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Course Title: Music 501, Introduction to Bob Dylan
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 4
Introduction to Bob Dylan 501 is a course designed to introduce the
student to Bob Dylan through the reading of Mr. Dylan's lyrics, his own words
in book form, and what others have written. This class is not intended as a deep study
of Bob Dylan's influences in contemporary music and poetry. See Music 1101, Influences
on Rock and Roll, Bob Dylan; for a more indepth study.
Chosen reading material includes "Lyrics: 1962-2001" by Bob Dylan; "Chronicles, Vol.1"
by Bob Dylan; "A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks"
by Andy Gill; and "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan", by Howard Sounes.
"Lyrics: 1962-2001" is an update to an earlier collection of Dylan lyrics, all songs
in Dylan's collection are included within the 560 pages. Obscure tracks like "Million
Dollar Bash" and the classic "Quinn, The Eskimo" can be found in this 2004 update.
In 2004, the famously obscure Bob Dylan treated his fans to an autobiography, of sorts.
Within the 304 pages, Mr. Dylan waxes eloquently, and sometimes not so eloquently,
on his early days in New York, his readings(a lot), his motorcyle trip through Louisiana,
and his stay in Woodstock. Dylan is quoted as claiming this book was the hardest thing
he ever wrote, fortunately for us, he has promised two more!
By 1974 Bob Dylan's marriage had fallen apart. Out of that train wreck emerged perhaps
the greatest of Bob Dylan's records, "Blood on the Tracks." Songs from this Album
include the historic "Tangled Up In Blue," the glorious "Idiot Wind," and of course,
"Simple Twist of Fate." Andy Gill does a tremendous job getting the behind the scenes
story of this most personal of recordings.
Many books have been written on Bob Dylan, even doctorate dissertations. Howard Sounes
in neither the largest and most indepth account of Bob Dylan's life, nor is it the
skimpiest. But it is recent, and it is jam-packed with new information and the author
is said to have interviewed more than 250 people researching Dylan's life. We learn
of the identity of the woman on the cover of "Bringing It All Back Home" and who is
the most boot-legged artist in music history. The decade long struggle with Bob's
business manager, the love interests, and love child(s)? A terrific read, a terrific
starting point for the serious student of Bob Dylan, or for that person just wanting
to learn more and and then move on.
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