[adamholden]

Just came across this piece by Clive James on rock lyrics and Dylan. Written a long time ago (which is neither criticism nor a recommendation per se) and and in a far from accessible style. But I think there's something very valuable in it and it resonates with what I like about his lyrics (music by Pete Atkin). I like particularly his insistence on the "discipline of concrete perception". By which I think he means a bit more than 'saying it like it is' and something about the way imagination needs to work with the grain of reality as well as against it.

1972 article reproduced at http://www.peteatkin.com/cjcream3.htm

Anyway, would be interested to know what others think.

Adam

[S.T.C]

Will read it tomorrow...i like articles like this.

[adamholden]

It takes a bit to get into/get going and some of the language is a bit date (like 'the rock culture') but it's really thought provoking. Have you heard his songs?

[diademgrove]

Interesting article that commits the sin it advises against. It uses far too many words to get its message across. I suspect that Clive James doesn't live on desolation row and could be the archetypal Mr Jones.

If you don't know who Mr Jones his, click the link

Finally the stanza he analyses from Gates of Eden does have a concrete basis (at least in my head):

A woman on a motorbike kills a dwarf, whose body is attacked by vultures as he enters heaven.

The beauty of Dylan's weird songs is that they become personal to you. You put your own narrative in. Which I suspect was of disguising his personal views about people around him.

Just my tuppence.

[adamholden]

Yes indeed. I like your take on Dylan. But I don't think James does what he says others shouldn't. Here he's writing an essay. In his lyrics he tries and mostly succeeds to do as he says.

[Stephen Palmer]

Great article, thanks for posting!