Bob Dylan - Theme Time Radio Hour #19 (The Bible)

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He's baaaacccccckkkkk. We've taken a few month off from the Bob Dylan posts for a variety of reasons. Mainly, I just needed to take a break from his music, as I felt like I was starting to obsess about it and listening to it too much. The man writes a lot of songs about love and break-ups and pain and sadness, in case you didn't know. I needed a break from him and he needed one from me.

What better time to resume our look at Robert Zimmerman than at the start of the Days of Awe. It's a period of reflection and judgement, a time that I think would be especially interesting to Dylan, an artist who has shied away from neither in his long career. From his earliest folk recordings and activism to the painful look at a failed marriage in Blood On The Tracks to Time Out Of Mind's unblinking look at getting old, it's hard to think of anyone who has so consistently reflected and brought himself up for judgment.

Here's another edition of Mr. Dylan's radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour. This 19th episode deals with that most sacred of books, The Bible. It's been a while since I listened to one of these radio shows, I forgot how much fun they are and how great it is to listen to the man for an hour. Not surprisingly, there's lots of gospel and blues on this episode, including the amazing "Samson and Delilah" by Rev. Gary Davis and "John The Revelator" by Blind Willie Johnson. Some wonderful music, stuff I never would have heard otherwise, but it's Dylan and his voice and stories and trivia that makes this such a pleasure. I can't recommend this more highly for everyone who loves music, not just hardcore Dylan fans. This is a music lesson and an entertaining hour and a reminder just how funny and intereting the man is.

It's good to have you back Bob.