And I get that you are expressing your personal preferences in the music (Dylan's) that appeals to you. That's the demonstrative point as far as I'm concerned. It's an observation about his musical style and your preferences in that regard. All good.
But as for me, I have a different bent, and that is that taken as a composition, Dylan's arrangements are keenly structured and composed to emphasize his strength, and that strength is in the poetry comprising the verses, letting it unfold and lead us where it will through twists of irony, discovery, insight, and surprise. The chord structures are better off being very simple and secondary to the lyrics and their meaning. The worst thing he could do would be to distract from that.
I think it's driven home quite clearly when you consider that his mentor was none other than Woody Guthrie, the working man's bard, revered for very simple, direct ballards geared to the common man and his/her aggrandizement.
Dylan wanted that directness and his simple musical style is used as the backdrop for profound truths and revelations that may be discovered in his prose.
As a musician, even though I worked as a writer for years too, I more appreciate the music rather than the words. If I want words, I'll read a book or some poetry. Again, just to be crystal clear, I am not slamming Bob Dylan. I LOVE a couple of his songs. They are just SIMPLE musically, and I couldn't listen to several in a row before I'd have to listen to something more complex musically.
And I get that you are expressing your personal preferences in the music (Dylan's) that appeals to you. That's the demonstrative point as far as I'm concerned. It's an observation about his musical style and your preferences in that regard. All good.
But as for me, I have a different bent, and that is that taken as a composition, Dylan's arrangements are keenly structured and composed to emphasize his strength, and that strength is in the poetry comprising the verses, letting it unfold and lead us where it will through twists of irony, discovery, insight, and surprise. The chord structures are better off being very simple and secondary to the lyrics and their meaning. The worst thing he could do would be to distract from that.
I think it's driven home quite clearly when you consider that his mentor was none other than Woody Guthrie, the working man's bard, revered for very simple, direct ballards geared to the common man and his/her aggrandizement.
Dylan wanted that directness and his simple musical style is used as the backdrop for profound truths and revelations that may be discovered in his prose.
As a musician, even though I worked as a writer for years too, I more appreciate the music rather than the words. If I want words, I'll read a book or some poetry. Again, just to be crystal clear, I am not slamming Bob Dylan. I LOVE a couple of his songs. They are just SIMPLE musically, and I couldn't listen to several in a row before I'd have to listen to something more complex musically.
ok but keep in mind John Lennon says he started writing more complex and original music partly by hearing what Dylan was doing. (leaving aside lyrics). So maybe Dylan was doing more complex stuff than you are implying.
When Dylan said this, he was talking about the music, not just the lyrics: Listening to Rubber Soul Dylan replied: “What is this? It’s me, Bob. [John’s] doing me! Even Sonny & Cher are doing me, but, f'king hell, I invented it.”
That said, Lennon said a lot of garbage so who knows.
This post was edited 11 minutes after it was posted.