Comments On A Bob Dylan Interview
Some Fuzzy Logic By Will Dugan
December 7, 2004
So, there's Bob Dylan on the TV news show "60 Minutes", the face of wide-eyed-wonder horribly disfigured by
time and cynicism. I can only guess at what works beneath his calloused exterior, but guess I will - yes I
will. But a guess is what must be ventured, if one is curious. The interview was interesting; some good
questions were asked and there was an occasional delving follow-up as well as some well-performed
"Interviewer Pishhaww's". However, some of Bob Dylan's responses seemed half-muttered cryptic
"almost-evasions". But even those spoke volumes, if one is curious.
And curious I am, but not overly-so, and certainly not driven. So, I am left with mostly my own impressions
of what I viewed. I went online and performed a few searches for the transcripts of the interview, thinking
that it would be an easy find. Not. I think I could have purchased a copy from cbsnews-dot-com or
60minutes-dot-com, but as I said, I'm not that driven by this curiosity. I did find a nice
photo essay here.
My own impressions turn out to be a heady mix of ignorance and admiration, not to be confused with adulation
or idolization or even adoration (hey, just how does it feel?). Of all of the titles attached to Bob's
legend, the only one I ever gave credence to was "The Voice of a Generation". I certainly respect Mr.
Dylan's right to shun some of the expectations that some lofty tag-lines might attach. I mean, come on,
savior? You don't need a weatherman to know, that wind don't even blow.
I give only a very mild protest to his stated aversion to the fame he has garnered. Bob Dylan doesn't come
across like so many "talking-out-of-both-sides-of-their-mouth" celebrities who decry fame while lavishing
in the lifestyle, at least not to me. I can easily imagine that Bob got caught up in the fervor of his own
youth, not fully grasping the long-term consequences of his actions (hell, didn't we all do that to some
extent?). It is not hard to believe that many of the song's lyrics came to him in some kind of fugue state
that cannot be replicated or conjured up at leisure; I might even call it Divine Intervention for which
Bob can't be held responsible.
But I am somewhat hurt by what I perceived to be Dylan's stubborn refusal to accept responsibility for
"speaking to a generation". With all due respect, Bob - take your medicine and accept my figurative e-Slap
upside the head. You stood in front of the crowds and you sang the songs. You will never convince me that
you didn't know that you were touching people, touching us on some rare level of communication. Perhaps you
didn't intend it or foresee it, but you formed some transcendental spiritual bond with many listeners. I
suppose that you can deny it, but you can and should do better. You are, after all is said and done,
inexorably tangled up in blue.
I am working on a poetic response, so look for it some time in the future.
(bonafide creative sub-genious bastardpieces can't be rushed)
Copyright © 2009 By Will Dugan
