Bob Dylan was recently awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Nearly everyone was surprised. Reactions varied from "It's about time" to those who thought that the award should go to a "real" writer. But Dylan himself has provoked positive and negative reactions for his entire career. And, at age 75 he's still doing it.
There have been many articles and stories written about Dylan by people far more qualified than I. And to be truthful, I've never been that big a fan of Bob Dylan the performer. But I've always been impressed with his songs. His music is both intelligent and accessible. Back when I used to fancy myself a singer, I enjoyed performing his music. I knew the audience would like it and it made me feel smarter than I really was.
I have been grumbling about the poor quality of todays pop music for the last several years. I sort of have to. It's the only way I can stay in the "Grumpy Old Man" club. (Okay, I just made that up.) Every generation, it seems, complains about the new music that the kids are listening to. And to prove a point they compare the best of their music to the worst of the new.
To be fair, when todays artists are good, they can be very good. And while I'm not a fan of most urban music, the rhythms are very complex and the words can be very clever. Gotta give 'em their props.
The singer/songwriters can be pretty good too. I've had to cover some of their songs and I understand the attraction. Nice melodies, clever hooks, and sentimental lyrics.
However my complaint is that the best of the music I listened to was far more literary than anything I hear today. They had something to say and a poetic way of saying it. The folk music of the early '60s opened the door. The songs weren't heavily produced and didn't require any more than a single guitar. That set the stage for Bob Dylan. Dylan, in turn set the stage for Paul Simon, Lennon/McCartney, and a host of others. After a while it seemed that every new singer/songwriter was touted as "the next Bob Dylan". But artists are always originals. By that definition if you are "the next" anything then you really aren't.
I don't really feel qualified to discuss poetry. But it seems that song lyrics are poems that are metered and rhyme so to be easily sung. Does that diminish their poetic quality? Are song lyrics automatically a lessor form of writing? I believe some would make that argument, but the Nobel committee seemed to have a different opinion. By honoring Bob Dylan they have also honored and elevated an entire genre.
Young Bob Zimmerman took the name Bob Dylan because of his admiration for the poet Dylan Thomas. Perhaps Dylan winning the Nobel prize will inspire some in the next generation to reach for greater literary standards in their song writing. While it's always dangerous to predict the future, I hope that "The Times They Are A Changin' ".