Mignon,

Dylan: Tambourine Man

Springteen: Atlantic City

Neil: Old Laughing Lady

Tom Waits: Cold Cold Ground

Joni: Coyote

Cohen: Stranger Song

Prine: Sam Stone

Jesse --- every time I come into my writing shed, alone, I pick up my guitar and sing 'Tambourine Man' to myself, to the wind. Magic lyrics.

Don't forget Joan's devastating Diamonds and Rust.

My favorite John Prine is "Lake Marie," which I come back to again and again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzCjQwt2rgI

Cheers,
John

As for Dylan, maybe "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"? Maybe "Blind Willie McTell"? Maybe "Mississippi"? Maybe "Boots of Spanish Leather"? Or maybe 58 other songs. As for "Mr. Tambourine Man," I have a theory it's sung by someone who has recently died. Check it out.

Cheers,
John

Hmmm. I seem to be in a minority of one here. I'll get my coat and hat.

Bill: "To me, of Dylan, Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Waits and some others Joni Mitchell is the more complete artist. There, I've opened the gates."


Now that the gates are opened... You left out Leonard the Dark Horse.

Also John Lennon.
Especially his solo work: primal, painful, biting, love-struck, courageous, intelligent lyrics that stand up well as poems. I really wish some literary organization would recognize his writing with a posthumous recognition/award/prize.

And "yes" to Joni and Joan.

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I love all those people too. John Coltrane is one of the greatest geniuses America has produced. But there is a reason Dylan is Dylan and deserves whatever recognition he gets. All the people mentioned followed in his wake. He made it possible. He is a revolutionary artist.

Well, let me be more controversial.

In my opinion, Dylan's songs are tremendously beautiful. I spent an entirel Summyer once listening to his best of: and memories of that summer are still a blend of sun and grass and Dylan. All Along the Watchtower is one of my favourite songs. But, of lyricism, I believe Aesop Rock deserved more fully the prize.

Bill, do you know the story of the recording of "I Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry?" It's an example of why his musicianship is as good as anyone in the tradition he is in. He does things that others didn't think of doing and doesn't care if it's what's expected.

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John: “ But there is a reason Dylan is Dylan and deserves whatever recognition he gets. All the people mentioned followed in his wake. He made it possible. He is a revolutionary artist.”


That’s debatable. Many of the other artist mentioned were rising at the same time as Dylan. They influenced each other. Dylan himself might agree. For pure artistic genius, I lean, ever so slightly, towards Lennon.

Though similar to Bill’s summer recollection of Dylan, I had a “Blonde On Blonde” summer that was and is indelible.


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