The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: 2) Bob Dylan

More than anything, in my own songwriting, the thing I learned from Bob is that it's OK to break those traditional rules of what songs are supposed to be: the length of a song, how imaginative you could get telling the story. It was great that someone had broken down the gates, opened up the sky to all of the possibilities. One thing that I don't think people realize is that to write the way he does, to get that many ideas into these very distinct melodies, you had to be really good at phrasing. His vocal phrasing was special. He got these characters and images across in a way that didn't feel stiff or forced, with a musical comfort so you could just take the ride and never question it. And a lot of times there was an attitude in his voice that worked for a particular record. I remember when he played Nashville Skyline for me. I was amazed at the character that he had pulled out of the bag for that.

I think Bob has a true passion for the challenge, for coming up with something in the music that makes him feel good, to keep on doing it and doing it, as he does now. The songs Bob is writing now are as good as any songs he's ever written. There's a wonderful honesty in them. He writes about what he sees and feels, about who he is. We spent a lot of time together in the 1970s. We were both living in Malibu and knew what was going on in our respective day-to-day lives. And I know Blood on the Tracks is a reflection of what was happening to him then. When he writes songs, he's telling me things about himself, holding up a mirror — and I'm seeing it all clearly, like I've never seen it before.

From my knowledge of him, I don't think Bob ever wanted to be more than a good songwriter. When people are like, "Oh, my God, you're having an effect on culture and society" — I doubt he thinks like that. I don't think Hank Williams understood why his songs were so much more moving than other people's songs. I think Bob is thinking, "I hope I can think of another really good song." He's putting one foot in front of the other and just following his bliss.

But Bob is a great barometer for young singers and songwriters. As soon as they think they've written something good — "I'm pushing the envelope here, I've made a breakthrough" — they should listen to one of his songs. He will always stand as the one to measure good work by. That's one of the greatest accomplishments of all.

[From Issue 946 — April 15, 2004]

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