Jewish Readings of Dylan Lyrics, web
site review by Al Paulson
At the dawn of the turbulent 60’s, a young songwriter emerged on
the hip folk scene with a rusty razor voice and an ear tuned to
social consciousness. And while his craft matured and expanded, the
controversy surrounding him and his art twirled and spiraled out,
just as his lyrical prowess flowered into impressionistic
explosions of metaphor and poetic satire. On a web site called
Jewish Readings of Dylan Lyrics the host explores the
frail connection between some of Dylan’s philosophical musings and
the ancient writings contained in the metaphysical 13th century
Jewish manifesto, the Kabbalah. Drawing from the text of such Bob
Dylan songs as ‘Gates of Eden’, ‘Dignity’, and ‘Ring Them Bells’,
the Web site attempts to analyze the cryptic lyrics of a young poet
who has spent much of his career denying any social import he’s
been accused of. The site is clearly not out to convert believers
out of cynics and expresses such . The artistic analysis of Dylan’s
poetry is well worth contemplating to anyone who loves the English
language and it’s most appealing symbolism.
–Al Paulson
Go there>>
