Ten songs in which Bob Dylan feels a special weakness

‘No song’

Perry Como, 1951. “Perry, the anti-American Idol. He’s anti-craze, hit-list preventer, and fail-safe. Before he had rear wings, he was a Cadillac; not a Glock, a Colt .45; steak and fries, none. California cuisine. Perry Como goes in and sleeps. . Without cheating, without forcing syllables to close more notes than necessary”.

‘Your deceitful heart’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf13NFirm4

Hank Williams with his Cowboys Drifting, 1953. “This is the crook’s song. In this song you’re the crook who gave me a poke to poke, tricked me, betrayed me, and now your tricks are over and you’ll be moaning in pain soon. Do I know? I know I know. Maybe there’s a crystal ball, maybe he’s reading tarot cards, maybe He’s feeling something, he’s got a sixth sense. A lot of maybe.”

‘Tutti Frutti’

Little Richard, 1955. “Little Richard is a master of ambiguity. ‘Tutti Frutti’ is a good example. A fruit, a gay man… and ‘tutti frutti’ is ‘all fruit’. It’s also a kind of sticky ice cream. A whore. Sue and Daisy and they’re both transvestites. Did you see Elvis sing ‘Tutti Frutti’ on the Ed Sullivan show? Do you know what he said? Does Ed Sullivan know?”

“I’ll fly (nel blue, dipinto di blue)”

Dominico Modugno, 1958: “This may be one of the first psychedelic songs to predict Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ at least 10 years in advance. You’ll never hear or feel a more catchy melody. song.”

“Blue Bayou”

Roy Orbison, 1963. “We’re talking about both a great song here and a great recording. They somehow came to life the moment they were recorded. Both are true here. The sadness is present in both the lyrics and Roy’s operatic sweep, it’s almost impossible to separate the song from the singer.”

‘Do not get it wrong’

Nina Simone, 1964: “In 1964 Horace Ott got into a fight with his girlfriend and colluded with songwriters Bennie Benjamin and Sol Marcus: ‘Don’t let me be misunderstood’ and handed it to Nina Simone. Nina blew her talent and today Horace Ott and anonymous girl No one remembers the bad feelings between her friend and friend anymore. The song can be sung by anyone who feels unable to communicate with the person they love. Although it has taken on other meanings, such as Nina’s restrained and defiant commentary. It has been accepted by some as an unofficial anthem for social equality.” .

‘ball of confusion’

Temptation, 1970. “The song is like an old radio show, you can imagine what you’re hearing and that makes the experience more intense. There’s no way to broadcast this song on TV, it doesn’t fit on the screen. pre-rap. If you like to wander the streets drunk and happy, this song will drive you crazy. This song is also recorded today. as original as the day.”

‘pump’

Elvis Costello & Travel, 1978. “From here, [Costello] He continued playing chamber music, writing songs with Burt Bacharach, making country recordings, cover recordings, soul recordings, ballet and orchestral music. If you’ve come to write songs with Burt Bacharach, it’s clear you’re going to sweat what other people think. Elvis wanders between genres as if he didn’t exist. It was the ‘pump’ that allowed him to do all that.”

“Poncho and Left Handed”

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, 1983. “‘Pancho & Lefty’ is a beautifully sung and produced epic sung by two of the most iconic singers of the modern era. It’s been said that Willie Nelson could tell you his phone book and make you cry—and he could write it down—and more or less the same as Merle.”

‘Dirty life and times’

Warren Zevon, 2003. “The boastful, rake, cynical observer, and drunkard were the roles Zevon chose to play in his songs. And maybe sometimes in his life too. But in this song, stripped to the bone, his talent attacks you. “Like snakes out of a box.”