Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour #39 (Tears) (YSI link) (Sendspace link)
Well, I can't let my Bob Dylan readers to get away with a happy time, now can I? Actually, I'm not sure there's any artist that I associate with tears more than Mr. Dylan, so I'm guessing his fans are probably not the happiest bunch to begin with. I dare anyone to listen to Blood On The Tracks, I mean, really listen to the lyrics, within a year of a break-up and try not to cry. Don't fight it, let'em come. There's nothing wrong with a man crying, despte what my bol Mr. Robert Smith says. Hell, I'm crying everytime I write a post, I just dig so deep for each one that all kinds of stuff comes up, like James Brown in front of Powerbook.
Here's the next installment of the Pound for Pound look at the first season of XM Radio's Theme Time Radio Hour, episode 29. It's dedicate to that great musical topic, tears. I'm not gonna lie, for a man as steeped in popular music, this topic seems like shooting fish in a barrell. There's almost too many choices, but whoo boy, Dylan starts this one off with a bang, ? and the Mysterions, "96 Tears." It's such a bang that it's gonna force me to do a post on it, so hold tight on that one. So much excellent stuff on this one, especially loving Bobby Charles' " and some rocksteady!
It got me to thinking about tears and music and how it seems to be missing from the current landscape. I can't think of many artists in any genre that seems willing and able to write sad songs, the way that they did back in the day. Am I wrong? Is there something about the current world or music scene that makes these songs rarer? Off the top of my head, it would seem that there are a few indie bands and some r&b artists working in this vein. However, there's no Bacharach-David, no Roy Orbinson or Motown or the 60s girl groups that consistently makes great sad songs. Sorry, this is rambling, I know, just trying to reiterate my point that great, emotional music seems to be out now
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