Performed Literature: Words and Music by Bob DylanBob Dylan is not a poet. He is a singer-songwriter, a performing artist. The unit of his art, as collected and documented by his intended audience, is the live performance. Right now, no existing technological tool can give researchers ready access to his entire corpus of work. Revised from the author's Ph.D. dissertation (UC Berkeley, 1978) and again from its first edition (Indiana UP, 1982), Performed Literature develops a methodology for close analysis of verbal art that is heard, not seen, using as comparative examples 24 performances of 11 songs by Bob Dylan. The second edition adds a preface, two major appendices and one minor one, and a detailed index. |
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Page 48
... lyrics suggest patriarchal religions in general besides these two clusters in
particular . The action begins as the man , after Isis marries and then leaves him ,
strikes out into a wilderness where he can tell wrong from right and dark from
light .
... lyrics suggest patriarchal religions in general besides these two clusters in
particular . The action begins as the man , after Isis marries and then leaves him ,
strikes out into a wilderness where he can tell wrong from right and dark from
light .
Page 98
The unadventurous vocalizing that ends the song is a fulfillment , perhaps , of the
uncertainty with which it begins . In the other two concert versions , the distinctive
opening instrumentation gathers audience attention with each descending set ...
The unadventurous vocalizing that ends the song is a fulfillment , perhaps , of the
uncertainty with which it begins . In the other two concert versions , the distinctive
opening instrumentation gathers audience attention with each descending set ...
Page 115
The dulcimerlike pluck begins , but not yet loud or conspicuously offbeat . A brief
organ upbeat leads into the first DEFE segment . The “ plonk ” effect starts in ,
apparently ready to replace the tambourine in marking measures . But after one
line ...
The dulcimerlike pluck begins , but not yet loud or conspicuously offbeat . A brief
organ upbeat leads into the first DEFE segment . The “ plonk ” effect starts in ,
apparently ready to replace the tambourine in marking measures . But after one
line ...
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Common terms and phrases
aesthetic ain't album alliteration appear artistic audience Babe Baby beat becomes begins Blues Bob Dylan breaks chords closing comes concert continues contrast couplet create culture drums Dylan's voice effect emotional example express eyes fall feel female final follow four fourth give guitar hard harmonica Idiot Wind imagery instrumental Isis it's Italy John lady lead leave less listener live Lonely looking mark meaning measures Miss move narrator narrator's never notes once opening oppositions organ outtake patterns performance phrase pitch plays poetic rain recorded refer refrain released response rhyme rock Rolling Stone sad-eyed scene seems sense shift Side sings someone song song's sound stands stanza structure studio suggests sung tell third throughout tradition verse vocal voice Warner Bros woman words York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Performed Literature: Words and Music by Bob Dylan |
| Authors | Betsy Bowden, Bob Dylan |
| Edition | 2, illustrated |
| Publisher | University Press of America, 2001 |
| Original from | the University of California |
| Digitized | 28 May 2010 |
| ISBN | 0761819479, 9780761819479 |
| Length | 263 pages |
| Subjects | › › Literary Criticism / General Music / Instruction & Study / Songwriting |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |