FROM MUSICAL REVOLUTION TO COUNTERCULTURAL MUSIC: THE POET AND THE KING

Jean Du Verger ENSMM (Besanon)

The wind, the wind is blowing, Through the graves the wind is blowing Freedom soon will come. Then well come from the shadow. Leonard Cohen, The Partisan (1969

The advent of roc! and roll in 19""1 and the ascent of the controversial figure of #lvis $resle% signalled forthcoming social and cultural conflicts, as a growing fringe of &mericas 'ost(war %outh began )uestioning the established order. &s the 19"*s melted into the 196*s, the struggle for social change grew stronger, and the emergence of singer(songwriters such as +ob ,%lan, whose l%rics and music ca'tured the zeitgeist, came to im'act the counterculture movement. $resle% and ,%lans music are a 'erfect illustration of the wa% in which music hel'ed alter societ% shedding direct light on the im'ortance of 'o'ular culture as an element of 'olitical and societal change. The 'resent 'a'er will e-amine how roc! and roll and #lvis $resle% in 'articular, .addressed issues greater than music/ (+ertrand 100 as %oung white southerners began casting doubt u'on the ,ee' 1ouths legac%. 2 will then move on to discuss the role 'la%ed b% +ob ,%lan, considered b% man% as .the 3oice of a 4eneration,/ in the turbulent social climate of the si-ties and earl% seventies. The harshness and anger in some of ,%lans l%rics enca'sulate the ma5or issues of the time, illustrating what Theodore 6os7ac! observed8 .9usic ins'ired and carried the best insights of the counterculture/ (6os7ac!, ---iv . Finall%, 2 will draw a com'arison between $resle% and ,%lan who, although radicall% different artists are dominant figures in &merican 'o'ular culture and who, as individuals, mirror the com'le-it% and ambivalence of &merican societ%. The significance of the musical lin!s between #lvis $resle% and +ob ,%lan is often underestimated. The influence $resle%, amongst others, e-erted on ,%lan illustrates not onl% the subversive nature of music, which 'osed a threat to the #stablishment, but shows how 'o'ular music:blues and fol! music:remained in touch with the countr%s social realities.

&lthough the )uestion of the origins of roc! and roll is a fiercel% dis'uted matter among music historians because of its com'le- evolution, 19"; is deemed a ma5or milestone in the genres histor% with +ill <ale%s hit .6oc! &round the Cloc!/ in &'ril 19";, which would later be the feature song in 6ichard +roo!ss film Blackboard Jungle (19"" . +ut it is 'robabl% #lvis $resle%s first hit .Thats &ll 6ight, 9ama/ recorded on =ul%, ", 19"; that ma% well be viewed as the nascence of roc! and roll as it .emerged as a ma5or force on the commercial 'o'ular culture scene,/ 6ichard $eterson, endnote 0, 11;.

Musical Revolutio : T!e A"ve t o# Elvis P$esle%& &fter the 1econd >orld >ar the 1outh underwent a vast arra% of changes. The economic transformation and the ra'id urbani7ation, characteri7ed b% the rural(to(urban transition of 'oor blac!s and whites see!ing em'lo%ment and a better wa% of life, led to their acclimati7ation to urban conditions. The emergence of mi-ed neighbourhoods in the 1outh contributed to the alleviation of racial tensions in a land of legal segregation. 9oreover, as the social historian 9ichael T. +ertrand argues, the 'ost(war southern %ouths a''eared to be far less 're5udiced than their 'arents as the% overloo!ed the ingrained assum'tions on the inferiorit% of blac! 'eo'le. 2 will e-'lore, in this 'a'er, the wa% in which roc! and roll and #lvis $resle%, in 'articular, .mirrored and ultimatel% hel'ed create an environment conducive to racial res'ect and tolerance/ (+ertrand 11 . ,uring the 19;*s and the 19"*s, the emergence of blac! radio stations contributed to create .a favourable cultural environment/ (+ertrand 1?@ @ for greater tolerance whilst 'aving the wa% for the advent of roc! and roll. The growing number of musical events involving integrated audiences began threatening the 1ouths static and hierarchical societ%, while segregationists came to view %ouths as a threat to the established order. +ertrand notes that the trans'lanted white %ouths searched for stabilit% and status b% embracing blac! music. 2n his much acclaimed biogra'h% on #lvis $resle%, $eter 4uralnic! vividl% de'icts the attraction e-erted on white %ouths, at the time, b% the &frican(&merican musical culture which imbued Aorth 4reen 1treet in Tu'elo, 9ississi''i8 .Bou onl% had to wal! u' the street and the street was rocking. >ell(to(do white college bo%s and their dates would come out for the show on 1aturda% nightCthere was reall% nothing li!e it, %ou had to hand it to the colored 'eo'le, the% reall% !new how to live/ (4uralnic!, ast Train 0D . 2f ma5or recording firms (6.C.&., Columbia, Ca'itol and &merican ,ecca controlled the national and international means of 'roduction and 'romotion of 'o'ular music, smaller recording firms organi7ed their entire o'erations on a regional level, while small inde'endent recording com'anies li!e 1am $hilli's 1un 6ecords .relied heavil% if not e-clusivel% on sub grou's and minorit% cultures for audiences/ (+ertrand 6* . 1am $hilli's had begun recording blac! 'erformers such as 6ufus Thomas and the blac! vocal grou' the $risonaires, who had no 'lace to go (6@ . Than!s to the li!es of $hilli's, the Chess brothers and others, a number of blac! artists, who would 'robabl% have had no chance of air'la%, had, at last, the o''ortunit% of gaining national fame and recognition as the% .suddenl% EbeganF wal!ing &mericas airwaves/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1"? . These inde'endent record com'anies 'la%ed an essential role in the evolution of roc! and roll (+ertrand 6; . +% the mid(19"*s rh%thm and blues had attracted listeners outside the &frican(&merican communit%, as record retailers and disc 5oc!e%s had noticed that a growing number of white teenagers re)uested rh%thm and blues music. The growing 'o'ularit% of the music encountered strong resistance from both the authorities and ma5or record com'anies. &s +ertrand contends, rh%thm and blues music .'osed a serious threat to those who administered custod% of the countr%s musical standards/ (6? as a result, the musical and moral custodians claimed that the l%rics of rh%thm and blues songs .e-'lored filth/
0

9% 'resent 'a'er is greatl% indebted to 9ichael T. +ertrands com'elling and insightful stud% on the influence of roc! and roll and #lvis $resle% on 1outhern societ%. The terminological fluctuation between rh%thm and blues roc! and roll is due to the lac!, at the time, of a clear definition. &s 9arcus 'osits, .the% went through a lot of trouble finding a name for this music/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1;? . @ &lbert 4oldman notes that the .1ouths first blac!(oriented radio station went on the air at 9em'his/ (4oldman 1@1 in Gctober 19;D, a month after the $resle%s had arrived in the cit%.

;9

(6? . This shift in musical taste signalled a significant change in 1outhern mentalities as it shed light on the 'ermeation which was ta!ing 'lace along cultural lines, transforming racial attitudes and altering racial intolerance. 2f the authorities reacted b% confiscating 5u!e bo-es, the music industr% tried to curtail the outside influence not onl% for ideological reasons but also for financial ones. The ma5or recording firms suddenl% came to reali7e that consumers were not inert and the% were no longer the sole 'roviders of 'o'ular music, des'ite their attem'ts, during the 19;*s and 19"*s, to disseminate minorit% music in mainstream to !ee' control of the industr%. Conse)uentl%, rh%thm and blues .'osed a serious economic and cultural challenge to the musical and social establishment/ (+ertrand 61 . 2f rh%thm and blues offended the urbane tastes of the middle(class &frican( &merican communit%, <an! >illiamss music was also received negativel% b% the white(middle class, as +ertrand observes, .the realism of rh%thm and blues and countr% music contradicted the e-'ectations of 'ros'erit%, contentment, and harmon% that the mainstream fostered/ (6@ thus def%ing the social conformism which 'revailed at the time. +ut the #stablishment and ma5or record com'anies were certainl% not 're'ared for what was about to ha''en when an .unli!el% trio/ (4uralnic! and =orgensen 1D C#lvis $resle%, a 19(%ear old 9em'hian, 1cott% 9oore and +ill +lac!Cwal!ed into the 1un 1tudios, in 9em'his on the afternoon of =ul% ", 19";. Ao one could have antici'ated the musical earth)ua!e which was about to revolutioni7e 'o'ular music forever, when rh%thm and blues and countr% music melded, as #lviss voice burst out singing .+ig/ &rthur Crudu's song .Thats &ll 6ight, 9ama/ during the brea! of what had been an .unsuccessful/ rehearsal session. .ETFhe wa% the bo% 'erformed it, it came across with freshness and an e-uberance, it came across with the !ind of clear(e%ed, unabashed originalit! that 1am E$hilli'sF sought in all the music that he recorded : it was .different,/ it was itself/ (4uralnic!, ast Train 9" .; Three da%s later, 1am $hilli's brought the two one(sided acetates of .Thats &ll 6ight, 9ama/ to the ><+H ,=, ,ewe% $hilli's. &nd, as soon as ,ewe% 'la%ed the acetate, the switchboard lit u', and remained so as he 'la%ed the song over and over again (4uralnic! and =orgensen 1D(19 . #lvis had triggered a musical revolution which was about to change the &merican social and musical landsca'e. The mainstream was clearl% un're'ared for what the 'ress termed that .mongrel,/ or .nigger music/ (+ertrand 1*;(1*" , which seemed to unleash the worst instincts among its %oung followers. &fter 'la%ing in Grlando, a local re'orter =ean Bothers de'icted the effect of #lvis and the new music on the audience in the "rlando Sentinel of 9a% 16, 19""8 .>hat hillbill% music does to the hillbill% music fans is absolutel% 'henomenal. 2t trans'orts him into a wild, emotional and audible state of ecstas%/ (4uralnic!, ast Train 1DD . 2f the %oung re'orter seemed in .somewhat of a da7e/ (4uralnic! 1DD , the moral custodians and the 'ress" were in no wa% sharing her enthusiasm. >hen, a %ear later, #lvis 'erformed on The 9ilton +erle 1how on =une ", 19"6 he gave a se-uall% aggressive 'erformance of .<ound ,og/ with .all the bum's and grinds of a stri''er/ (4uralnic! and =orgensen ?@ .6 The 'ress reacted b% launching a scathing attac! on his 'erformance describing it as 'rimitive and
;

Three records 'rovide an accurate im'ression on what $resle%s earl% career sounded li!e8 Sunrise El#is Presle!$ The %o&'lete Million Dollar (uartet, and the recent bo- set entitled )oung Man *ith the Big Beat. 1ee 9arcus for an accurate descri'tion of $resle%s voice at the time8 .<is voice is raw, 'leading and 'ushing, full of indescribabl% se-% asides, EandF throat% nuances/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 16; . " The 'ress would belittle or ridicule him b% referring to him as .a no talent 'erformer,/ .the 3audeville 3alentino,/ or .the biggest frea! in modern show business./ 6 1ee the footages of this 'erformance in 9alcolm Leo and &ndrew 1oltIs film This is El#is (19D1 .

"*

obscene. The following month, =ul% 1*, 19"6, after 'erforming his first afternoon show in Florida, =udge 9arion 4ooding warned him, between the two shows, to .tone down his act/ (?@ or he would have to answer to the court. Gn 1e'tember 10, 19"6, the $olice Chief of 1an ,iego, California, threatened to 5ail #lvis for disturbing conduct were he ever to set foot bac! in the cit% (D; . <owever, the cultural custodians of the #stablishment, des'ite their overblown 'ortra%al of roc! and roll as a .case of musical delin)uenc%/ (+ertrand 1"* were unable to silence it and, as +ertrand remar!s, .EaFt the center of the roc!nroll debate stood #lvis $resle%./ $resle%s sudden success induced a ferocious bac!lash from the #stablishment and the 'ress. 9ost of their attac!s carried both class and racial overtones. The $resle%s economic indigence and their low social status had forced them to leave Tu'elo, 9ississi''i,? for 9em'his, Tennessee, in 19;D. ,es'ite the segregation laws in 9em'his, blac!s and whites came together on a dail% basis while the 'oor blac!s and whites were .similarl% estranged from societ% at large/ (+ertrand 196 and were viewed as outcasts who lived on the margins of societ%. >hile in Tu'elo #lvis had been living on the fringe of the blac! ghetto8 Living across 9ain 1treet from the 5umble of croo!ed alle%wa%s and tumbledown shac!s that ma!e u' 1ha!e 6ag, he would have to have sensed something of the life, he could not have missed the tumultuous bursts of song, the colorful street vendorscries, he would have observed it all with intense curiosit%, and he might have envied the shar' flashes of emotion, the bright s'lashes of color, the feelings so boldl% on dis'la% (4uralnic!, ast Train 0? . 2n 9em'his, the %oung #lvis attended rh%thm and blues concerts and wal!ed along +eale 1treet wearing garishl% coloured 7oot suits, his hair greased into a duc!tail. D +% embracing blac! musical culture #lvis disru'ted the southern social mores. &ccording to +ertrands 4ramscian inter'retation of the historical conte-t, rh%thm and blues and roc! and roll .became a shared vehicle of e-'ression for various grou's the mainstream had ignored, maligned, or re5ected/ (+ertrand 19" 9 thus endangering the staid world of the 19"*s. #lviss success rested on his 'erformance of a musical st%le .associated with wor!ing(class and blac! culture/ (19" . &s a conse)uence, roc! and roll music began brea!ing down social and racial barriers as #lviss success o'ened the door for the wor!ing(class southerners who sought 'ros'erit% 1* but also for the +lac! artists who had been confined within the boundaries of their communit%. 11 +% embracing blac! music, #lvis had not onl% crossed the forbidden line of legal segregation, he also )uestioned the whole com'le-it% of the 1ouths social structure as well as its historical roots. +ut $resle% also had to face the grudge coming from a fringe of the &frican( &merican 'o'ulation. 1ome members of the &frican(&merican communit% felt, once more,

1ee $eter 4uralnic!, ast Train to Me&'his+ .2n Tu'elo Ethe $resle%sF were scorned, li!e virtuall% an%one from above the highwa%, as 'oor white trash/ (0@(0; . D 1ee El#is ,hat -a''ened. .<e had long brown hair cut in a duc!tail fashion. The handfuls of 3aseline he 'ut on it made it loo! much dar!er than it was/ (6ed >est, 1onn% >est, ,ave <ebler as told to 1teve ,unleav% 1" . 2n his controversial biogra'h% on #lvis, &lbert 4oldman notes that .#lvis EJF ac)uired the classic 'un! loo!/ (4oldman 11; . 9 1ee also 9arcus8 .for #lvis, the blues was a st%le of freedom/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1?1 . 1* 1uch was the case for artists li!e =ohnn% Cash, Carl $er!ins and =err% Lee Lewis. 11 Little 6ichard ac!nowledged #lviss influence on the dissemination of blac! music8 .<e was an integrator, #lvis was a blessing. The% wouldnt let blac! music through. <e o'ened the door for blac! music./

"1

dis'ossessed10 as the% saw a %oung white singer thriving to success on their own music. >illie 9ae .+ig 9ama/ Thornton launched the controvers% over the song .<ound ,og,/ which she claimed to have written. >hen )uestioned further on the matter she re'lied that, although the song had been com'osed b% Leiber and 1toller, she had transformed it8 .The% gave me the words, but 2 changed it around and did it m% wa%/ (19* . +ertrand remar!s that Thorntons e-'lanation .ingenuousl% stresses artist inter'retation as the sole %ardstic! with which to measure authenticit%/ (19* .1@ Cultural historian 4reil 9arcus goes even further in clarif%ing the debate as he brushes those arguments, which he views as irrelevant, aside. &fter all, #lvis did e-actl% what Thornton had done. <e had .changed the song com'letel%, from the tem'o to the words, and cut Thorntons version to shreds EJF. &ll %ou can sa% is this was #lviss music because he made it his own/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1?0 .1; Bet, $resle%s relationshi' to &frican(&merican culture and music .re'resented something much more significant than cultural misa''ro'riation/ (+ertrand 199 notabl% because #lvis had a great following among the &frican(&merican communit%. 1" 9oreover, #lvis felt a sincere a''reciation for the +lac! 'eo'les music. >hen discussing music, #lvis was never reluctant to tal! about his musical roots and his indebtedness to his &frican(&merican 'redecessors .roc!nroll was here a long time before 2 came along. Aobod% can sing that !ind of music li!e colored 'eo'le/ (+ertrand 199 . Furthermore, he was never afraid of mi-ing with his blac! counter'arts16 or ta!ing 'art in &frican(&merican charities. Gn =ul% 0*, 19"6 the &frican( &merican news'a'er Me&'his ,orld re'orted that the 'revious evening #lvis had .crac!EedF 9em'his segregation laws b% attending the Fairgrounds 9em'his amusement 'ar! on #ast $ar!wa%, during what is designated as Kcolored night/ (4uralnic! and =orgensen ?6 . 2n ,ecember 19"6 he showed u' at the >,2& 4oodwill 6evue held at the #llis &uditorium in 9em'his to benefit need% blac! children. &s +.+. Ling recalled8 .EFFor a %oung white bo% to show u' at an all(blac! function too! guts/ (+ertrand 0*@ . Thus, $resle%s attitude, his sincere a''reciation of blues and gos'el music contributed to change .the rules of the 'o'ular music game/ (0*@ . &lthough roc! and roll fostered .racial ambivalence/ (0@; , it ma% not have revolutioni7ed race relations in the land of =im Crow. 2t however 'aved the wa% for greater tolerance between both communities, substantiating +ertrand assessment that 'o'ular culture is also 'olitical, 'articularl% in a region where .EmFusic gave 'leasure, wisdom and shelter/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1;0 . #lvis had become the voice of a generation who had started rebelling against the social conformism which 'revailed in &merica at the time. &s +ob ,%lan confessed, .>hen 2 first heard #lviss voice, 2 5ust !new that 2 wasnt going to wor! for an%bod%,
10

Concerning the notion of dis'ossession see 6al'h #llisons novel /n#isible Man (19"0 , which 'robabl% best describes what the &frican(&merican communit% were feeling at the time, ..,is'ossessionM Dis('ossession is the wordM/ 2 went on. .The%ve tried to dis'ossess us of our manhood and womanhoodM Gf our childhood and adolescence E...F &nd 2ll tell %ou something else : if we dont resist, 'rett% soon the%ll succeedM These are the da%s of dis'ossession, the season of homelessness, the time of evictions./ (@;@ . 1@ >,2& ,= and rNb singer 6ufus Thomas wrote an answer record entitled .+ear Cat./ This was an .old device in the 6N+ game8 a great wa% to catch a free ride on the coat tails of somebod% elses hit/ (4oldman 1;* . 1; 1ee 9arcus .2t is vital to remember that #lvis was the first %oung 1outhern white to sing roc!nroll, something he co'ied from no one but made on the s'ot/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1"" a claim which contradicts 4oldmans overtl% biased 5udgement on $resle%8 .#lvis $resle% was from his earliest %ears a marvellous mimic/ (1;9 . 1" The blac! maga7ine Tan noted that .#lvis has a lot of Aegro fans/ (+ertrand 0*@ . 16 2n %areless o#e0 The 1n&aking o2 El#is Presle! , $eter 4uralnic! mentions a visit #lvis made in 1961 to =ohnn% +ragg, the lead singer of the $risonaires, who had been incarcerated at the Tennessee 1tate $rison for 'arole violation8 .#lvis toured the various wor!sho's, 'rison dining hall and death house, and s'o!e briefl% with +ragg, as!ing if he needed a law%er or if there was an%thing at all he could do for him/ (4uralnic! 9? .

"0

and nobod% was going to be m% bossJ. <earing him for the first time was li!e bursting out of 5ail. 2 than! 4od for #lvis/ (1ounes ;D . &lthough +ertrand claims that 19"" was a 'ivotal %ear in the histor% of roc! and roll, things seem a little more com'le-. 1? >hile #lviss signature with 6C& records on Aovember 01, 19"" 'rovided him with nationwide recognition and worldwide fame, as an artist, he was alread% being im'erce'tibl% drawn into mainstream teenage culture, as both 6.C.&. and his managerCColonel Tom $ar!erC'rogressivel% reduced the %oung artists form of e-'ression into a commodit%. 1D Finall%, the danger he re'resented was neutered when he was drafted into the arm% on 9arch 0", 19"D.19 9eanwhile, shallow musical clones li!e 6ic!% AelsonCthe first teen idol to use television to 'romote his musical careerC'rovided roc! and roll with a sociall% more res'ectable image.0* +% the end of the decade the roc! and roll scene had begun dwindling awa% as man% of its heroes began disa''earing. >hile touring &ustralia in 19"?, Little 6ichard, feeling the call of religion, decided to )uit at the height of his career. Gn Februar% @, 19"9, a da% which .for man% roc! and roll fans Ecame to be !nown asF a da% of infam%/ (&)uila ?" , +udd% <oll% died in a 'lane crash. & %ear later, on 1? &'ril 196*, #ddie Cochran was !illed in a car accident in the Onited Lingdom. Bet, in a brief s'an (19";(19"? , roc! and roll had changed 'o'ular music forever as it o'ened a window onto a welter of une-'lored musical and social 'ossibilities.

'I !ea$ A(e$ica si )i )* +,alt ,!it(a -: .o/ D%la a " t!e cou te$cultu$e &s the 19"*s 'assed into the 196*s .EtFhings were 'rett% slee'% on the &mericana music scene/ (,%lan, %hronicles " %et the social dissent which had begun simmering in the mid(fifties gained new immediac%. &s the new decade dawned, the world the #stablishment was offering the %ounger generation was no longer viewed as acce'table. <owever, the growing 'rotest was not, 'arado-icall%, grounded in failure but, as Theodore 6os7ac! observed, in .the success of high industrial econom%/ (6os7ac! -ii . The need for radical social change called the m%th of material 'rogress into )uestion. &mericas %outh was %earning for another !ind of life and, as the old world was beginning to crac!, uniformit% was 'rogressivel% giving wa% to diversit% as ever%thing .was called into )uestion/ (6os7ac! --vi . 2n 19"6, &llen 4insbergs 'oem -o*l had announced the forthcoming generational war01 and in the midst of this inci'ient revolution, 6obert Pimmerman, a %oung fol! singer from the Aorth Countr%, left the northern wilderness for Aew
1?

Gn the reasons wh% 19"" was a 'ivotal date in &merican 'o'ular music see 6ichard &. $etersons insightful article .>h% 19""Q #-'laining the &dvent of roc! 9usic,/ Po'ular Music 9 R 1 (199* 8 9?(116. 1D 1ee 4reil 9arcus, Bob D!lan b! 3reil Marcus0 ,ritings 456789:4: . 9arcus notes that .EiFn the record industr%, music is referred to as .'roduct/ (9arcus, Bob D!lan 1@ . 19 2n 1969 when #lvis returned to live 'erformances he referred to his career in the si-ties, when he was discharged from the arm% and began ma!ing films, in a self(moc!ing statement. <is words give us a rather interesting insight into how he must have felt at the time8 .EJF hair fl%ing ever%where. <es got to be a weirdo man. 2 tell %ou, stone cold, natural frea!. 9an. Thats wh% 2 havent been in 'ublic in 9 %ears. Thats wh% the% 'ut me awa%. +o%. The% said get him out of here./ Live at the 2nternational <otel, Las 3egas, Aevada, &ugust @, 1969, dinner show. The show can be found on the bootleg record8 The ;eturn o2 a Prodig!. 0* 2n %hronicles, ,%lan observes that Aelson .was singing bleached out l%rics/ (1; . 01 &ccording to 6os7ac!, 4insbergs 'oem stands as a .founding document of the counter culture/ (6? . The o'ening verses of the 'oem clearl% underscore the feeling of alienation and distress felt b% the %oung generation8 .2 saw the best minds of m% generation destro%ed b% madness, starving h%sterical na!ed,Rdragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn loo!ing for an angr% fi-,Rangelhead hi'sters burning for the ancient heavenl% connection to the starr% d%namo in the machiner% of the night,REJF, (4insberg 1@; . 4insberg gave his first reading of -o*l at the 1igaller% in the Aorth +each district of 1an Francisco the night of Gctober ?, 19"".

"@

Bor! to further his nascent career. The %oung +ob arrived in Aew Bor! in =anuar% 1961 where he would soon become the .incarnation of the counterculture/ (4ates 1 . The fol! music revival, which had begun in the 19;*s, had been recentl% boosted b% the 'a%ola scandal of 196* which revealed that .music labels commonl% 'aid bribes to get 'o' records 'la%ed on the radio/ (1ounes 6D hence, in contrast to what a''eared on 'o' charts, the authenticit% and freshness of fol! music seemed .in tune with the feelings for social change in &merica/ (1*1 . +ob ,%lans 'rimar% location while in Aew Bor! was 4reenwich 3illage where he made a living 'la%ing in music venues and clubs (4erdes Fol! Cit% on >est ; th 1treet, the 4aslight Club on 9ac,ougal 1treetJ . <e would 'erform at hootnannies or o'en(mi!e nights, encountering the leading musicians of the +ohemian subculture such as ,ave 3an 6on!, $ete 1eeger, the Clanc% +rothers and =oan +ae7, who would soon 'la% a central role in his career. ,%lan learnt ever%thing he could from those e-'erienced artists ta!ing .the best of their material and stage craft for himself/ (1** . The %oung ,%lans 4uthries)ue st%le, the slight nasal twine of his voice and the rhetorical l%rics of his songs soon caught the attention of the fol! and 5a77 critic 6obert 1helton00 as well as the legendar% =ohn <ammond, who would soon sign the %oung artist with Columbia records. &s the earl% stages of his career unfolded, the %oung songsmith 'roduced songs which mirrored the .bro!en world EheF was living in/ (,%lan, %hronicles 1*D . ,%lan used fol! music to reflect contem'oraril% the com'le-ities of societ% as fol! songs were the .wa% EheF e-'lored the universe/ (1D and its recesses. &ccording to him, fol! music transcends .immediate culture/ (0? . Fol! songs tell stories0@ whose multi'le facets reflect the lives of the invisible mass. The !aleidosco'ic nature of his songs contributes to their great liveliness and though Christo'her 6ic!s ma% )uestion the wa% in which ,%lan re('erforms certain of his songs (6ic!s 1"(16 , 0; there is something essential about the wa% in which he re('erforms them 0" and which is at variance with 6ic!ss claim. Aot onl% does a song live, but the wa% in which its author 'erforms it reflects his changing mood and feelings, highlighting as'ects of the song which ma% not have been 'erceived when first recorded. 6e('erforming a song is undoubtedl% a means of reflecting ,%lans metamor'hic nature, as he once told ,avid 4ates8 .2 dont thin! 2m tangible to m%self. 2 mean, 2 thin! one thing toda% and 2 thin! another thing tomorrow. 2 change during the course of a da%. 2 wa!e and 2m one 'erson, and when 2 go to slee' 2 !now for certain 2m somebod% else/ (4ates 1 . 2n an interview with 6obert 1helton, ,%lan had dwelled on the wa% in which he 'erformed his songs8 .Aobod% else gives m% songs life. 2ts u' to me to do it ... +ut those songs have a life of their own, too/ (1helton 1 . &nd, when artists such as #lvis $resle%, 6ichie <avens, Aina 1imone, Gdetta, and $eter, $aul and 9ar% 'erform ,%lan songs, the% communicate a sense of uni)ueness to them as the% ma!e the songs their own.
00

6obert 1helton wrote in 1961 .9r. ,%lans voice is an%thing but 'rett%. <e is consciousl% tr%ing to reca'ture the rude beaut% of a 1outhern field hand in melod% on his bac! 'orch. &ll the .hus! and bar!/ are left on his notes, and searing intensit% 'ervades his songs EJF 9r. ,%lans highl% 'ersonali7ed a''roach toward fol! song is still evolving. <e has been so''ing u' influences li!e a s'onge/. The following bootleg records give an accurate account of +ob ,%lans talent in his inci'ient career8 Bob D!lan0 The Minnesota Ta'es and Bob D!lan0 3aslight Ta'es. The Minnesota Ta'es were recorded in ,ecember 1961 and The 3aslight Ta'es in 1960. Listen also to the recent official release Bob D!lan0 The ,it&ark De&os+ 45698456<. 0@ .fol!singers could sing songs li!e an entire boo!, but onl% in a few verses/ (,%lan, %hronicles @9 . 0; .&n% 'erformance, li!e an% translation, necessitates sacrifice, and 2 believe that it would be misguided, and even unwarrantabl% 'rotective of ,%lan, to su''ose that his decisions as to sacrifice in 'erformance could never be misguided/ (6ic!s 1" . 0" 1ee .+ob ,%lan est avant tout une voi-/. #ntretien avec 4reil 9arcus. $ro'os recueillis 'ar +runo Les'rit (6; . 2n this interview 9arcus highlights the im'ortance of re('erformance in ,%lans songs.

";

,%lans songs e-'lore social histor% in an archaeological wa% as the% tell the .underground stor%/ (,%lan, %hronicles 1*@ , unravelling the lives of those who go unnoticed. +ut, above all, the% define the .wa% Ehe feelsF about the world/ (,%lan "1 . <is songs tell stories which are true to life and, as a 'oet he finds wa%s to e-'ress the ine-'ressible8 .EtheF songs are m% le-icon. 2 believe the songs/ (4ates 1 . The vividness and realism of the stories are not s'ecific to fol! music but also evocative of the blues. ,%lans songs were influenced b% one of the most influential and elusive bluesmen of all time8 6obert =ohnson. =ohnsons realism, as 4uralnic! notes, is characterised b% the fact that he .intentionall% develo'ed themes in his songsS each song made a statement, both meta'horical and real/ (4uralnic!, Searching @? which is, of course, also true of ,%lans songs. <is earl% songs are imbued with the influence of <an! >illiams, whose .recorded songs were the archet%'e rules of 'oetic song writing/ (,%lan, %hronicles 96 .06 Aot to mention the influence of the legendar% &merican bard, >ood% 4uthrie, the .father of &merican fol! music/ (1ounes 0" . +obs songs weave fragments, .offbeat 'hrases/ (,%lan, %hronicles 1@D , archaic words, strange images which are out of time and s'ace. The visual imager% in ,%lans songs owes 'robabl% a lot to ,%lans interest in the visual arts as he went .through a 'hase when he s'read 'hotogra'hs, 'ostcards, and other 'ictures across the floor and wal!ed around them, loo!ing for ideas/ (1ounes 1?@ . +esides, ,%lans writing was influenced in man% wa%s b% the beat writing as his first and onl% novel, Tarantula (19?1 , attests to. <e has been thus considered b% critics as the .EsF'iritual heir to the beat 'oets/ (1ounes 1D@ . Bet, he was also influenced b% 'oets li!e Carl 1andburg, who believed the 'oets role as a witness would .create a new cultural consciousness b% reflecting and s%nthesi7ing facets of the &merican e-'erience in his time/ (=ohn #. <allwas -iv .0? &gainst the bac!dro' of the Cold >ar, and of growing social unrest, +ob ,%lan songs reflected his social concerns. The% encom'ass both social and 'olitical issues at sta!e in the earl% 196*s. .Tal!in Central $ar! 9ugger +lues/0D is a satire of the middle(class. &s for .+lowin in the >ind/09 it was viewed b% <oward 1ounes as the foundation of his career (1ounes 1"* . >hile not onl% reflecting the atmos'here of the time, the song was ra'idl% associated with the struggle for reform in &merica, as Christo'her 6ic!s notes, it .staves off ho'elessness and ho'efulness, disillusionment and illusion/ (6ic!s @00 , and it soon became the anthem of the civil rights movement (1ounes 1?; . & number of ,%lan songs reflected his dee' 'olitical beliefs concerning the issue of racial discrimination with .The ,eath of #mmett Till/ or .The Lonesome ,eath of <attie Carroll./ The latter tells the stor% of a drun!en landowner, >illiam Pant7inger, who !illed

06

2n %hronicles, ,%lan stresses >illiamss influence on his own song writing 'rocess8 .EJF his words : all of his s%llables are divided u' so the% ma!e 'erfect mathematical sense. Bou can learn a lot about the structure of songwriting b% listening to his records, and 2 listened to them a lot and had them internali7ed/ (,%lan, %hronicles 96 . 0? ,%lans encounter with 1andberg turned out to be a disa''ointment as the old 'oet had .never heard of +ob/ (1ounes 1D0 . 0D 1ee 1ounes for a detailed discussion on this song (1ounes 100(0@ . 09 .+lowin in The >ind/ is .,%lans arrangement of a traditional slave song called .Ao 9ore &uction +loc!./ <e borrowed the latters melod% and meter outline, which is a common 'ractice in fol! music/ (9an7ella 0; . Osing melodies of fol! standards and adding l%rics of his own was something 4uthrie and ,%lan were familiar with. The melod% of his song .1ong to >ood%/ was ada'ted from >ood% 4uthries song .191@ 9assacre/ (1ounes 11* . .+lowin in The >ind/ was released on ,%lans second album The =ree*heelin> Bob D!lan, alongside .9asters of >ar./

""

his "1(%ear(old hotel maid, <attie Carroll.@* ,%lan tells the stor% with .the econom% of a news re'orter and the imager% of a 'oet/ (1?6 . .Gnl% a $awn in Their 4ame/ de'icts the !illing of the field secretar% of the Aational &ssociation for the &dvancement of Colored $eo'le, 9edgan #vers in which ,%lan 'ortra%s the murderer as a 'awn in a game of ignorance and hatred, who is, li!e #vers, a victim of a 're5udiced societ%. The Civil rights issue was a recurrent concern in ,%lans wor!s as the following 'assage from Tarantula attests to8 .in gar%, indiana, colored man shot twent% times thru the headCcoroner sa%s cause of death is un!nownJ/ (,%lan, Tarentula 1@6 throwing light, once more, on the absurdit% of racial 're5udice. >ith .9asters of >ar,/ 'robabl% one of his best anti(war songs, its acerbic and fierce l%rics voiced the anger of a whole generation bewildered b% the absurdit% of war, and the terrif%ing 'ros'ect of the arms build(u', which was driving the world onto the brin! of a nuclear holocaust. The song e-coriates the #stablishment and the militar%(industrial com'le- deemed res'onsible for the deaths of thousands. & few %ears later, ,%lan wrote in his novel that .the world is run b% those that never listen to music an%wa%/ (,%lan, Tarentula 9; ,@1 'eo'le who are devoid of feelings or com'assion, 'eo'le be%ond redem'tion. 2n =anuar% 196;, .The Times The% &re &(Changin/ @0 e-'ressed the %ouths dissatisfaction with societ%S it is, as Christo'her 6ic!s remar!s, a song which .admonishes/ the #stablishment (6ic!s 06" . The songs acornCthe ancient adage, Te&'ora &utantur Ti&es changeCenables ,%lan to criticise the 'olitical and social s%stem of the time while e-'ressing the %oung generations urge for social and 'olitical change. <owever, des'ite ,%lans abilit% to ta!e the 'ulse of his surroundings and flesh it out in his songs, he has alwa%s refused to be viewed as a 'rotest singer8 The term .'rotest singer/ didnt e-ist an% more than the term .singer(songwriter./ Bou were a 'erformer or %ou werent, that was about itCa fol!singer or not one. .1ongs of dissent/ was a term 'eo'le used but even that was rare. 2 tried to e-'lain later 2 didnt thin! 2 was a 'rotest singer, that thered been a screw u'. 2 didnt thin! 2 was 'rotesting an%thing an% more than 2 thought >ood% 4uthrie songs were 'rotesting an%thing. 2 didnt thin! of >ood% as a 'rotest singer (,%lan, %hronicles D0(D@ .@@ #ven though he uses the term .'oet musician/ (,%lan 9D , which 'robabl% defines him best, it seems im'ossible to overloo! ,%lan as a ma5or figure of the counterculture. <is so( called 'rotest songs, which still remain relevant nowada%s, e-'ress the concerns of a man for the world he was living in. Bet, ,%lan refused to be active 'oliticall% and, during the escalation of the conflict in 3ietnam, as 1ounes o'ines, he .seemed oblivious to the 'olitics/ (1ounes 0"6 as he refused to 'artici'ate to the anti(war concert staged at Carnegie <allCorgani7ed b% =oan
@;
@*

The song was recorded on ,%lans third album entitled The Ti&es The! ?re ?8%hangin>, alongside with .Gnl% a $awn in their 4ame/ and the albums title song. @1 This ma% be a 'ossible echo of >illiam 1ha!es'eares 'la% The Merchant o2 Venice (16** . Loren7o .The man that hath no music in himself,RAor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,R2s fit for treasons, stratagems, and s'oils,RThe motions of his s'irit are dull as night,R&nd his affections dar! as #rebus8RLet no such man be trusted8: mar! the music./ (3, i, D@(DD . @0 1ee Christo'her 6ic!ss insightful anal%sis of the title(refrain 'ages 06*(61. @@ 1ee Tarantula (100 . ,%lans o'inion on 4uthrie not being a 'rotest singer seems to contradict the o'inion e-'ressed in his autobiogra'h%. >hen )uestioned b% =ohn Loma- on so(called .com'laining songs/ the blues singer +lind >illie 9cTell:who was eulogi7ed b% ,%lan in .+lind >illie 9cTell/ (19D@ which was released in 1991:was rather reluctant to answer Loma-Is )uestion. <owever, 9cTell said those songs concerned both blac!s and whites. 1ee Blind ,illie McTell0 459@845<: The %lassic )ears0 ?tlanta, disc ,, trac! 0. @; 1ee 6obert 1heltons interview in which ,%lan tells the critic8 .2 consider m%self a 'oet first and a musician second. 2 live li!e a 'oet and 2ll die li!e a 'oet/ (1helton ; .

"6

+ae7, on 1e'tember 0", 196"Curging %oung men to resist being drafted. 2n =ul% 1969 he refused to 'artici'ate to the >oodstoc! Festival. @" ,%lans a'ath% towards certain 'olitical events induced reactions among some of his fans. The ,%lan Liberation Front founded b% an obsessive fanC&. =. >ebermanCorganised a demonstration in =anuar% 19?1, outside ,%lans house on 9ac,ougal 1treet, during which the demonstrators chanted .Free +ob ,%lanM/, .Free +ob ,%lan from <imselfM/ (1ounes @*9 ,@6 .,%lans +rain +elongs to the $eo'le./ &lthough ,%lans songs told stories which, to an e-tent, were true to life, he didnt want to be viewed as the s'o!esman of a generation. >hen )uestioned about 'olitics and if he viewed himself as a 'olitician, ,%lan re'lied .>ell, 2 guess so. 2ve got m% own 'art% though/ @? clearl% underscoring his sense of individualism, which is 'robabl% best illustrated b% what he writes in his autobiogra'h% as he recalls the wa% in which he had been introduced at one of the Aew'ort Fol! Festivals b% 6onnie 4ilbert8 .&nd here he isJ ta!e him, %ou !now him, hes %ours./ 2 had failed to sense the ominous forebodings in the introduction. #lvis had never been introduced li!e that. .Ta!e him, hes %oursM/ >hat a cra7% thing to sa%M 1crew that. &s far as 2 !new 2 didnt belong to an%bod% then or now/ (,%lan, %hronicles 11" . &s ,%lan 'rogressivel% moved awa% from 'rotest songs, as his wor! became more intros'ective, the wedge between him and the 'rotest movement grew further. <is acute sense of individualism and, as Aigel >illiamson avers, his dee' sensitivit% 'revented him from becoming .dee'l% 'olitici7ed/ (>illiamson ;0 while also !ee'ing his fans at ba%. ,!e t!e Poet Meets t!e Ki ) Few singers have been so involved in the events of their time as #lvis $resle% and +ob ,%lan. &nd 'erha's, few 'o'ular singers have been so im'ortant in the understanding of &merican societ% from the mid(fifties to the mid(seventies. &lthough drawing a com'arison between two such artists ma% a''ear somewhat of a daunting tas!, 2 will tr% to show that both artists shared )uite a lot in common while remaining, at the same time, uni)ue. 1ociologist <oward +ec!er best described the wa% in which musicians were 'erceived at the time8 .the musician is conceived of as an artist who 'ossesses a m%sterious gift setting him a'art from all other 'eo'le/ (+ec!er D" . This, therefore, ma% e-'lain the influence both artists e-erted on societ% as the% 'robabl% elicited greater res'ect and admiration from %ouths than 'oliticians. 2t has never been clearl% established but we ma% assume, on the evidence at hand that both artists didnt actuall% meet, even though +ob =ohnston tried to arrange a meeting between them. Onfortunatel%, the 'ro5ect never came through, as =ohnston recalls, .2 tried to get them to record together. 2 thin! ,%lan would have done it in a second, EJF. +ut $resle%s manager, Colonel Tom $ar!er, bloc!ed it for reasons un!nown/ (1ounes 0D6 .Bet, if both artists had a mutual res'ect for each others wor!, $resle%s attitude toward ,%lan was seemingl% ambivalent. 9usicall% s'ea!ing, #lvis was one of +ob ,%lans heroes. The Ling was, amongst others, one of the 'oets ma5or influences, as ,%lans reaction to #lviss death attests to8 .2t was so sad. 2 had a brea!downM 2 bro!e downJ one of the ver% few times 2 went over m% whole life. 2 went over m%
@" @6

1ee 1ounes for the reasons wh% ,%lan had no intention of a''earing at >oodstoc! (09;(9D . ,%lan recalls the event in his autobiogra'h%, see %hronicles, 11?(1D. &lan =ules >eberman is 'robabl% the archet%'e of the obsessive fan. <e claims inventing ,%lanolog%8 the detailed stud% and te-tual anal%sis of ,%lans l%rics. >eberman later invented garbolog% : a .science/ based on what one could deduce about the ,%lans art from what he found in his waste bins. +ob ,%lan, however, 'artici'ated to the +angladesh Concert staged at the 9adison 1)uare 4arden on &ugust 1, 19?1. @? The interview is available on the C,, ;ock ;e'ort0 Bob D!lan0 Blood on the Tracks.

"?

whole childhood. 2 didnt tal! to an%one for a wee! after #lvis died. 2f it wasnt for #lvis and <an! >illiams, 2 couldnt be doing what 2 am doing toda%./ (1helton 0 . Throughout his career, ,%lan recorded a number of #lvis songs and 'articularl% the 1un recordings. @D >hile recording his second album in 1960 ,%lan recorded a version of .Thats &ll 6ight, 9ama,/ @9 an almost note('erfect co'% of #lviss version (>illiamson 0"0 . 2n the earl% 19?*s, when his career slowed down he attended concerts b% other artists. <e went to see #lviss concert at 9adison 1)uare 4arden (19?0 as he tried maintaining interest into what was going on, on the &merican musical scene. ,%lan had alwa%s shown great interest in #lviss musical career. 2n 1969, the #nglish roc! columnist and critic 6a% Connoll% recalls a tele'hone conversation he had with ,%lan the da% after seeing #lviss latest 'erformance in Las 3egas. ,%lan was e-tremel% interested and curious about $resle%s 'erformance8 .>as he goodQ 6eall% goodQ >ho was in the bandQ >ere the =ordanaires with himQ &nd 1cott% 9oore on guitarQ >hat did he singQ ,id he do .Thats &ll 6ight, 9ama/ and the 1un 6ecords stuffQ/ The )uestions 'oured out/ (Connoll% D* . 2n his controversial cover album Sel28Portrait (19?* ;* ,%lan recorded another $resle% song .+lue 9oon./ 2n 19?@ he recorded two other $resle% songs which a''eared on D!lan (? =ool such as /), on which we can hear him unconvincingl% crooning his wa% through .Cant <el' Falling in Love/ and .& Fool such as 2./ Gver twent% %ears later in 199; ,%lan went into Aew Bor!s 1on% studios to record a few #lvis related songs. ;1 <e recorded .&n%wa% Bou >ant 9e,/ .Lawd% 9iss Clawd%/ as well as two u'(tem'o versions of .9one% <one%./ Gn 16 &ugust 0**9, while 'la%ing in Aevada, ,%lan 'aid tribute to #lvis on the thirt%(second anniversar% of his death, as he convincingl% sang, for the first time, #lviss 19"? hit .<eartbrea! <otel./ ;0 Gn the album 1nder the ;ed Sk! (199* , ,%lans song .T3 Tal!in 1ong/ while de'icting the no-ious effect of television which brainwashes those who watch it, mentions #lviss habit of shooting T3 screens8 2t will lead %ou into some strange 'ursuits Lead %ou to the land of forbidden fruits 2t will scramble u' %our head and drag %our brain about 1ometimes %ou gotta do li!e #lvis did and shoot the damn thing out.;@ 2f #lvis had revolutioni7ed rh%thm and blues, ,%lan revolutioni7ed fol! music. &t the Aew'ort Fol! Festival, on =ul% 0", 196" $ete 1eeger had e-'ected +ob ,%lan to give an .acoustic 'erformance of sociall% aware songs/ (1ounes 00* . >hen he 'erformed them with an electric guitar, ,%lan received a hostile res'onse from the audience. The use of electrical guitars was viewed b% Fol! 'urists as subversive, as Gscar +rand, avers .EtFhe electric guitar re'resented ca'italismJ the 'eo'le who were selling out/ (001 . 2n s'ite of the traditionalists finding it
@D @9

1ee 1ounes, .+ob had alwa%s admired $resle%s 1un 6ecordings/ (0D6 . This song is available on the bootleg record The =ree*heelin>"uttakes. &nother version was recorded with =ohnn% Cash during the Aashville 1!%line sessions. 2t is available on Johnn! %ash A Bob D!lan0 The Nash#ille Ta'es , C+1 *069. The album was not officiall% released. ;* 1ee 4reil 9arcus. .>hats this shitQ/ were 9arcus o'ening words in the album review he wrote for ;olling Stones maga7ine on 0@ =ul% 19?* (9arcus, Bob D!lan ? . ;1 The recordings were not released. <owever, the% are available on the bootleg album The =ourth Ti&e ?round0 3enuine Bootleg series$ #ol0 <, 1cor'io 6ecords, 0**D. ;0 <arve%s La!e Tahoe Gutdoor &rena, 1tateline, Aevada, 16 &ugust 0**9. The song is available on Bob D!lan0 ake Tahoe$ 9::5. ;@ Bob D!lan 456989::4 !rics (";9 .

"D

outrageous, ,%lan, who loved roc! and roll, believed in am'lified music and was thus, li!e #lvis before him, .a rebel in the music that made him famous/ (9arcus 1D0 . ,uring the 196*s;; #lvis was contracted to <oll%wood where he was ma!ing dull and interchangeable movies. &s the film were getting worse and the music even worse ;" it became obvious that he was .neither interested in, nor satisfied with the music that was being released in his name/ (4uralnic!, %areless o#e 0*? . <owever, the s'an of his home recordings ;6 attests to his continuous interest on what was going on the musical scene as he became ac)uainted with +ob ,%lans music while listening to records b% $eter, $aul N 9ar%, Gdetta and Aina 1imone, indicating that #lvis tuned into contem'orar% fol! music. #lviss home recording of .+lowin in the >ind/ illustrates the influence of $eter, $aul N 9ar%. <is recording of a ,%lan com'osition which had %et to be recorded b% ,%lan, .Tomorrow 2s a Long Time/ (4uralnic! 0@@ has been considered b% ,%lan himself as the best version of the song. ,uring the earl% seventies #lvis recorded another of ,%lans songs, .,ont Thin! Twice, 2ts &ll 6ight,/ which was released on the album El#is (=ool) and an eleven(minute 5am illustrates #lviss .freewheeling s'irit/ (=orgensen @6@ . ,uring the same session #lvis threw in a verse of another ,%lan com'osition .2 1hall +e 6eleased/ and he sang it .with a !ind of feeling that indicated that this song should have been the record/ (=orgensen @@@ . Bet #lviss attitude toward ,%lan was ambivalent, as 4uralnic! observes, .much as E#lvisF ma% have detested ,%lans vocal )ualit% ;? and e)uall% abrasive cultural 'olitics/ (4uralnic!, %areless o#e 0@@ , he was 'robabl% envious of the freedom that artists li!e ,%lan, the +eatles and the 6olling 1tones en5o%ed and which, he himself had once en5o%ed. &s #lviss career at <oll%wood was coming to an end he wanted to 'erform again before live audiences and A+C 'ro'osed him to do a T3 1'ecial which was to be aired in ,ecember 196D. $resle%s manager, Colonel Tom $ar!er, wanted to limit the show to #lvis 'erforming Christmas songs. +ut #lvis and 1teve +inder were adamant about it not being some corn% Christmas show.;D #lvis was anguished at whether or not he still had the magic to ca'ture a T3 audience since his last 'ublic 'erformance, which dated bac! to 9arch, 0", 1961 when he 'erformed at +loch &rena in $earl <arbor. The show was a fantastic success and it .reestablished his 'lace as a dominant force in &merican music and culture/ (=orgensen 06@ . The shows clima- rested on >. #arl +rowns new song .2f 2 Can ,ream/ and while the song was a statement about 'eace and brotherhood it is rather, as 4uralnic! writes, .the 'ain and conviction and raw emotion in #lviss voice/ (4uralnic!, %areless o#e @1* that commands our attention. >hile listening to #lvis we cannot but thin! of the famous s'eech ,r 9artin Luther Ling, =r. made during the Civil 6ights 9arch in >ashington, ,C on &ugust 0D, 196@. 2ts resonance was all the more evident since ,r Ling had been assassinated in 9em'his in &'ril 196D. &lthough #lvis never claimed nor even e-'ressed the desire of being a 'rotest singer he was e-tremel%
;;

& 'eriod described b% 4reil 9arcus as a 'eriod during which #lvis .disa''eared into an oblivion of res'ectabilit% and securit%/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1@@ . ;" Listen to #lvis, in =anuar% 1966, bursting into laughter during the soundtrac! recordings for the film S'inout, as he considers the ridiculous l%rics of the song he is recording. This is available on the bootleg album B%ut Me A / BleedC0 The "ther Side o2 El#is0 ?lternate$ -u&orous A So&eti&es ;isDue Studio$ -o&e A i#e ;ecorded Tracks , ,ouble .4/, ,4 **@R1999. Trac! 1@ .+each 1hac!/ (Ta!es 1R@ . ;6 =orgensen observes that .EsFinging and 'la%ing music with friends had alwa%s been 'art of #lviss home life,/ (=orgensen 0*; . ;? #lvis had once said .9% mouth feels li!e +ob ,%lans been slee'ing in it/ (4uralnic! 00@ . ;D 1ee 4uralnic! for a detailed descri'tion of the shows rehearsals, ( %areless o#e 09;(@1? . 1ee also 4reil 9arcus who notes it .was the finest music of his life. 2f ever there was music that bleeds, this was it/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1@9 . Listen to El#is0 The %o&'lete >67 %o&eback s'ecial.

"9

aware of the changes which were ta!ing 'lace in &merica and the world, and he felt the need to sing his concern about the situation. <e, therefore, decided to record 9ac ,aviss song .2n the 4hetto (The 3icious Circle /;9 which was, as 4uralnic! notes, .more in the nature of an e-'licit Kmessage song/ (@@1 de'icting the conse)uences of 'overt% and societal indifference on a %oung bo% growing u' in the ghetto. The song clearl% discussed a controversial issue at the time as it 'leaded for .com'assion for blac! %outh/ (@@0 and #lvis was, undoubtedl%, convinced of .the sincerit% of its message, and felt strongl% about the issue/ (=orgensen 0?1 . +ut, as obvious as it ma% seem, what both artists shared above all was their love for music and the fact that the% are 'rofoundl% &merican. 2n his biogra'h% on ,%lan, <oward 1ounes mentions how, in his earl% career, his relationshi's with women became 'roblematic when the% discovered .he was focused on music to the e-clusion of almost ever%thing else/ (0@0 . The im'ortance of music and songs were, and still are, essential in +obs life as he told 6obert 1helton, who was )uestioning him on how he related to his songs and music8 .2ts not me. 2ts the songs. 2m 5ust the 'ostman. 2 deliver the songs. Thats all 2 have in this world are those songs/ (1helton 1 . ,%lan gave this interview in 19?D and his words are reminiscent of those #lvis s'o!e, eight %ears earlier, on receiving the =a%cee &ward in =anuar% 19?*8 .2d li!e to sa% that 2 learned ver% earl% in life that8 K>ithout a song the da% would never endR >ithout a song a man aint got no friendR >ithout a song the road would never bendR >ithout a songJ 1o 2 !ee' singing a song/ (4uralnic!, %areless o#e ;09 . For #lvis, music embodied all the &merican dream could carr% for a 'oor %oung white southerner who went from rags to riches. 2n ,%lans case music 'robabl% im'lied a more intellectual form of recognition. Bet, both artists are 'rofoundl% &merican and both embod% the ambivalence and contradictions of their nation. The e'ic figure of #lvis is, without doubt, the 'erfect incarnation of the &merican dream, and his tragic death endowed him with an almost divine nature as he came to re'resent for man% a .Christomor'hic/ figure "* not to mention the numerous urban legends about him being still alive. "1 2n the final %ears, as 4reil 9arcus writes, .the &merica that #lvis has come to s%mboli7e so 'owerfull%, EwasF an &merica that onl% wantEedF to a''laud, to sa% Bes and mean it/ (9arcus, M!ster! Train 1D9 . #lviss life and career enca'sulates all the facets of the &merican dream8 he was the rebel who changed &merican music foreverS the good &mericanS the conservative 'atriot with his 6e'ublican stances, and finall% the Ling who had had ever%thing and who lost it all through drugs and mismanagement. <e was not onl% roc! and rolls last iconS he 'ersonified the great &merican traged%. Bet, we are left with his legac% .a music that still sounds new, that still brea!s thing o'en/ (9arcus 161 ."0 &s for ,%lan, he trul% felt &merican, and 'robabl% still does, as he writes in his autobiogra'h% .EbFeing raised in &merica, the countr% of freedom and inde'endence, 2 had alwa%s cherished the values and ideals of e)ualit% and libert%. 2 was determined to raise m% children with those ideals/ (,%lan, %hronicles 11" . +ut above all his medium is and remains &merican, as he told +ob 1helton, who )uestioned him on whether he would be able to live elsewhere, ,%lan re'lied8 .EcFreativel%, 2 couldnt live an%where but &merica, because 2
;9

2n 19?0, during the >attssta- Festival, which was conceived as the blac! >oodstoc!, 2saac <a%es 'erforms 'robabl% one of the most insightful songs on the sub5ect8 .1oulsville/. /saac -a!es at ,attsStaE. "* 1ee ,avid >in!lers film ;oad to 3raceland (199D , which 'rovides a 'ossible e-'lanation of what #lvis has come to s%mboli7e for certain 'eo'le in &merica. "1 1ee ,on Coscarellis film Bubba -o8Te' (0**@ , which is an amusing and interesting variation on the #lvis m%th. "0 & re(mi- of .& Little Less Conversation/ to''ed the charts in 0**0.

6*

understand the tone behind the language/ (1helton 0 . ,%lan ma%, therefore, be viewed as true heir of #mersons &merican 1cholar .EtFhe scholar is that man who must ta!e u' into himself all the abilit% of the time, all the contributions of the 'ast, all the ho'es of the future./ "@ >hile 'eeling bac! the man% la%ers of &mericas histor%, he has not onl% 'roduced a wor! which is dee'l% &merican, but has 'ortra%ed the com'le- &merican social, 'olitical and 'o'ular landsca'e in a wa% no other songwriter has. The subversive nature of music"; dates bac! to $latos ;e'ublic and a*s. 2n both wor!s, the 4ree! 'hiloso'her submits music to com'le- scrutin%. $lato viewed music as a 'ossible threat for the dominant ideolog% as it could 'ossibl% induce uncontrolled 'assions amongst %ouths, either through subversive l%rics or ina''ro'riate rh%thms. The advent of #lvis $resle% and roc! and roll, the fol! revival, which occurred under +ob ,%lans im'ulse, illustrate how music was an inherent 'art of the struggle for the social change, which too! 'lace at the core of &merican societ%, from the mid(fifties to the mid(seventies. >hile #lvis o'ened a new musical frontier that im'acted &merican societ%, his sad and tragic coda s%mboli7ed the e-cesses of the &merican dream. &s for ,%lans ongoing career, it is here to remind us of the critical im'ortance of music in 'o'ular culture, as an influential instrument of social and 'olitical change. +ut it is 'robabl% +ruce 1'ringsteen who best summari7ed the legac% of both artists in his s'eech, which inducted +ob ,%lan into the 6oc! and 6oll <all of Fame, in =anuar% 19DD8 .,%lan was a revolutionar%. The wa% #lvis freed our bodies, +ob freed our minds./

.i/lio)$a0!% &HO2L&, 6ichard. .Aot Fade &wa%/ +udd% <oll% and the 9a!ing of an &merican Legend./ The Journal o2 Po'ular %ulture 1;8; (19D0 8 ?"(D*. +#CL#6, <oward 1., "utsiders0 Studies in the Sociolog! o2 De#iance. 196@. Aew Bor!8 The Free $ress, 1991. +#6T6&A,, 9ichael T. ;ace$ ;ock$ and El#is. 0***. Orbana and Chicago8 Oniversit% of 2llinois $ress, 0**". CGAAGLLB, 6a%. .The Ling and 2./ /ntelligent i2e (1e'temberRGctober 0*11 8 ?;(D0. ,BL&A, +ob. Tarantula. 1966. Aew Bor!8 +antam +oo!s, 19?1. ( ( ( ( . 456989::4 !rics. 0**;. London8 1imon N 1chuster, 0**6. ( ( ( ( . %hronicles0 Volu&e "ne. London(1%dne%(Aew Bor!8 1imon N 1chuster, 0**;. #LL21GA, 6al'h. /n#isible Man. 19"0. Aew Bor!8 3intage +oo!s, 19D9. #9#61GA, 6al'h >aldo. The ?&erican Scholar0 in Selected Essa!s$ ectures$ and Poe&s0 #d. 6obert ,. 6ichardson =r. Aew Bor!8 +antam +oo!s, 199*. D0(1**.
"@ ";

#merson 99. The 4ree! word &ousikF has a wider meaning than the #nglish word .music/. 2n &ncient 4reece, 'oetr% and music were immingled. That is .wh% Efor $latoF this stage of education EwasF crucial. For rh%thm and harmon% 'enetrate dee'l% into the mind and ta!e a most 'owerful hold on it/. Conse)uentl%, according to the 4ree! 'hiloso'her music had to be carefull% monitored b% the authorities. The ;e'ublic, +oo! 222, ;*1d(;*1e (9D .

61

4&T#1, ,avid. .,%lan 6evisited./ The Dail! Beast, Gctober ", 199?. htt'8RRthedail%beast.comRnewswee!R199?R1*R*"R,%lan(revisited.'rint.html 8 1(". 42A1+#64, &llen. -o*l0 in %ollected Poe&s 45<@8455@. London8 $enguin Classics, 0**9. 1@;(;0. 4GL,9&A, &lbert. El#is. 19D1. <armondsworth8 $enguin, 19D0. 4O6&LA2CL, $eter. Searching 2or ;obert Johnson. 19D0. Aew Bor!8 $lume, 199D. ( ( ( ( . ast Train to Me&'his0 The ;ise o2 El#is Presle!. 199;. London8 &bacus, 1999. ( ( ( ( . %areless o#e0 The 1n&aking o2 El#is Presle!. 1999. London8 &bacus, 0***. 4O6&LA2CL, $eter and #rnst =G64#A1#A. El#is0 Da! b! Da!0 The De2initi#e ;ecord o2 -is i2e and Music. Aew Bor!8 & +allantine +oo!, 1999. =G64#A1#A, #rnst. El#is Presle!0 ? i2e in Music0 %o&'lete ;ecording Sessions. Aew Bor!8 1aint 9artins $ress, 199D. 9&AP#LL&, Teresa 6%an, -o* to ?nal!ze the Music o2 Bob D!lan. #dina, 9innesota8 &+,G $ublishing Com'an%, 0*10. 9&6CO1, 4reil. M!ster! Train. 19?". London8 Faber N Faber, 0**". ( ( ( ( . Bob D!lan b! 3reil Marcus0 ,ritings 456789:4:. Aew Bor!8 $ublic&ffairs, 0*1*. ( ( ( ( . .+ob ,%lan est avant tout une voi-/ interview with +runo Les'rit, -ors8SGrie e Monde$ 1ne #ie$ une Hu#re + Bob D!lan I la 'oursuite d>une lGgende 8 6@(69. $#T#61GA, 6ichard &.. .>h% 19""Q #-'laining the &dvent of 6oc! 9usic./ Po'ular Music 98 1 (199* 8 9?(116. $L&TG, The ;e'ublic. Translated b% ,esmond Lee. >ith an introduction b% 9elissa Lane. London8 $enguin Classics, 0**?. 62CL1, Christo'her. D!lan>s Visions o2 Sin. 0**@. Aew Bor!8 <ar'erCollins, 0**". 6G1P&L, Theodore. The Making o2 a %ounter %ulture. 196D. +er!ele%(Los &ngeles(London8 Oniversit% of California $ress, 199". 1&A,+#64, Carl. %hicago Poe&s. 1916. 2ntroduction b% =ohn #. <allwas. Orbana and Chicago. Oniversit% of 2llinois, 1990. 1<#LTGA, 6obert. .+ob ,%lan8 & ,istinctive 1t%list./ The Ne* )ork Ti&es, 1e'tember 09, 1961. ( ( ( ( . .#-'ecting 6ain. <ow ,oes it Feel to +e on Bour GwnQ/ +ob ,%lan tal!s to 6obert 1helton. Melod! Maker. =ul% 09, 19?D. htt'8RRwww.e-'ectingrain.comRdo!RintR shelton19?D...8 1(1*. 1GOA#1, <oward. Do*n the -igh*a!0 The i2e o2 Bob D!lan . 0**1. London8 +lac! 1wan +oo!, 0**0. >#1T, 6ed, 1on% >#1T and ,ave <#+L#6 as told to 1teve ,unleav%. El#is0 ,hat -a''ened. Aew Bor!8 +allantine +oo!s, 19??. 60

>2LL2&91GA, Aigel. The ;ough 3uide to Bob D!lan. London8 6ough 4uides, 0**6. Disco)$a0!% ,BL&A, +ob. Bob D!lan. 1960. Columbia. 1on% +94 #ntertainment, 0**". C,. ( ( ( ( . The =ree*heelin> Bob D!lan. 196@. Columbia. 1on% 9usic #ntertainment 2nc., 0**@. C,. ( ( ( (. The Ti&es The! ?re ?8%hangin>. 196;. Columbia. 1on% +94 9usic #ntertainment, 0**". C,. ( ( ( ( . i#e at The 3aslight 4569. 1on% +94 9usic #ntertainment, 0**". C,. ( ( ( ( . The ,it&ark De&os+ 45698456<. The +ootleg 1eries 3ol. 9. 1on% 9usic #ntertainment, 0*1*. C,. ,BL&A, +ob and =ohnn% C&1<. Johnn! %ash A Bob D!lan0 The Nash#ille Ta'es. C+1. 1969. <&B#1, 2saac. /saac -a!es at ,attStaE, 1ta- 6ecords. 0**@. C,. 9CT#LL, +lind >illie. The %lassic )ears (459@845<:). =1$ 6ecords. 0**@. C,. The egendar! Sun ;ecords Stor!0 "riginal ?rtists0 "riginal ;ecordings . Castle 9usic Ltd. 0***. C,.

$6#1L#B, #lvis. El#is Presle! Platinu&0 ? i2e in Music. 6C&R+94 #ntertainment. 199?. C,. ( ( ( ( . Sunrise El#is, 6C& 6ecords. 1999. C,. ( ( ( ( . The %o&'lete Million Dollar (uartet, 6C&R1on% +94. 0**6. C,. ( ( ( ( . El#is0 The %o&'lete >67 %o&eback S'ecial. 6C&R1on% +94. 0**D. C,. ( ( ( ( . )oung Man *ith the Big Beat. 6C& 6ecordsR1on%. 0*11. C,. ( ( ( ( . El#is No*. Follow That ,ream 6ecordsR6C&R1on% 9usic. 0*1*. C,. ( ( ( ( . El#is =ool. Follow That ,ream 6ecordsR6C&R1on% 9usic. 0*1*. C,. .ootle)s ,BL&A, +ob. The Minnesota Ta'es. >anted 9an 9usic. 199;. C,. ( ( ( ( . 3aslight Ta'es. <it 9emories Collection. C,. ( ( ( ( . The =ree*heelin> "uttakes. 3igotoneR3igo 11". 199;. C,. ( ( ( ( . The =ourth Ti&e ?round. 4enuine +ootleg 1eries 3ol. ;. 1cor'io 6ecords. 0**D. C,. ( ( ( ( . ;ock ;e'ort0 Bob D!lan0 Blood on the Tracks. L6+ 9usic Com'anies. 199D. C, ( ( ( ( . ake Tahoe 9::5. Tambourine 9an 6ecords. 0**9. C,. $6#1L#B, #lvis, The ;eturn o2 a Prodig!. 4ravel 6oad 6ecords. 0*1*. C,. ( ( ( ( . The "ther Side o2 El#is0 ?lternate$ -u&orous A So&eti&es ;isDue Studio$ -o&e A i#e ;ecorded Tracks$ Double B3C, 1999. C,.

6@