If You See Me Go By, Put Up A Prayer

[carm]

–––
Listening to 'Tempest' – Bob Dylan's 35th studio album…

At times there's such a raspy antiquated growl weaving through Bob Dylan's voice
as it waltzes almost, with the music to a 'tic-toc-tic' beat – like a clock's echo sounding through time…

A few lines from some of his songs…

Tin Angel

Well, they rode all night, and they rode all day
Eastward, long down the broad highway
His spirit was tired and his vision was bent
His men deserted him and onward he went
He came to a place where the light was dull
His forehead pounding in his skull
Heavy heart was racked with pain
Insomnia raging in his brain
Well, he threw down his helmet and his cross-handled sword
He renounced his faith, he denied his lord
Crawled on his belly, put his ear to the wall
One way or another put an end to it all
He leaned down, cut the electric wire
Stared into the flames and he snorted the fire…

. . . . .

Tempest

They waited at the landing
And they tried to understand
But there is no understanding
On the judgment of God's hand

The news came over the wires
And struck with deadly force
Love had lost its fires
All things had run their course…

. . . . .

Long And Wasted Years

I wear dark glasses to cover my eyes
There are secrets in them I can't disguise…

. . . . .

Narrow Way

I heard a voice at the dusk of day
Saying, 'be gentle brother, be gentle and pray.'

. . . . .

Album sampler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbnb7LjwCjA

. . . . .

Just wanted to note also that back in 2008 the Pulitzer Prize jury awarded him a special citation for 'his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power'…

. . . . .

In 1985, Bob Dylan explained the attraction that Folk music had exerted on him:

The thing about rock'n'roll is that for me anyway it wasn't enough ... There were great catch-phrases and driving pulse rhythms ... but the songs weren't serious or didn't reflect life in a realistic way. I knew that when I got into folk music, it was more of a serious type of thing. The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings.

. . . . .

Recently, The American Academy of Arts and Letters, undecided if he should be inducted as a poet or a musician, split the difference and named Bob Dylan as an honorary member. He is the first rock musician ever to be voted into the 'inner circle' of the Academy.

. . . . .

[Jonnie Falafel]

Tempest has a lot of writing to get excited about. I don't understand the muted reaction to it compared to say Modern Times. Dylan's paying much more attention to form, metre, rhyme and narrative on this album. Lovely stuff.

[HelenOE]

Some parts of Tempest are hard chewing. I love Duquesne Whistle and Scarlet Town, and the others certainly grab my attention. I must have been issued the wrong set of ears, though, because I don't hear the line "I pay in blood, but not my own" the same way as ANY of the reviewers do. Go figure.

[carm]

Forgathered into that darkness, his music triggers the body to dance…

From 'Soon After Midnight'

I'm searching for phrases
To sing your praises
I need to tell someone
It's soon after midnight
And my day has just begun…