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Question for Bob Dylan fans


cmdridq

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In Bob Dylan's song "Like a Rolling Stone", in your opinion, was he referring to being like a member of the Rolling Stones band, or to the generic "a rolling stone gathers no moss" kind of scenario? Please state the reason for your answer, if you have one.

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Looking at the whole of the lyrics, there is no reason to think it is reference to the rock group. They were not a complete unknown.

A fair reading is that Bob was being more than a little snooty and superior about some young lady who must have dumped him, or simply ignored him. The latter is a bigger blow to the ego. (BTW, you should listen to Joan Biaz, Diamonds and Rust. It might be the other end of the conversation.)

Let me quote from the argot of the times. "That shows where your head is at." Bob puts down the babe as being haughty and pretentious, and failing at it; the implied argument is that she should have stuck with Bob. It seems to me it is Bob who is petty in this diatribe.

It is unbecoming of any male to be vindictive like this. What ever happened to the far more nobel song: "Walk like man, talk like a man . . . "

= = =

My favorite home grown put down of Dylan is Hendrick's rendition of "All Along the Watchtower." The best of all worlds: Dylan lyrics with no Dylan singing.

Smile,

Gil

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You are kinda right and mostly wrong. Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" was named after the song "Rollin' Stone" by Muddy Waters which, incidentally (and also completely unrelated), was also where Keith Richards got the name for the band.

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