girl and gets himself seriously fucked up along the way. Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
posted by pracowity at 5:10 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
I guess. But Bob Dylan wrote and recorded an old-fashioned song about longing and distance and trains. Some guy named Nash Edgerton made a video about a guy who does stupid stalkerish things to a girl and gets himself seriously fucked up along the way. Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
posted by pracowity at 5:10 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Darn, can't listen at work, like the name of the song though.
posted by octothorpe at 5:14 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by octothorpe at 5:14 AM on August 29, 2012
Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
Almost certainly the latter.
posted by Optamystic at 5:16 AM on August 29, 2012
Almost certainly the latter.
posted by Optamystic at 5:16 AM on August 29, 2012
I guess.
Well Dylan does have a healthy sense of humour, so while the song is it's own thing, I think he enjoyed making the video and it is what it is.
Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
He literally strolled over the stupid-stalker-guy. C'mon.
posted by Elmore at 5:18 AM on August 29, 2012
Well Dylan does have a healthy sense of humour, so while the song is it's own thing, I think he enjoyed making the video and it is what it is.
Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
He literally strolled over the stupid-stalker-guy. C'mon.
posted by Elmore at 5:18 AM on August 29, 2012
Great to see that Dylan is continuing his decades-old tradition of borrowing key lines from old songs from the American folk heritage. This time, it's that Duquesne Whistle "blowing like my woman's on board". That's from this.
And though I thought it was a nice touch and all, having Dylan and his motley entourage step around the battered young man on the sidewalk there at the end, I think I'd have preferred that this clip consist only of Dylan and his motley entourage walking around the city, maybe stopping to buy a newspaper or a slice of pizza here and there.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:32 AM on August 29, 2012
And though I thought it was a nice touch and all, having Dylan and his motley entourage step around the battered young man on the sidewalk there at the end, I think I'd have preferred that this clip consist only of Dylan and his motley entourage walking around the city, maybe stopping to buy a newspaper or a slice of pizza here and there.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:32 AM on August 29, 2012
That was a pleasant surprise. The very first album I bought as a kid was Dylan, and in many ways it's been a sad journey. However, this was fun, he's also figured out how to use what has become of his voice in a way that doesn't make me cringe every time I hear him.
The video, fun stuff, but I think you've got to either watch the video or listen to the lyrics, can't do both at the same time.
posted by HuronBob at 5:36 AM on August 29, 2012
The video, fun stuff, but I think you've got to either watch the video or listen to the lyrics, can't do both at the same time.
posted by HuronBob at 5:36 AM on August 29, 2012
That was the whole point of the joke. They set it up like a sidewalk encounter with The Singer was going to rescue the boy from his misfortune (much like in about thirty percent of videos every made). To have Dylan just step over the kid's broken body is hilarious. (To me, anyway).
posted by Optamystic at 5:37 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Optamystic at 5:37 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Great to see that Dylan is continuing his decades-old tradition of borrowing key lines from old songs from the American folk heritage.
Co-written with Robert Hunter who has a long tradition of doing that too.
posted by octothorpe at 5:40 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Co-written with Robert Hunter who has a long tradition of doing that too.
posted by octothorpe at 5:40 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
And not just American Folk Heritage. Restless Farewell is pretty much The Parting Glass. And when he played Belfast last century he did a great version of Roving Blade.
posted by Elmore at 5:48 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Elmore at 5:48 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Is it just me or has something happened to Dylan's face? Surgery? Botox?
posted by beniamino at 5:59 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by beniamino at 5:59 AM on August 29, 2012
Is it just me or has something happened to Dylan's face? Surgery? Botox?
He shaved.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:09 AM on August 29, 2012 [6 favorites]
He shaved.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:09 AM on August 29, 2012 [6 favorites]
I think I'd have preferred that this clip consist only of Dylan and his motley entourage walking around the city
Yeah, but it would have failed as a marketing tool, which is what most music videos are mainly all about. They want to hold you in place long enough for the music to sink in, and they aren't going to get a lot of under-60 people to sit still for a Dylan video featuring Dylan being Dylan, not compared to the number who will sit still for a stuntman directing a pair of attractive young actors through what looks like a possible romance or a possible dangerous-sexy stalker story with a little comedy and a lot of bloody violence thrown in. They covered all the bases for keeping eyes glued to the screen.
posted by pracowity at 6:09 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, but it would have failed as a marketing tool, which is what most music videos are mainly all about. They want to hold you in place long enough for the music to sink in, and they aren't going to get a lot of under-60 people to sit still for a Dylan video featuring Dylan being Dylan, not compared to the number who will sit still for a stuntman directing a pair of attractive young actors through what looks like a possible romance or a possible dangerous-sexy stalker story with a little comedy and a lot of bloody violence thrown in. They covered all the bases for keeping eyes glued to the screen.
posted by pracowity at 6:09 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
They covered all the bases for keeping eyes glued to the screen.
Yeah. Not *all* the bases, though. This 55-year-old's eyes (under 60!) would've been far more glued had the video featured only Dylan and that crew he was with! And fogies like us are far likelier to actually buy Dylan's new record! Like, with actual money and stuff.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:19 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah. Not *all* the bases, though. This 55-year-old's eyes (under 60!) would've been far more glued had the video featured only Dylan and that crew he was with! And fogies like us are far likelier to actually buy Dylan's new record! Like, with actual money and stuff.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:19 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, but it would have failed as a marketing tool,
You think Dylan needs to be marketed? Surely, as far as the selling of Dylan is concerned at this stage he's pretty bankable. He's not going to take from Rhianna or Justin Beiber, but he's a pretty safe fucking bet and a stupid jokey video isn't going to suddenly shift a whole lot of consumers to a multi-million dollar commodity that is already successful and announced at every gig as "Columbia recording artist...". I wish I could find an image of it, but I recall a pamphlet from the 60s telling retailers how to promote Dylan to teenagers (I came across it in a book, I wasn't born in the 60s). It's as relevant to his artistic and songwriting skills as this silly fun stupid video is, it's not something worth getting worked up over.
posted by Elmore at 6:30 AM on August 29, 2012
You think Dylan needs to be marketed? Surely, as far as the selling of Dylan is concerned at this stage he's pretty bankable. He's not going to take from Rhianna or Justin Beiber, but he's a pretty safe fucking bet and a stupid jokey video isn't going to suddenly shift a whole lot of consumers to a multi-million dollar commodity that is already successful and announced at every gig as "Columbia recording artist...". I wish I could find an image of it, but I recall a pamphlet from the 60s telling retailers how to promote Dylan to teenagers (I came across it in a book, I wasn't born in the 60s). It's as relevant to his artistic and songwriting skills as this silly fun stupid video is, it's not something worth getting worked up over.
posted by Elmore at 6:30 AM on August 29, 2012
He shaved.
He quit smoking and oh me oh my he loves that Country Pie.
posted by Elmore at 6:37 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
He quit smoking and oh me oh my he loves that Country Pie.
posted by Elmore at 6:37 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
it's not something worth getting worked up over.
Haven't seen anyone getting worked up over it yet...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:41 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Haven't seen anyone getting worked up over it yet...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:41 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Did Dylan write the script or did he just stroll through the set?
I'm reading Suze Rotolo's memoirs right now, and I'm really struck by how image-conscious Bob was at the start of his career. He didn't have any love for the publicity machine, and treated it with disdain (which only increased later), but was keenly aware of how he wanted to project himself in the world.
My guess is that that hasn't changed much over the years. Out-and-out derision of the machine may have turned into crafted indifference to it, but his awareness and participation in it remains highly important to him.
What we can infer from all of that, as a reflection on him and his art, I have no idea.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:54 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm reading Suze Rotolo's memoirs right now, and I'm really struck by how image-conscious Bob was at the start of his career. He didn't have any love for the publicity machine, and treated it with disdain (which only increased later), but was keenly aware of how he wanted to project himself in the world.
My guess is that that hasn't changed much over the years. Out-and-out derision of the machine may have turned into crafted indifference to it, but his awareness and participation in it remains highly important to him.
What we can infer from all of that, as a reflection on him and his art, I have no idea.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:54 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
How tall is Dylan? Whenever I have seen him live he seems really small, but in the video he seems average.
posted by Major Tom at 7:16 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by Major Tom at 7:16 AM on August 29, 2012
Some guy named Nash Edgerton made a video
Nash Edgerton directed a film called The Square, which was pretty good.
posted by anazgnos at 7:28 AM on August 29, 2012
Nash Edgerton directed a film called The Square, which was pretty good.
posted by anazgnos at 7:28 AM on August 29, 2012
Like latter-days Lou Reed, my most enduring thought of this song was "Terrific session musicians, excellent roomy recording technique." Otherwise Dylan is Dylan and you're either in or out at this point. Video was cute but watching Bob Dylan's expression was all I wanted to do.
posted by mykescipark at 7:54 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by mykescipark at 7:54 AM on August 29, 2012
My favorite Dylan story took place a few summers ago. Dylan was touring and had a stop in Asbury Park, NJ. He was playing at the Convention Center with some other artists. He decided to take a stroll the night before his show. He was just wandering around in the rain through some shady neighborhoods when a young female cop stopped him and asked for ID. I guess he looked a bit suspicious wandering around in the pouring rain. He didn’t have any ID and she didn’t believe him that he was Bob Dylan so she brought him into the station. As soon as she brought him in he was recognized by other officers and from what I hear he was very kind and patient during the whole incident.
posted by brinkzilla at 8:48 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by brinkzilla at 8:48 AM on August 29, 2012
>My favorite Dylan story took place a few summers ago. ...
And in fact, that incident was discussed here on the Blue.
Personally, I thought it was a nice song and amusing video, and I'm always glad to see him and Hunter collaborating. Hopefully, there's more in this vein.
posted by mosk at 9:07 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
And in fact, that incident was discussed here on the Blue.
Personally, I thought it was a nice song and amusing video, and I'm always glad to see him and Hunter collaborating. Hopefully, there's more in this vein.
posted by mosk at 9:07 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
This is not your father's (grandfather's?) Bob Dylan, but compared to what's become of contemporaries like Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart, Bob's still doing it right.
posted by rocket88 at 9:15 AM on August 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by rocket88 at 9:15 AM on August 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
compared to what's become of contemporaries like Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart, Bob's still doing it right.
I don't much care for what McCartney's been doing in the post-Beatles decades, but you have to give him credit for keeping on trying new things (the oratorio, the ballet score etc.). And Rod Stewart seems to me to have just swapped one kind of cheesiness ("Do You Think I'm Sexy" is hardly a great pinnacle from which to descend) for another. The ones who really depress me are the Stones, collectively (well, maybe exempt Charlie Watts who gets on with his jazz work happily enough). You'd have thought that they could have done some really interesting excavation of their R&B roots or something. But no...just endlessly churning out the same tediously rehashed arena rock. Very sad.
posted by yoink at 9:29 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't much care for what McCartney's been doing in the post-Beatles decades, but you have to give him credit for keeping on trying new things (the oratorio, the ballet score etc.). And Rod Stewart seems to me to have just swapped one kind of cheesiness ("Do You Think I'm Sexy" is hardly a great pinnacle from which to descend) for another. The ones who really depress me are the Stones, collectively (well, maybe exempt Charlie Watts who gets on with his jazz work happily enough). You'd have thought that they could have done some really interesting excavation of their R&B roots or something. But no...just endlessly churning out the same tediously rehashed arena rock. Very sad.
posted by yoink at 9:29 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
My favorite Bob Dylan story is this: When I was in college he was going to be playing at the fancy performing arts center in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. The ads in the paper touted it as his first ever performance in Nebraska.
I guess they conveniently forgot when I was in high school and he played a show at the state fairgrounds to a mostly empty house.
Even Dylan had his slumps.
posted by etc. at 9:59 AM on August 29, 2012
I guess they conveniently forgot when I was in high school and he played a show at the state fairgrounds to a mostly empty house.
Even Dylan had his slumps.
posted by etc. at 9:59 AM on August 29, 2012
Rod Stewart loves model trains. He loves them. He was on the cover of the major model railroading hobbyist magazine, and he said it was a bigger deal to him than any Rolling Stone cover ever was.
Rod Stewart is ten thousand times the dude Bob Dylan is. I'm tremendously strong and I can whup any of you who want to cast aspersions.
posted by samofidelis at 10:00 AM on August 29, 2012
Rod Stewart is ten thousand times the dude Bob Dylan is. I'm tremendously strong and I can whup any of you who want to cast aspersions.
posted by samofidelis at 10:00 AM on August 29, 2012
If you think "Do You Think I'm Sexy" is Rod Stewart's pinnacle, I just can't help you.
posted by saul wright at 10:24 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by saul wright at 10:24 AM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
My favorite Dylan story took place a few summers ago...
Not my favorite dylan story but one that has gone through my head of late: I recall reading somewhere that the backstage riders to his performance contracts require that all concert employees turn and face the wall when he passes them in a corridor. I can't decide which is worse in that situation-- to be in attendance to him or to be him.
posted by y2karl at 10:26 AM on August 29, 2012
Not my favorite dylan story but one that has gone through my head of late: I recall reading somewhere that the backstage riders to his performance contracts require that all concert employees turn and face the wall when he passes them in a corridor. I can't decide which is worse in that situation-- to be in attendance to him or to be him.
posted by y2karl at 10:26 AM on August 29, 2012
Rod Stewart loves model trains
As do Neil Young & Julian Cope. Neil so much so that he bought a model railway company in order to develop a train that carried a synthesiser chip that could accurately reproduce vintage train noises...
posted by anagrama at 10:31 AM on August 29, 2012
As do Neil Young & Julian Cope. Neil so much so that he bought a model railway company in order to develop a train that carried a synthesiser chip that could accurately reproduce vintage train noises...
posted by anagrama at 10:31 AM on August 29, 2012
If you think "Do You Think I'm Sexy" is Rod Stewart's pinnacle, I just can't help you.
Well, fair enough, I was being mean. His work with Faces is good--but he was hardly the driving creative force there. He had a terrific instrument, but clearly never had all that much of a vision about what to do with it. It's not as if "Do You think I'm Sexy" is some bizarre left-turn in what had, up until that point, been a uniformly brilliant career. "I don't want to talk about it"? "You're in my heart"? Rod Stewart in his hit-making prime was often a pretty good reason to get up and turn off the radio.
posted by yoink at 10:33 AM on August 29, 2012
Well, fair enough, I was being mean. His work with Faces is good--but he was hardly the driving creative force there. He had a terrific instrument, but clearly never had all that much of a vision about what to do with it. It's not as if "Do You think I'm Sexy" is some bizarre left-turn in what had, up until that point, been a uniformly brilliant career. "I don't want to talk about it"? "You're in my heart"? Rod Stewart in his hit-making prime was often a pretty good reason to get up and turn off the radio.
posted by yoink at 10:33 AM on August 29, 2012
As do Neil Young & Julian Cope.
My understanding is Neil Young's son, from his marriage to Carrie Snodgrass, if I recall correctly, has cerebral palsy and that his playing with electric trains with Young was a big part of his childhood. And I believe that Lionel Trains was the company he bought, either outright or in large part.
posted by y2karl at 10:40 AM on August 29, 2012
My understanding is Neil Young's son, from his marriage to Carrie Snodgrass, if I recall correctly, has cerebral palsy and that his playing with electric trains with Young was a big part of his childhood. And I believe that Lionel Trains was the company he bought, either outright or in large part.
posted by y2karl at 10:40 AM on August 29, 2012
Rod Stewart's work with Faces and his first 4 solo albums are all uniformly brilliant. Beyond that, I agree it ain't pretty.
posted by saul wright at 10:43 AM on August 29, 2012
posted by saul wright at 10:43 AM on August 29, 2012
Rod Stewart in his hit-making prime was often a pretty good reason to get up and turn off the radio.
CAN YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF MY KNUCKLES CRACKING ALSO I AM POUNDING ONE FIST INTO THE PALM OF THE OTHER HAND IN THE MANNER OF TOUGH GUYS
posted by samofidelis at 11:04 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
CAN YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF MY KNUCKLES CRACKING ALSO I AM POUNDING ONE FIST INTO THE PALM OF THE OTHER HAND IN THE MANNER OF TOUGH GUYS
posted by samofidelis at 11:04 AM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Charming song in Bob's "affable old bluesman" oeuvre, hilarious (and oh-so cathartic) video. I'd like it to be required viewing in high schools as part of a course titled Women on the Street: They Don't Think Your Bullshit Is Cute, So Just Stop It Before Someone Fucks You Up.
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:24 PM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:24 PM on August 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
And excuse me, but have I suddenly wandered into a bizarro world thread where Every Picture Tells a Story doesn't exist? I mean, what the fuck?
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:26 PM on August 29, 2012
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:26 PM on August 29, 2012
Just got a chance to listen, not groundbreaking or anything but a nice tune by Bob.
posted by octothorpe at 5:42 PM on August 29, 2012
posted by octothorpe at 5:42 PM on August 29, 2012
Funny, funny video. Just got the new album today. Not quite as satisfying as "Love and Theft" or Time Out of Mind, but I still like it a lot.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:36 PM on September 12, 2012
posted by KokuRyu at 8:36 PM on September 12, 2012
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