Essays on Bob Dylan

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Bruce Springsteen has been acclaimed as one of the greatest artists of all time. His music is unique in many ways. One of the things I like is the lyricism and the poetic language in the songs. Many of his songs are very earthy in nature, reflecting the times of the day, suffering of the people, love and romances, events, patriotism and so on. The music brings together a very good symphony of words and tunes, integrating it with great sound, rock ...

Abstract

Rhetorical criticism is basically an analysis of the items people use to communicate, such as images and words. There are different strategies that one can employ when conducting such an analysis. Most importantly, the first step is the selection of an artifact to analyze since the strategies used may differ with the artifact. In this paper, the artifact to be analyzed is an advertisement from Apple and the method employed is ideological criticism, which evaluates the message presented by this advertisement.

Research Question: What is the main message behind this advertisement and was presented in a way that was ...

The main purpose of the current assignment is to consider, analyze and evaluate influence of a particular culture on one of the representations of massively popular culture of the 20th century. In particular, the following paragraphs will discuss Jewish influence in the musical scene of the 20th century due to the fact that a great variety of musicians popular now and then appear to be either Jewish or have Jewish roots, at least. As for the exact period of 1970s – 1980s, it is worth stating that one of the most popular representatives of rock scene related to Jewish culture ...

One of the most famous protest songs in the 21st century is “Standing in the Way of Control, released by the Gossip trio in 2006 (Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control). This track has been described as infectious and diva-sized smashing in a manner that has attracted a wide perspective of the audience. The song focuses on a protest against the manner America has a discriminate same-sex relationship. This song as released after President Bush’s regime made attempts to introduce the Federal Marriage Amendment that makes same-sex marriages illegal. The song, “Standing on the Way of ...

In the early 1960s, liberation for public opinion, binds of racism, dance, and in great regard music emerged and became the theme of the decade preceding the year. This characterized the emergence of one of the greatest musical sensations that made it their business to write, compose, and sing songs that would bring about liberation and talk of real life situations. It is in the liberation process that a great artist in the name of Bob Dylan came into light. Though he was not born an idol as was the likes of Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, Bob Dylan ...

This short story feels like a dream. It is very exciting and there are a lot of sensory and descriptive words. That is why the reader can’t help the feeling of being drawn into the world of Connie. She makes everybody see the world through her eyes. The author of this short story is Joyce Carol Oates and the title is “Where are you going, where have you been?”. The main characters are Connie, a teenage girl and Arnold Friend, the older man who is depicted as a mysterious bully. The other characters are June, Connie’s sister, their parent and Connie’ ...

“A HARD RAIN’S A-GONNA FALL”

1. Introduction: Every piece of literature, be it a book or a song, literary devices have always been used to support their theme and meaning. The stronger the use of these devices, the stronger their impact would be. Most of the times, writers and authors use imagery as a tool to create this effect, but in terms of songs, artists make use of different techniques such as repetition, to make their songs stay longer inside the head of the listener. In this essay, we have analyzed such a song called “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” by Bob Dylan. Also, the lyrics ...

This gentleman has genuine mega-talent, spanning 6 decades of poetic writing, peaceful protesting, and the awakening of the youth movement.

Bob Dylan, is one of the musicians who sparked several genres of pop music which included electrified country rock and folk rock. This was evidenced in the height of his popularity during the 1960s. His influence in music has been echoed throughout various generations; this is because most of his music became popular standards and all of his albums became undisputed classic rock and roll canon. The influence of Dylan throughout the era of folk music was very powerful and it made a pivotal turning point in the 20th century. It was during this era that the genre of music ...

Bob Dylan’s style is very much of the ages and he manages to strip down the music to the barest of its essentials. ‘All Along the Watchtower’ is a typical example of music which is stripped down to its bare essentials as Cantwell describes. All we hear is the basic instrumentation which makes the song all the more bleak and full of alienation as well as eventual resignation. These elements are reinforced by Dylan’s consistent exposure to folk music as well as other themes which make his songs so involving and full of character. Cantwell also identifies ...

Of all the myriad ways in which the 60s counterculture challenged perceived notions of morality and the status quo, the anti-war song was perhaps its most popular. Given the stakes and devastation of the Vietnam War, which necessitated the draft and angered an increasingly independent and rebellious generation, songwriting and instrumentation increasingly took on these pacifist subtexts. From a Neo-Confucian perspective, the case of Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” defies the Confucian ideal of yayue, combining aggressive instrumentation with its cryptic vocals to create an atmosphere conducive to an anti-war, rebellious morality (consistent ...

Bob Dylan is a renowned American Musician Songwriter, composer, singer and artist all rounded up in one package. He was born on 24th May 1941 to become quite influential through his music in the 1960s. Much of his songs during this time became a favorite for civil rights movements and anti-war campaigns. Notably the songs ‘blowing in the Wind and ‘The times they are a-changing’ became anthems for activists and antiwar campaigners in the United States of America. His lyrics incorporated a variety of social, political, philosophical and literary influences that saw him develop and maintain a career spanning fifty years in ...

Just as narrative film has evolved, so have documentaries – the changing nature of cultural tastes, historical events, and film technology has allowed documentary films to be given a unique and constantly changing sensibility throughout the years. According to Grierson, documentaries as a film format are typically considered as being “made from natural material,” meaning that the events being filmed are happening organically, without the use of scripts or actors or sets. However, even within that strict definition there are ways to stretch and alter the very fabric of what it means to be a documentary, evoking the cultural and social attributes of a ...

In order to understand music inside an historical background we have to begin from an ancient point of view and its 3 main elements: Rhythm; Melody; and Harmony and the significance has to do with the order of their discovery. Rhythm is the first and the oldest element of our earliest understanding of music first played by the cavemen. That could possibly be one man banging a drum. The second one is melody, when probably banging was first accompanied by humming. And finally, harmony was added. From what we know today, music is deeply affected by the special features of ...

The verite documentary movement was a way of separating documentary film technique of new works from the previous era of sound documentaries from the 1930s and 1950s. Verite can be characterized by a greater dedication to realism in form, without the staginess and artificiality of previous schools of filmmaking. D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back, about Bob Dylan’s concert tour in the United Kingdom, is an incredible work of cinema verite, with its stark realism and matter-of-factness in presentation of these events. Perhaps one of the most perfect examples of the ‘new grammar’ of verite as a filmmaking technique comes ...

Though Bob Dylan gained world notoriety for being a protest musician, he is reluctant to engage himself utterly in activities that will portray him as a Protest musician owing a number of reasons. Firstly, the modern political framework particularly in United States is free of bias; therefore, no particular society is suppressed. In this case, Bob Dylan is contended with the current situation, unlike the past when inequality and exploitations were rampant (Hörmann and Gesa 45). Secondly, his career at the present is not entrenched as it was at the onset. It is, therefore, imperative to note that he is not ...

John Lennon

John Lennon is one of few contemporary artists who only turned to consistent political activism only in the early 1970s after the break-up of The Beatles (Fisher & Flota 125). The enduring legacy of his work included the song “God”, wherein Lennon wrote the lyrics “the dream is over”, which meant that the dream of the gurus, the hippies, members of The Beatles band, or any other supposed savior had ended. The meaning of the term “dream” in the song refers to the belief in the value of countercultural protest for its own sake (Fisher & Flota 125). Lennon addressed political ...

Bob Dylan’s song uses lyrics about to the divine in his song ‘With god on its side’. The title is also the main hook of the song as well demonstrating the importance of god and the divine. The use of a main hook line and title with the lyrics ‘God Bless the U.S.A’ is used by Greenwood in his song with equal importance. Both songs appeal to patriotism and the divine however the difference is that Dylan’s lyrics are satirical and don’t necessarily mean what they say directly. Greenwood’s language is not satirical and the listener ...

(Institution Name)

BIOGRAPHY: BOB DYLAN

(Name of the Professor)

In Requirement of fulfillment of the Course

(Name of the Course) In 2007, it was announced that one of the popular songs of singer Bob Dylan was about to be remixed. It came across as a shock to rock’n roll fans worldwide who considered this remix idea as if someone is trying to draw a moustache on Leonardo DaVinci’s famous Mona Lisa portrait. The song to be remixed was, “Most Likely You Go Your Way” and a new video was to be released for the remix that was directed by Rupert Jones. For this purpose, hundreds of Bob Dylan look-alikes ...

Introduction

Easy Rider is one of the hallmark films of Hollywood. It defines a cultural period as this important film established filmmaking styles and attitudes. Aside from its cinematography, it also launched a guerilla style of independent filmmaking with very controlled and smooth studio film cinematography. Principally, this film featured a very remarkable soundtrack. Easy Rider was one of the first films that used the popular music during that period. The film also featured musicians such as Steppenwolf, The Byrds and Jimi Hendrix. The rock and roll background gave a more enriched narration and storytelling. The musical pieces featured by the film also made ...

Music has for years without number formed an integral part of mankind from its very existence. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in acknowledging this fundamental and pivotal role of music stated asserts that music is a universal language. According to him, human beings, through music are able to communicate their emotions, feelings and attitudes towards various issues within the society. Songs have been crafted to touch and influence almost every aspect of the human life-from birth to dating, romance and marriage to death and life supposedly thereafter, to events in-between, sports, work as well as politics, the list is endless. Every event, ...

Stevie Wonder's 1972 performance of Superstition is a classic illustration of “ABAB” song form. The “A” phrases are notated by an “aabb” rhyming pattern, while the “B” section, contains the same words each time it is sung and does not have a discernible rhyming pattern. The “B” section is followed by a brief musical interlude that is heavy on the horn section before dipping into the next chorus. The horns play a prominent role in the entire song, however, when Stevie Wonder sings the “B” section, the horns are less noticeable and Wonder's vocals are the forefront of the song. Happiness is a ...

Thesis Statement

The revolution will not be televised was a popular cliché among young radical African Americans and supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. Revolutions are not delicate or pretentious operations. People experiencing them usually realize that they are merely passing through tumultuous times. The changes are noted and recorded. Both casual observers and scholars can detect remote and immediate causes. The focal points of revolutions are located and the results analyzed. However, one of the most profound cultural changes in American history is seldom acknowledged for its contributions; what it was and did in history. During the mid-1950s to the late ...

Rock and roll is dated back 1955, and its invention attributed to Chuck Berry and specifically based on black music. However, the music broke the social and racial prejudice epitomizing both young and black rockers. There were various artists who rose with the rise of the rock and roll such as Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. However, Bob Dylan is regarded as the most influential musician of the era. He played an imperative role in expressing the ambitions of young people by establishing simple songs and poetic lyrics (scaruffi). He consistently demonstrated an ability to reach and affect his ...

Bob Dylan’s song’s Desolation Road is dense with allusions to mythical, fictional and historical subjects. When a reporter asked Dylan where desolation row was located he was told, “Oh, that's some place in Mexico, it's across the border.” We’ll start with the allusion to, “Ophelia” who is a tragic character from Shakespeare’s hamlet. The reason she is simply tragic instead of a tragic heroine, is because instead of overcoming her weaknesses and overcome her adversaries, she crumbles into insanity. That fits in with mold of the song. T The song establishes the theme with when Dylan ...

Connie Vs June

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”: Connie Vs June

Introduction

‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been’ is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates. Published first in the Fall 1966 edition of Epoch magazine, the story begins with the words- ‘To Bob Dylan’. It is so because Joyce Carol Oates dedicated this short story to Bob Dylan’s whose song ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ inspired her to write this (Introduction, p 9). The song is about a girl who is forced to leave her house with strange men, towards unknown, uncertain future (Dylan, “ ...

1995's Dangerous Minds, the urban school drama directed by John N. Smith and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, tells the tale of real-life teacher LouAnne Johnson, who dramatically transformed the lives of kids at an inner-city school through dedication and innovative teaching practices - all the while dealing with sensitive issues of race and violence in schools and the inner city. While its intentions are noble, Dangerous Minds tends to warp Johnson's story into a treacly, overly sentimental mess that cannot be saved by a strong cast and assured direction. In the end, the overt melodrama and incredibly simplified morality of the film undercuts ...

The story of Bob Dylan and his journey from small-town boy to folk and rock legend in many ways fits Campbell’s pattern of the hero’s journey. Director Martin Scorsese’s documentary, No Direction Home, minutely details the journey Dylan took to reach fame as a musician. However, the 60s were also an era of chaotic social change. Young people were seeing themselves, the political events of the decade, their sexuality, and their rights in new and unprecedented ways. Music, protest songs in particular, was one way that young people found a voice for themselves. Dylan may have followed a hero’ ...

The 2009 superhero film Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder, takes place in an alternate version of 1985 in which Nixon has been elected a third term, superheroes have been banned from operating without the consent of the United States government, and the world is on the brink of nuclear destruction. In order to set up this world, and convey a lot of information about the politics and characters of the time, Snyder and co. created a nearly 6-minute long title sequence to the tune of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" that tells us everything we need to know about the ...

Jimi Hendrix’s cover of the Bob Dylan folk song, “All Along the Watchtower,” adapts the song from Dylan’s mellow and malicious folk song to an exuberant, angry rock anthem for young people in the late 1960s. Under Jimi’s alterations, the instrumentation turns ominous and aggressive, his exuberant vocals sounding almost pleading. The song contains a limited chord structure and longer-than-usual musical sections, as well as unsettling improvisation and call-and-response from the vocals and guitar (Zak, 2005). The combination of all these musical elements make the listener, especially one who was young in 1968 (when the song was ...

Do Not Go Gently into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas

Legal Alien by Pat Mora W. H. Auden explained poetry as “ a language which tells us, through a more or less emotional reaction, something that cannot be said.” “The Times They are a Changin'” by Bob Dylan, “Do Not Go Gently into that Good Night” by Dylan Thomas and “Legal Alien” by Pat Mora are all speaking of changing worlds, however the emotional context is far different. In “The Times They are a Changin'” Bob Dylan is telling parents to get out of the way in world where “Your old road is rapidly agin’.” . Conversely, Dylan Thomas is begging his father not ...

Final Examination

Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi The song Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi was the third single to come off the band’s third album Slippery When Wet, which was released in 1986 (DevinG, 2012). It was written by band members Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora and was so titled because of Jon Bon Jovi’s great admiration for cowboys, whom he could relate to as being hated. It talked about the lonely life of a rock star and was based on their touring experiences (“Wanted Dead or Alive,” n.d.), especially while they were still ...