Bob Dylan’s latest book, The Philosophy of the Modern Song, brings together 66 compact essays about as many tunes. The author does not spell out the exact criteria used to select the pieces, yet the selections clearly reflect songs that have left a distinct mark for reasons tied to music, culture, or personal resonance. In the collection, some songs are singled out for their lasting influence and the way they shape how we listen today. The book opens a window into why these titles hold a special place in the author’s life and why they stand out as memorable markers in the long arc of popular song.
No song
Perry Como, 1951. Perry is portrayed as the anti-Idol: steady, unflashy, a guardian against fads. He embodies restraint rather than showiness. Before he had stagecraft, he was a symbol of reliability; the imagery evokes a calm, rooted kitchen-table Americana. The prose notes that restraint can eclipse technique when the aim is to capture a moment without forcing notes to close more neatly than needed.
Your deceitful heart
A reference to Hank Williams with his Cowboys Drifting, 1953. The piece paints this song as a tale of betrayal and misdirection, with a narrator who confronts deceit and looming consequences. It evokes a sense that the song carries a kind of foreboding, as if a séance of possibilities and half-spoken truths hovers over the music. The mood suggests a perception of fate and a touch of the supernatural as the lyric turns a corner toward accountability.
Tutti Frutti
Little Richard, 1955. The entry celebrates Little Richard as a maestro of ambiguity. Tutti Frutti is described as a fusion of symbols and sound, a reflection of exuberant energy and layered meaning. The discussion nods to the era’s theatrical sensibility and hints at the cultural conversations sparked by performances that pushed boundaries of gender and presentation on stage and screen alike.
I’ll fly (nel blue, dipinto di blue)
Dominico Modugno, 1958. This track is described as one of the early psychedelic-tinged tunes, with a melody that sticks long after the last note. The commentary highlights its catchy construction and the way it quietly foreshadows later experiments in pop music, making it feel ahead of its time while staying approachable and memorable.
Blue Bayou
Roy Orbison, 1963. The pairing of song and recording is praised for its almost tangible life in the studio. The write-up notes that the lyric and Orbison’s operatic vocal sweep fuse so completely that separating the two seems nearly impossible. The piece emphasizes the emotional weight carried by the performance and the way it lingers in the listener’s memory.
Do not get it wrong
Nina Simone, 1964. The story behind the song involves conflict between Horace Ott and his partner and the way the song found its way into Nina Simone’s hands. It is presented as a vehicle for authentic feeling, capable of being sung by anyone trying to convey a complex truth to another person they care about. The piece also reflects broader associations with social equality and personal expression as the song gained new life over the years.
Ball of Confusion
Temptations, 1970. The track is described as a vivid, radio-like scene that invites the listener to imagine the sounds and voices behind it. The piece notes that the song defies simple television-friendly presentation and carries a pre-rap energy that keeps it startling and alive. For those wandering the streets with a certain mood, the song still feels fresh and original today.
Pump
Elvis Costello & Travel, 1978. The entry traces Costello’s prolific experimentation, from chamber music to country and soul to orchestral textures. It emphasizes how Costello thrives by ignoring what others expect, using genre-crossing as a way to stay true to his own voice. The commentary attributes the momentum behind this flexibility to a pushing energy, the kind that lets a songwriter explore without losing focus.
Pancho and Lefty
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, 1983. This duet is celebrated as a beautifully sung, well-crafted epic. It is described as a standout collaboration between two iconic figures whose combined voices elevate the narrative into something that resonates deeply with listeners. The passage hints at the emotional depth and storytelling prowess that make the song endure across generations.
Dirty Life and Times
Warren Zevon, 2003. Zevon is depicted as a sharp, sardonic observer who blends bravado with a keen eye for detail. The song strips away artifice and reveals a stark honesty that can feel almost dangerous in its candor. The comparison to a snake emerging from a box helps convey the relentless pull of the music and its unflinching gaze on both character and life.