From: witchel@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Emmett Jethro Witchel)
Subject: Re: Irritating Songs
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
	<WITCHEL.92Sep1144124@Xenon.Stanford.EDU> <1992Sep2.131902.25916@riacs.edu>
Date: 3 Sep 92 12:41:50


	In the lively spirit of this thread, I feel compelled to respond.
I do want to say that thankfully, the task of finding REALLY annoying
Dylan tunes is difficult.  I don't care for many of Bob's songs, but I
see some merit on most of them.

John> <1. The Man In Me

John> 	Not sure what would be irritating about it. I think this is
John> 	one of the better songs off of one of his weaker albums.

	While I grant that "Three Angels" is probably a more perceptive
choice from New Morning, I listened to The Man in Me last night and I
feel I can stand behind this one.  The opening "La la la" stuff is
pretty revolting.  I am the first to claim that while Dylan is not a
good vocalist, he is a GREAT singer.  His lopsided and idiosyncratic
phrasing often perfectly captures a mood.  This comes across quite
clearly when _very_ amateur musicians cover certain Bob tunes.  I once
witnessed a late night (drunken) version of Tangled Up in Blue where
the line, "We'll meet again some day, on the avenue" was twisted by
the participants in their exuberance to capture Bob's unique
expression.

	I would note that I was also a bit embarrassed by the "La la
la"ing present on the Pat Garret sound track, though in that mostly
instrumental setting I can excuse it a bit more easily.  Finally, the
"whoa oa oa ao" on Jokerman really did give me pause until I heard the
song enough that I could just accept it.

	"It takes a woman like You to get Through to the man in me."

	Granted, it has that nice internal rhyme, characteristic of Dylan,
but could it be a more clumsy expression of a more hackneyed feeling?

	I like the line about him not wanting to turn into some machine
though (I admit with reluctance).

John> <2. Romance In Durango (though certain live versions are pretty nice)

John> 	The original studio version is one of the most sublime
John> 	recordings he's ever done! Just the opposite, I think his
John> 	live versions are annoying.

	OK OK, this was my error.  I get many of those Desire tunes
confused.  I meant to say Mosambique.  I listened to it last night and
while I can dig the music during the verses I think the words (verse
and bridge) are pretty bad, and the bridge music is awful
("whispering a secret emotion, magic in a magical land"  Touch trite no?)

	I find Desire an interesting album in that (excepting the first
two wonderful tracks which form an album unto themselves (and perhaps
including One More Cup...)) while there is nothing I can really pin
down as awful, I am not motivated to listen to it that much.  Usually
there is something quite specific in Bob albums that discourage a
listen.  I might not be in the mood for the sparse arraingement of
Freewheelin, or the morose tone of "Times They...".  Both of which are
great albums, its just that when I don't want to listen to them I
usually know why.  The overproduction of Empire Burlesque also jumps
to mind.

	Anyway I see Desire a repository for marginal tunes that would
gain considerable luster if they were on a stronger album.

John> <3. Covenant Woman  (I dare anyone to defend it)

John> 	I won't take the dare, but it's definitely the weakest song on
John> 	_Saved_. Still, it's sung with conviction.

	Someone in this thread defended it.
	"Shining like a morning star."
	Shocked.

John> <4. Under a Red Sky ("one day the little boy and the little girl
John> got baked in a pie?"  Bob, Bob, what are you thinking?)

John> 	Another great song. To be irritating, I think a song has to be
John> 	repetitious to the point of wishing it would just be over now.
John> 	"Under the Red Sky" is too short and too melodic for this.

	I grant that most of the music on Under the Red Sky  benefits both
from talented players and tasteful production to the point that it is
rarely offensive, and even pretty solid (if unoriginal).  Still, this
songs BUGS me unlike most others.  

	If repetition were the sole criterion, I would think, "Desolation
Row" (somewhat of a consensus great in this group) or "Its Alright
Ma", or several other of his acoustic anthems (the one chord "Masters
of War" springs to mind) would qualify.

	If lyrical repetition were the key, then certainly Wiggle Wiggle
would have to be up there, and as you, John, seem to habitually defend
the UTRS album, I would think you would take exception.

	My only criteria are songs that annoy me.  Vague, but hey I'm a
vague guy.

	Also the songs on Dylan and Self Portrait are definitely easy
targets.  I think songs written by Bob is what is really under
discussion.

John> But everyone to his own opinion! I certainly don't take any
John> offense if someone dislikes a favorite of mine. This is all in
John> fun.

	Verbal Veracity

APROPOS NOTHING: 

	I think most people who really resonate with Dylan lyrics would
enjoy the album, "Songs of Leonard Cohon" by (you guessed it) Leonard
Cohon.  The first track, "Susanne" is in the Norton Anthology of
Poetry as "Susanne Takes You Down".  The album is chock full of really
great songs.  Great lyrics, but also in a genuinely palatable musical
setting.

	I do admit that upon realizing that the Norton Anthology did allow
this song writer in, I was PUZZLED at their reticence at including
such Bob greats as Its Alrgiht Ma, Gates of Eden, and Desolation Row
(after all TS Eliot's, "The Wasteland" made it in).

eMMeTt
Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan