Bob Dylan corner

[mjzee]

I finally started listening to Another Self Portrait tonight. I must confess I find the liner notes inadequate, in that they dance around the central question: Why does Self Portrait sound the way it does? Why the orchestrations, the sweetness, the corniness? The liner notes hint that it was Bob Johnston's doing (and fault), but I find that hard to believe. First, Dylan releases what he wants to release; second, with the hindsight of history, we see (from Christmas In The Heart) that he has an affinity for this type of music (as, perhaps, he does for many different types of music - witness the song selection for his Theme Time Radio Hour). But it doesn't explain his vision for the project, so we're left with an inescapable conclusion: that he wanted Self Portrait to sound that way (and to look that way - the old-fashioned script font on the back cover, for example). Chalk it up as a missed opportunity to truly address this era in Bob's career.

[king ubu]

I've not read a line yet in the notes ... but I loved the music! Got to dig it up again soon!

[jazzbo]

I agree the notes are not all that. Interesting photos of "rustic Bob" on his friend's farm (I thought when the lp came out with photos on that farm that it was Bob, Bob the farmer!)

I bought the deluxe box set of this one AND the vinyl, I really love this period of Bob's, Self Portrait was always a favorite and that mystified most of the Dylan fans I knew. But so what. I really like this Bootleg. Looking forward to the next one!

[king ubu]

The Deluxe was enough for me ... still need to play the remaster, but I just had to have the concert with The Band - and I think it's better than most people seem to think (but then I'm a major Band nut, so ...)

The photo book is lovely though

[JSngry]

for the Dylan fans who did not watch the Super bowl, or who were away from the screen at the time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHRVoshCwrw

[BFrank]

Bob looks like he's had a fair amount of "work" done (or at least some Botox injections).

[Chuck Nessa]

Sigh.

[BFrank]

Not to mention that despite all the "USA USA USA"-ness of the ad, Chrysler is owned by Fiat.

[mjzee]

I thought it was an effective ad.

[mjzee]

Also, the Chobani ad had a backdrop of "I Want You."

[JSngry]

Quite effective, the first really surreal Dylanmoment I've had in perhaps decades. I'll probably never buy a Chrysler, but damn, that caught my attention, that ad did.

And yes, Chrysler is not American owned, but the ad seemed to be more about the American worker than the non-American corporation. So either Dylan is pimping propaganda for the non-US corporation, trying to convince the American public that these are gonna be The New Good Old Days, just Be Happy And Take Pride, or Dylan is hoping that we all catch the irony (as per Dylanusual), and then By Cynical And Take Pride, or else Dylan don't give a damn and is making all the money he can no matter what, because, like Jack Webb in Dragnet 1969, he has seen that Everybody Is Wrong And There Are No Answers, or, most likely, all/none of the above

[mjzee]

I thought Dylan put himself into it, almost like in a Paul Harvey role. I think of two prior incidents in his life: the song Union Sundown on Infidels (which was released as a single), which bemoans "there's nothing made in USA/they don't make nothing here no more," and at the original Live Aid, where he mentioned in passing, but to the crowd and world-wide TV, "it would be great if some of the money raised here today could go to the American family farmer" (not an exact quote). This of course begat Farm Aid, which continues to this day. So I think Dylan meant what he said in the Chrysler commercial.

[JSngry]

I'm sure he did. But there's always bigger/broader contexts with everything this guy does, and I'm pretty sure he knows it. That's where all the "interpretation" comes in. On a case by case basis, it seems like he'll either ignore it, play to it, or mock it. Excellent career strategy, that is (and I mean that as a compliment - although by no means a Dylan "fanatic", he still interest me, and probably always will).

In this case, yeah, no doubt he was giving a shoutout to the American laborer. On the other hand, I have to believe he knows that America will never again be what it was, not like that. It's like "We...will build your cars", it's a boast and a surrender and a plea, all at the same time. I feel the pride, I feel the resignation, and I feel the pain, believe me, I do.

But at face value, hell, he had me ready to go out tomorrow and look at a new Chrysler, checkbook in hand and Honda Accord (with only 130K miles on it, just getting broken in) at the ready as a trade-in.

As it happens, though, that Honda is working just fine, and will for a good while longer. However,I already enjoy Chobani, and will have some for breakfast tomorrow so that's one thing that really will happen.

[king ubu]

Let Asia assemble your phone? Sure, no matter if they die on the way there ... they're not merikan, right?

As for "face value" ... where would that face be, behind the mask?

[skeith]

What ticked me off was his "let Germany make your beer"....I guess Bob is unaware of the craft beer movement sweeping this country for the past 30 years.... Yes the giant beer makers suck, but American craft beers rank with the finest in the world... so while I do enjoy some fine beers in Germany ... sorry Bob the Americans do a helluva job on beer.

[Mark Stryker]

Coda: Nice brief shot about halfway through the ad of the marquee from Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit, the world's oldest continuously operating jazz club.

[jazzbo]

I think the whole point of "let Germany" and "let Asia" at least as far as Chrysler's concerned is "let those countries have your little purchase and give the big bucks to us."

Naturally they would want that. I wish Bob hadn't said them but it doesn't bother me, Americans just do whatever they want with their money. Personally I don't think he wrote much of that script.

Edited February 3, 2014 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

Now we need Springsteen to do a Budweiser commercial saying let Japan build you cars. We....will brew your beer!!! That would be some funny shit.

How many Anheuser-Busch-related commercials are their on an average Super Bowl these days, anyway? Like there's any chance in hell that America will ever stop drinking their stuff.

[skeith]

I think the whole point of "let Germany" and "let Asia" at least as far as Chrysler's concerned is "let those countries have your little purchase and give the big bucks to us."

Naturally they would want that. I wish Bob hadn't said them but it doesn't bother me, Americans just do whatever they want with their money. Personally I don't think he wrote much of that script.

yeah ... I guess the bigger point is whether an artist like Dylan should be a pitch man for a car company.

You may be right that the issue was more about spending some money on imports and do your big buy at home, but I got the impression that he was saying Germans make better beer, the Swiss make better watches, the Asians make better phones, but we Americans make better cars. About the beer, I would have totally agreed with that statement 30 years ago... it is no longer true. Not that German beer isn't marvelous.... it would be stupid to say it isn't.

[mjzee]

I liked how Dylan paced his narrative to fit the background beat.

[jazzbo]

I think the whole point of "let Germany" and "let Asia" at least as far as Chrysler's concerned is "let those countries have your little purchase and give the big bucks to us."

Naturally they would want that. I wish Bob hadn't said them but it doesn't bother me, Americans just do whatever they want with their money. Personally I don't think he wrote much of that script.

yeah ... I guess the bigger point is whether an artist like Dylan should be a pitch man for a car company.

You may be right that the issue was more about spending some money on imports and do your big buy at home, but I got the impression that he was saying Germans make better beer, the Swiss make better watches, the Asians make better phones, but we Americans make better cars. About the beer, I would have totally agreed with that statement 30 years ago... it is no longer true. Not that German beer isn't marvelous.... it would be stupid to say it isn't.

I guess what he said could be taken that way. In this soundbite world I think ambiguity is part of the game and works to their advantage. They just want you to buy cars and they don't care about the rest.

Or to put it negatively, You gotta Buy from Somebody

You can buy German Beer

You can buy Swiss Watches

You can buy Asian Phones

But YOU DON'T HAVE TO buy Import Cars

[king ubu]

Coda: Nice brief shot about halfway through the ad of the marquee from Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit, the world's oldest continuously operating jazz club.

So it was? Saw it and wondered if that was some diner sharing the same name or the real one ... that's cool!

[alankin]

Since 1934.

[BFrank]

Here's a pretty good take on the commercial:

Bob Dylan Didn't Sell Out to Sell Chrysler

And here's another commercial he did.........42 years ago!

[JSngry]

Chrisotpher Guest!