Bob Dylan

For Christmas this year I had only a single ask: I wanted to see the just released film on Bob Dylan’s first years in New York, A Complete Unknown.  Didn’t see it Christmas Day or the day after, but Friday we took it in at the local Woodbury Theatre, with a healthy size audience.  I’d give it a very high rating, and surely recommend it.  I’m no reviewer: you can find hundreds on line already.  At least check it out.

As it happened, Christmas eve I checked in and the Dylan documentary, No Direction Home was on the tube.  It’s readily available online and an excellent ‘primer’ before watching Unknown.

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Personal Comments: I’ve wandered around this planet of ours for a lot of years – Bob Dylan is younger than I – and plenty of people know me from the 1960s, some of whom, will see this post.  So, when I say “the sixties passed me by”, any number of people can challenge my veracity.

When I talk about “the sixties” I’m talking about ‘Nam, Civil Rights and all of that sort of thing.  “The sixties”, for me, was much more about basic survival, with none of the ordinary luxuries of being in my 20s.  The Unknown film essentially begins with the Cuban Missile Crisis.  While Dylan was not long in New York, in October, 1962, I watched President Kennedy speak to the nation on television in an Army barracks in Colorado.  In the summer of 1965, Bob Dylan stirred up the purists at the Newport Folk Festival; back home in the Midwest I was burying my wife of two years, and trying to figure out how to take care of a one year old, and teach and work a second job to survive.

What I know about the 60s, I largely learned after the fact.  As the saying goes, Life had other priorities for me.

I did actually live in Hibbing Minnesota from 1983-91, about five blocks west of the house where Bobby Zimmerman grew up, only two blocks from the Hibbing High School.  You can see both his home and high school here.

Dylan was long gone by 1983, and my recollection is that he was not much revered in his home town.  I recall often walking to the Hull-Rust mine view less than a mile north, and the visitor facility showed no evidence of Bob Dylan as a local boy made good.  The display Board emphasized Jeno Paulucci, who made his mint selling canned food products.  I represented Iron Range teachers including Hibbing, and I cannot recall anything negative about Dylan as a student.  Anyone can read the biographies.

I saw Bob Dylan perform in person only one time, and that was in August, 1997, at Midway Stadium in St. Paul.  Opening that show was Ani DiFranco. Miracle of the Internet, I found two sites with information about that particular concert, here and here.  The bandstand that night was in deep center field, and most of us stood on the baseball diamond.  It was a memorable evening; I recall it starting late, which would surprise nobody.

Other than wandering on the same general turf as Bob Dylan, and being about the same age, there were no points where we ever actually met.  But I’ve always liked his music, and there is a certain pride in proximity to greatness.

(At the end of A Complete Unknown, a statement flashed on the screen that Dylan was the first and only musician to win a Nobel Prize in literature (2016).  He declined to appear in person to accept the award.  Here’s an interesting article at the time of his award.)

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POSTNOTE:  As we know, history always has threads to the past, and lessons for the future…but we have to pay attention.

Early in the film Pete Seeger takes Bob Dylan to meet Woody Guthrie in a New Jersey Hospital.  Woody suffered for years from the debilitating Huntington’s Disease, dying in 1967.  At bedside, Bob Dylan played for Woody.  The scene reminded me of a similar scene in Minneapolis 9 years ago, where Larry Long came to play and sing for lion-for-peace Lynn Elling.  Most certainly, Larry that day played Lynn’s favorite peace anthem: “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream”.  A tribute to Lynn and Dr. Joe Schwartzberg can be viewed here.  The movie at the site incudes John Denver singing the song live.   We all have heroes.  Lynn is one of mine; the day I met him he was 85, giving his best rendition of the song….  He never lost his passion for peace.  He’ll be in my mind constantly as 2025 begins and history continues.

With Lynn Elling two weeks before his death February 2016, a few days before his 95th birthday. Ruhel Islam, Larry Long, and Lynn’s daughters Cindy Sheffield and Sandy Curry.  Photo Dick Bernard

COMMENTS (see more at end);

Dick: After publishing this post, I looked to see if I had a home file on Bob Dylan.  Yes, I did, and I’m including here pdf’s of some of the earliest articles about his work. Bob Dylan Seventeen Mag Sep 1962 p 117; Bob Dylan Time May 31 1963; Bob Dylan Newsweek Nov 4 1963.  Not included is a very long profile about him in the Oct 24, 1964 New Yorker: “The crackin’, shakin’, breakin’ sounds”

from Carole: If I have an interest! ! !   Dylan emerged during  my college years. I remember trying to explain the poetic magic to my father (born in 1890!).  It is definitely on my to-watch list.  Thank you,, and very best wishes for 2025.

from Larry: Dick…will read your complete post and comment on Dylan. In this morning’s [Fargo ND] Forum, there was a repeat of an article published a long time ago abou Dylan’s 1959 year in Fargo. I’ll attach a two-page pdf of the piece…interesting life that, fortunately, isn’t over yet…LG. Bob Dylan Forum_12_29_2024

from Larry Long (photo above): Dick I was just thinking of Lynn and you.  So moved by the image of us at his bedside and your reflections. I, too, saw the movie A Complete Unknown.  Equally struck by those moments at Woody’s bedside with our dear friend Pete Seeger.  Sure hope you can come to our American Roots Revue Dakota concert on January 3rd.  We’ll be doing a Woody & Dylan song along with Lift Every Voice & Sing, A Change is Gonna Come and others.  Would love to see you.   Two concerts – 6:30 & 8:30.   Love you my friend.

from SAK:  Dear Mr Bernard, thanks!

I shall try & watch the film. Your article & Dylan brought back lots of memories.

The very first I believe was when our then English teacher brought a couple of Dylan songs for us to read & discuss. I still remember that 2 of them were Blowin’ in the Wind & The Times They Are A’Changin’. Interestingly a student complained to his parents about the songs – their being of a revolutionary nature – & the parents took the matter further & the teacher was asked to stop the “enlightenment”. That student is now a Republican Trump fan.

I still don’t think Dylan was very explicit in his songs, not advocating explicit political opinions that is. Of course he wrote & sang many protest songs – e.g. Talkin’ John Birch Society Blues, Death of Emmett Till, Masters of War, With God on our Side, Señor (Tales of Yankee Power & others). I take it that was because he is primarily a poet & not a totally engaged rebel or politician. His poetic talent was confirmed by the Nobel prize for literature as you mention. Joan Baez was more of a life-long activist & it’s sad how Dylan broke up with her but c’est la vie I suppose & it gave us a song of hers I really enjoy: Diamonds & Rust (mentions the Midwest!).

Great that you lived a few blocks from Dylan & who knows your paths might have crossed! I liked your: “As the saying goes, Life had other priorities for me.” John Lennon similarly sang: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I have to admit we were closer to The Beatles for obvious reasons! “Beatles ‘64” a film about The Beatles’ tour of the US just came out & suppose it did some good to a country still recuperating from president Kennedy’s assassination although the relationship with parts of the US audience soured later – trailer etc available online.

Well thanks again & all the best for 2025, let’s see what life brings!

from Norm:  I have never been a fan of the songs by the kid from Hibbing except for one or two of them.   I did not care for the sound of his voice, and I wasn’t really into the protest side of his music.