Full Description
Venerated for his lyrics, Bob Dylan in fact is a songwriting musician with a unique mastery of merging his words with music and performance. Larry Starr cuts through pretention and myth to provide a refreshingly holistic appreciation of Dylan's music. Ranging from celebrated classics to less familiar compositions, Starr invites readers to reinvigorate their listening experiences by sharing his own—sometimes approaching a song from a fresh perspective, sometimes reeling in surprise at discoveries found in well-known favorites. Starr breaks down often-overlooked aspects of the works, from Dylan's many vocal styles to his evocative harmonica playing to his choices as a composer. The result is a guide that allows listeners to follow their own passionate love of music into hearing these songs—and personal favorites—in new ways. Reader-friendly and revealing, Listening to Bob Dylan encourages hardcore fans and Dylan-curious seekers alike to rediscover the music legend.
Contents
Preface vii
1 Not by Words Alone 1
2 Folksinger, Bluesman, Rocker, Crooner: The Many Voices of Bob Dylan 11
3 His Other Voice: Bob Dylan's Essential Harmonica 33
4 Bob Dylan as Composer, I: Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm 47
5 Bob Dylan as Composer, II: Musical Form 65
6 Accompanying Bob Dylan: Instruments, Instrumentalists, Singers 81
7 Arranging an Album 89
8 Bob Dylan in Live Performance: Documenting a Musical Shape-Shifter 97
9 Bringing It All Back Home (Pulling It All Together) 111
Acknowledgments 121
A Very Selective Bibliography 123
Subject Index 125
Song Index 131
