Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize for Literature

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I personally think they should keep music and literature separated, but what do you expect from a prize organization named after the inventor of dynamite. But just like most other awards organizations, the awards or the opinions of a very few people. I don't really care who wins a Nobel, Oscar, Grammy, or most any other awards based on the opinions a few people. Other than the Fickle Finger of Fate award, they are all pretty much meaningless IMO.

Originally Posted by Poppaea

As much as I hate to admit it, but this part of your statement applies to me to.

I don't understand this decision and think it is a serious downgrading for those authors who have already received the prize.

I would have hoped there'd be a distinction between people spending years to write a book and it being literature and someone writing a song. And before everyone get up to stone me, I know how songs are written, having been friends over years or decades with some of the biggest in music ever. Still, there is a difference IMO.

Dylan is a poet that sets his poetry to music. Unless we're disqualifying poetry as a form of literature, Dylan is deserving of this honor.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Dylan is a poet that sets his poetry to music. Unless we're disqualifying poetry as a form of literature, Dylan is deserving of this honor.

Hm. So he lives off his poems and makes music in his spare time? Ah, sorry, I wasn't aware of this.

But I guess might be a musician with poetic lyrics though.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

I would have hoped there'd be a distinction between people spending years to write a book and it being literature and someone writing a song

Are you under the impression that Dylan received this award for writing "a song?"
I'm fairly certain he won it for spending years, decades, writing many songs which have become cultural touchstones, and which would easily fill volumes the size of many award-winning books.

ApK

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

As much as I hate to admit it, but this part of your statement applies to me to.

I don't understand this decision and think it is a serious downgrading for those authors who have already received the prize.

I would have hoped there'd be a distinction between people spending years to write a book and it being literature and someone writing a song. And before everyone get up to stone me, I know how songs are written, having been friends over years or decades with some of the biggest in music ever. Still, there is a difference IMO.

I agree. It'd be different if there wasn't any worthy literature literature nominated. But there was, so choosing a neo-literature nominee doesn't make much sense to me.

God bless Bob Dylan and all, but I sincerely don't get it.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I agree. It'd be different if there wasn't any worthy literature literature nominated. But there was, so choosing a neo-literature nominee doesn't make much sense to me.

God bless Bob Dylan and all, but I sincerely don't get it.

On the other hand, wouldn't that be an awful insult your way? "There was no REAL literature this year, so we're giving it to Bob Dylan by default. It's not like he's actually worthy of it if anyone else was a contender."

Either song writing should be included in the literature category and treated as an equal, or it should not be in the category, and should not be considered.

None of this giving Professor Frink the Nobel prize for his combination hammer/screwdriver just because it was a slow year in science....

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ApK

On the other hand, wouldn't that be an awful insult your way? "There was no REAL literature this year, so we're giving it to Bob Dylan by default. It's not like he's actually worthy of it if anyone else was a contender."

Yes, it probably would be. Hi ho.

Originally Posted by ApK

Either song writing should be included in the literature category and treated as an equal, or it should not be in the category, and should not be considered.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by ApK

None of this giving Professor Frink the Nobel prize for his combination hammer/screwdriver just because it was a slow year in science....

Exactly again.

I meant that I could at least understand it, if there wasn't a traditional contender. Not that I would approve of it and/or prefer it "my way."

[issybird]

My initial reaction was a headscratch, but then I thought of all the years the winner's been someone seemingly selected for political reasons, or whom I've never heard of, or both, and I got behind it.

"[He] can't help it if [he's] lucky."

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

My favorite song: FOREVER YOUNG. (Not complete, due to copyright restrictions.)


May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
....
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
....
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung


Written by Bob Dylan • Copyright © Bob Dylan Music Co.


Here's my favorite cover, performed by Rod Stewart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T9apksOv6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3_RCJ3Szjc

Great song. I like the Joan Baez cover myself, though the Dylan version with The Band on The Last Waltz was pretty good.

[doubleshuffle]

Anyone who is interested in the way the later Dylan uses literary (and non-literary) sources in his writing should have a look at Scott Warmuth's blog. A good starting point is this article about the use of phrases from Jack London in Chronicles, Vol 1 (which is a maze of literary allusions diguised as a personal memoir.)

[ApK]

From the New York Times:

Sara Danius, a literary scholar and the permanent secretary of the 18-member Swedish Academy, which awards the prize, called Mr. Dylan “a great poet in the English-speaking tradition” and compared him to Homer and Sappho, whose work was delivered orally. Asked if the decision to award the prize to a musician signaled a broadening in the definition of literature, Ms. Danius jokingly responded, “The times they are a changing, perhaps,” referencing one of Mr. Dylan’s songs.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by issybird

My initial reaction was ...

My first thoughts were: great decision, wrong timing! Many years too late! Don't know if Bob Dylan still remembers the lyrics for whom he is now honoured.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

My initial reaction was a headscratch, but then I thought of all the years the winner's been someone seemingly selected for political reasons, or whom I've never heard of, or both, and I got behind it.

"[He] can't help it if [he's] lucky."

This is certainly true. And I can't get too worked up over it either way, to tell the truth.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

My favorite song: FOREVER YOUNG. (Not complete, due to copyright restrictions.)


May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
....
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
....
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung


Written by Bob Dylan • Copyright © Bob Dylan Music Co.


Here's my favorite cover, performed by Rod Stewart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T9apksOv6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3_RCJ3Szjc

[ApK]

I had no idea "Forever Young" was written by Dylan.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Dylan is a poet that sets his poetry to music. Unless we're disqualifying poetry as a form of literature, Dylan is deserving of this honor.

Exactly. He was a poet before he was a musician. He chose his pen name from one of his favorite poets - Dylan Thomas.