The Philosophy of Modern Song
Book by Bob Dylan
DETAILS
Publisher : Simon & Schuster (November 1, 2022) Language : English Hardcover : 352 pages ISBN-10 : 1451648707 ISBN-13 : 978-1451648706 Item Weight : 2.2 pounds Dimensions : 7.38 x 1.3 x 9.13 inches Best Sellers Rank: #155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Music Appreciation (Books) #2 in Composer & Musician Biographies #13 in Memoirs (Books) , The Philosophy of Modern Song is Bob Dylan’s first book of new writing since 2004’s Chronicles: Volume One —and since winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. Dylan, who began working on the book in 2010, offers his extraordinary insight into the nature of popular music. He writes over sixty essays focusing on songs by other artists, spanning from Stephen Foster to Elvis Costello, and in between ranging from Hank Williams to Nina Simone. He analyzes what he calls the trap of easy rhymes, breaks down how the addition of a single syllable can diminish a song, and even explains how bluegrass relates to heavy metal. These essays are written in Dylan’s unique prose. They are mysterious and mercurial, poignant and profound, and often laugh-out-loud funny. And while they are ostensibly about music, they are really meditations and reflections on the human condition. Running throughout the book are nearly 150 carefully curated photos as well as a series of dream-like riffs that, taken together, resemble an epic poem and add to the work’s transcendence. In 2020, with the release of his outstanding album Rough and Rowdy Ways , Dylan became the first artist to have an album hit the Billboard Top 40 in each decade since the 1960s. The Philosophy of Modern Song contains much of what he has learned about his craft in all those years, and like everything that Dylan does, it is a momentous artistic achievement. Read more
REVIEW
This book tells us more about Dylan than songs. It is entertaining and informative in sections, but it can also be a bit frustrating. I guess you could say the same about many of his songs. They fascinate you and excite you, but if you study them too closely the substance unravels. That is a point our friend Bob makes more than once on this ride through popular songs from the 20th century for the most part. The one standout from the 19th century is Stephen Foster's Nelly Was a Lady. Dylan didn't pick the greatest songs of all time, nor did he necessarily just include his personal favorites. He uses this hodgepodge of musical offerings to illustrate certain points he wants to make. He reveals his octogenarian views in some of his lectures and he surely will offend some readers with expressions and attitudes that may seem a little out place in this century. But, as has always been the case with Dylan, you have to take it or leave it. He is who he is and he is not a simple man. He is a genius and, as such, he is worth the time and struggle any reader might have. This is a very short book, loaded with illustrations and old photos, some of which are strangely entertaining. His thoughts about little Richard's Long Tall Sally amount to less than half a page. His examination of Frank Sinatra is 1966 hit Strangers in the Night takes up a few pages and reveals a fascinating story about the men who wrote the melody and the lyrics. The little tidbits of trivia are fun to read and often illustrate what makes a song memorable. Dylan fans will eat all of this up, others may not. I am a Dylan fan, so I loved it.
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