Longford Leader columnist Mattie Fox: Bob Dylan’s ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’ is a real masterpiece
Bob Dylan became the only songwriter ever to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. Some were aghast, others understood.
Dylan has, since starting out, been an incredibly prolific, unique songwriter. From his early days in the village in lower New York, his first record was minor, but the second hit the spot.
That was 37 albums ago.
He’s just released, at 79 years of age, a veritable masterpiece.
Rough and Rowdy Ways is the title.
This is an album that received some mention already, though I’m not sure why so much was made of him mentioning Ballinalee in the opening song. Maybe it was Bob’s peculiar pronunciation....
In fact the official lyrics never mention Ballinalee, they refer to Balian Bali, Indonesia. Balian means “sacred”.
Dylan is noted for his mischievousness; he must be amused by the controversy about his pronunciation. That said, Ballinalee could do with some notoriety......we don’t care where it comes from!
Some perceived relationship with Bob Dylan might do some good!
The album being called a masterpiece is a big statement, but of all the Bob Dylan releases that happened over the many years of his craft, this, to me at least, is a real masterpiece.
Some Irish writers have considered it “disappointing” but this baffles me.....
In newspapers all over the world, where the best writers are inevitably found - The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Telegraph, and the Guardian - were all raving about this album.
Dylan’s writing is so carefully composed that it doesn’t always sound like something belonging in a song, but it conveys the story, as though a picture.
Christy Moore was recently telling me that he went to see Arlo Guthrie one night in Whelan’s.
Guthrie said songwriting was like fishing with Bob Dylan....he feels like shouting “Hey Bob, throw some of the small ones back in”!
That’s the thing about Dylan, he reaches far beyond normal.
This album is eight years gestating. The last Dylan release was Tempest, in 2012, another breathtaking offering.
For me, Rough and Rowdy Ways is something way beyond.
Every single song is special. “I Contain Multitudes” has the line
“I sleep with life and death, in the same bed”. Then we have “Mother of Muses”, “My Own Version of You”, “Goodbye Jimmy Reed”.....every song jostling for tag of “best”.
I don’t intend to spoil it, but I will quote one verse of the last song, “Murder Most Foul”…..
“Twas a dark day in Dallas, November '63
A day that will live on in infamy
President Kennedy was a-ridin' high
Good day to be livin' and a good day to die
Being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb
He said, "Wait a minute, boys, you know who I am?"
"Of course we do, we know who you are"
Then they blew off his head while he was still in the car
Shot down like a dog in broad daylight
Was a matter of timing and the timing was right
You gotta pay debts, we've come to collect
We're gonna kill you with hatred, without any respect
We'll mock you and shock you and we'll put it in your face
We've already got someone here to take your place”