...just some random thoughts, ... (-- gossip ...)
The Stone's "19th Nervous Breakdown"
and Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" were about Edie Sedgwick.
(That is to say, I have read this enough different times enough
different places that it must be true.)
And it's also almost certainly true that many of the songs
on "Blond On Blond" were more or less about Edie.
(Except obviously not "Sad Eyed Lady of The Low Lands",
(although it was once said to be) - because Dylan on "Sara"
on "Desire" says explicitly that he was
"Stayin' up for days in the Chelsea Hotel,
Writin' "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" for you." - ie, -Sara.)
And I don't know, but I don't think there's any doubt that the title itself
---Blond on Blond --- meant Nico and Edie.
(Sara of course wasn't blond.)
And then there's that curiously titled song,
"One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" on Blond On Blond,
- which obviously inspired Cohen's title: "One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong,"
- (which song, maybe, has to do with Edie and|or Nico, too)
Dylan had a relationship with Edie. I think it was basically a kindred-spirit
brother-sister kind of thing. She is described in many places, and I just
want to point out that she was a talented artist (--she could draw
a very realistic looking squirrel, for example,) and she was small and frail.
As a matter of fact she was approximately exactly the same physique
as Bob Dylan himself at the time. So I think they were basically good buddies.
Nico was different. Tall and cold.
And Sara was warm and earthy. And Dylan married Sara.
(Which would have been my choice too.)
After just seeing still photographs of Edie or Nico
people have said that they just don't get it. But from what I've
read and seen of them on film here and there,
they were both very intriguing, high-quality dames.
(Apart from being totally fucked-up, of course.)
The song "4th Time Around" on Blond On Blond
starts out with:
"When she said,
'Don't waste your words, they're just lies,'
I cried, she was deaf. "
- and that might have meant Nico. I don't know.
In any case her partial-deafness had an effect on how she sang.
"She sings like a tone deaf, transexual, German horse."
someone said (
http://cacophonyandcoffee.blogspot.com/ ... r-lot.html )
(--at least he didn't say "like a German trout" ;)
But I wouldn't put it that way.
And Dylan and Cohen and Warhol and Lou Reed and
lots of others, liked it, -for something there was about it,
-whatever it was.
Dylan mentions "La Dolce Vita" in "Motorpsycho Nitemare"
on "Another Side Of Bob Dylan" from 1964.
Nico played a bit part in that movie.
And so Dylan might have remembered her from that. Or not.
In any case the first person he gave "I'll Keep It With Mine"
to sing, was Nico. So either he thought her voice was
right for it, somehow, or something about the song
reminded him of her. Or maybe he actually wrote it
with her in mind.
(Dylan back then also had a thing about a French singer, - Franciose Hardy)
I'll Keep it with Mine
(Bob Dylan)
You will search, babe, at any cost,
But how long, babe, can you search for what's not lost ?
Everybody will help you,
Some people are very kind.
But if I can save you any time,
Come on, give it to me,
I'll keep it with mine.
I can't help it if you might think I am odd
If I say I'm not loving you for what you are
But for what you're not.
Everybody will help you,
Discover what you set out to find
But if I can save you any time,
Come on, give it to me,
I'll keep it with mine.
The train leaves at half past ten
But it'll be back tomorrow same time again.
The conductor, he's weary,
Still stuck on the line.
But if I can save you any time,
Come on, give it to me,
I'll keep it with mine.
(At least that's what he said...)