Thanks for this terrific article. There’s a great performance by Bob of Hattie Carroll on the Steve Allen show in 1965, you can find it on YouTube if you haven’t seen.
When I arrived on campus in Champaign/Urbana in the Fall of 1960, I had not been exposed to the folk music scene. I was pop, rock and some jazz (maybe a touch of blues). However, one of my classmates with an acoustic guitar immediately opened me up to the folk music catalog. It was love at first listen. But despite the fact that everyone in Chicago had been horrified by the murder of Emmett Till, I can’t say that there was an immediate association of folk music with the civil rights movement. I’m afraid we were too naive. After all, you could find all of the bias, bigotry and racism you wanted right in Chicago.
I’ve actually come to my understanding of Dylan’s evolution after uncovering the devolution of The Band by watching The Last Waltz and then filling in the gaps.
I’m not sure who would be on the Mt. Rushmore of folk lyricists, but it would have to include Guthrie and Dylan. Maybe Gordon Lightfoot? Pete Seeger? Others?
Ooo My grandma was from Champaign! I definitely need to do more exploration of the Chicago Old Town folk scene, especially because as you said, Chicago at the time, had a lot of racism. As I'm sure you know, Dr. King was met with a lot of racist violence when he organized there in 1966 with the SCLC.
The Basement Tapes is a great album, isn't it?!
Joni Mitchell? Phil Ochs? Maybe Malvina Reynolds too?
In the Army, you were pretty isolated from the protest environment, including the music. I was still growing up and considered making the Army a career. Went back to Vietnam in 1969-70. It was then that I decided to get out (in 1972). Two big events for me were Kent State and My Lai. Then came the Pentagon Papers. My last two years in the Army I was a ROTC officer on a college campus. I did not hesitate to discuss issues with students and faculty. By then it was obvious that South VN would never be able to form a strong enough government. We were trying to put our foot in the slamming door of history. Robin Williams film “Good Morning Vietnam” was very much on point.
First, this is the best review of the Dylan movie I have read. This is the best movie review of any movie that I’ve read. Bravo.
Second, I researched Nina Simone, who is also called the Voice of The Civil Rights movement. What a powerful duo of talent. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see a movie based on their work and contributions to the era and the cause?
Thank you for taking the time to write and share this beautiful piece. You’re right - and the movie even gives those very hard songs you mention a wide berth. If you don’t know Dylan’s music, you could easily come away from the film believing all his material from that era was all metaphorical, when he was continually pulling stories out of the newspaper and turning them into blistering songs. Allegedly, William Zantzinger went to his grave raging about that “sumbitch” Bob Dylan. He was contemporary, and he named names.
I realize you’re telling a much bigger story about music and movements, but the movie also doesn’t do justice to his art, or to the anger of the Newport folks, by making the whole story about genre and electric vs. acoustic music. Newport hosted Chuck Berry in 1958; they weren’t naive about rock’n’roll. They were upset that he was so violently, in their view, *disengaging*.
Thank you for reading! Yes that’s a great point about disengaging—-seems unfair to critique festival goers rather than a celebrity.
And yes! “Hattie Carrol” is so literal, right? The verse where he just keeps repeating table as the last word—“and never sat once at the head of the table..” kills me. There’s no metaphor at all. Just a hard, sad truth.
Thanks for this terrific article. There’s a great performance by Bob of Hattie Carroll on the Steve Allen show in 1965, you can find it on YouTube if you haven’t seen.
Thanks! I’ll check it out. Such a haunting song
Yes please publish a playlist!
When I arrived on campus in Champaign/Urbana in the Fall of 1960, I had not been exposed to the folk music scene. I was pop, rock and some jazz (maybe a touch of blues). However, one of my classmates with an acoustic guitar immediately opened me up to the folk music catalog. It was love at first listen. But despite the fact that everyone in Chicago had been horrified by the murder of Emmett Till, I can’t say that there was an immediate association of folk music with the civil rights movement. I’m afraid we were too naive. After all, you could find all of the bias, bigotry and racism you wanted right in Chicago.
I’ve actually come to my understanding of Dylan’s evolution after uncovering the devolution of The Band by watching The Last Waltz and then filling in the gaps.
I’m not sure who would be on the Mt. Rushmore of folk lyricists, but it would have to include Guthrie and Dylan. Maybe Gordon Lightfoot? Pete Seeger? Others?
Ooo My grandma was from Champaign! I definitely need to do more exploration of the Chicago Old Town folk scene, especially because as you said, Chicago at the time, had a lot of racism. As I'm sure you know, Dr. King was met with a lot of racist violence when he organized there in 1966 with the SCLC.
The Basement Tapes is a great album, isn't it?!
Joni Mitchell? Phil Ochs? Maybe Malvina Reynolds too?
In 1966, I was in the middle of my first tour of duty in Vietnam.
Wow. What did you think of the anti-war songs at the time?
In the Army, you were pretty isolated from the protest environment, including the music. I was still growing up and considered making the Army a career. Went back to Vietnam in 1969-70. It was then that I decided to get out (in 1972). Two big events for me were Kent State and My Lai. Then came the Pentagon Papers. My last two years in the Army I was a ROTC officer on a college campus. I did not hesitate to discuss issues with students and faculty. By then it was obvious that South VN would never be able to form a strong enough government. We were trying to put our foot in the slamming door of history. Robin Williams film “Good Morning Vietnam” was very much on point.
First, this is the best review of the Dylan movie I have read. This is the best movie review of any movie that I’ve read. Bravo.
Second, I researched Nina Simone, who is also called the Voice of The Civil Rights movement. What a powerful duo of talent. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see a movie based on their work and contributions to the era and the cause?
Wow thank you so much!
Yes! Harry Belafonte too.
Wonderful!
Thank you for taking the time to write and share this beautiful piece. You’re right - and the movie even gives those very hard songs you mention a wide berth. If you don’t know Dylan’s music, you could easily come away from the film believing all his material from that era was all metaphorical, when he was continually pulling stories out of the newspaper and turning them into blistering songs. Allegedly, William Zantzinger went to his grave raging about that “sumbitch” Bob Dylan. He was contemporary, and he named names.
I realize you’re telling a much bigger story about music and movements, but the movie also doesn’t do justice to his art, or to the anger of the Newport folks, by making the whole story about genre and electric vs. acoustic music. Newport hosted Chuck Berry in 1958; they weren’t naive about rock’n’roll. They were upset that he was so violently, in their view, *disengaging*.
I think.
Again; thank you for this wonderful article.
Thank you for reading! Yes that’s a great point about disengaging—-seems unfair to critique festival goers rather than a celebrity.
And yes! “Hattie Carrol” is so literal, right? The verse where he just keeps repeating table as the last word—“and never sat once at the head of the table..” kills me. There’s no metaphor at all. Just a hard, sad truth.
The mention of Phil Ochs, Nina Simone and John Prine really resonates for me. Yes, I would like you to make a playlist, thanks!
https://tessraser.substack.com/p/1960s-movement-movement-adjacent :)
Yeah you’re right! It’s lucky to see him. He’s touring this summer with Willie Nelson. I’m very curious about what type of show he’ll put on.