Overrated?
I agree with Coach, if anything he's underrated.
Here are a few lines from "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding). Keep in mind that he was 22 years old when he put these lines down on a blank piece of paper. For anyone who has ever attempted to write poetry they'll see how incredible these lyrics are.
"From the fool's gold mouthpiece the hollow horn plays wasted words prove to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying."
"Disillusioned words like bullets bark as human gods aim for their mark make everything from toys that spark to flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark it's easy to see without looking too far that not much is really sacred."
"Advertising signs that con you into thinking you're the one that can do what's never been done that can win what's never been won meantime life outside goes on all around you."
Most of Dylan's songs rhyme. A lot of times you need to lose the meaning to get the rhyme. Dylan rarely had to.
As great as his lyrics are, it's his voice that impresses me most. In the movie he says, "Joan Baez folks. She sure is pretty, sings pretty too, maybe a little TOO pretty."
Dylan obviously didn't like "pretty." If you listen to "I Threw It All Away," "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," "Ain't Talkin,' " or "Moonlight" to name just four you'll hear how beautiful he can sound if he wants too.
