Love this piece, Lo! As a normie, a nerdy English professor, and a Dylan junkie, I've pretty much dedicated my life to reading things into art, so this one is totally up my alley.
So many examples of songs inspired by literature come to mind, and you've introduced me to some I didn't know about it. One I love is Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska." The characters and events come from the real-life killing spree of Charlie Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. But the song probably owes more to Terrence Malik's beautiful film inspired by the couple, Badlands, starring the young Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. The final lines of "Nebraska"--"They wanted to know why I did what I did / Sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world"--come from the fictional serial killer The Misfit in Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."
If you want a great example of the inspiration working the other way around, check out Joyce Carol Oates's mesmerizing "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" This 1966 story was partly inspired by a real stalker nicknamed the Pied Piper of Tucson. But it was also inspired by Dylan's songs on Bringing It All Back Home, especially "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." Oates even dedicates the story: "For Bob Dylan."
You are a font of knowledge, what fascinating examples. I love Nebraska (& Badlands) and have read A Good Man Is Hard To Find but didn’t know Bruce had borrowed those lines. I have not yet read Joyce Carol Oates, probably should rectify that!
Flannery O’Conner would have been 100 this week. Of course Wiseblood was used as a band name, meanwhile Killdozer wrote a song dedicated to her.
While we’re on the southern gothic trip Lydia Lunch, Sadie Mae and Kim Gordon had the project Harry Crews named after the great writer with songs drawing on his books.
I loved this! The Go-Betweens spring to mind for songs with literary references, though I can’t think of specific book references other than the band being named for the book The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley (or so I assume). And of course Karen is a love letter to a librarian (who makes him read James Joyce).
Well I did not know that the Go Betweens were named after a book - now I think about it I believe The Cruel Sea are too. Off to listen to ‘Karen’ now! Thanks so much Jo!
Soooo interesting to read thank you! Although I don’t like the distinction you make between song writers and normies it seems mean or something. People that don’t write songs but love them and “read into them” are an important part of the whole thing. Fans with all their questions and weird theories are essential and I don’t think it’s kind to disparage them. Besides if they can read something into the song that means something to them then who’s to say that it’s “not there”? It’s there!! Excuse me while I kiss this guy! Why not? Bob Dylan who maybe had his songs read into more than anyone else is kind about all of it. He was happy to welcome any reading or version of his songs. I think he said he liked Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along the Watchtower better than his own. Other than my minor gripe about the “normies” thing I loved this piece. So much. Thank you! 🙏
Thanks for taking the time to point that out Cowboy, I see what you mean now I read it back! I should probably wait and have a think about stuff before posting, I get a bit overexcited! Last thing I would want is to sound mean, I might do some editing when I can. I totally agree that ‘reading into songs’ is a fan’s prerogative- the only reading that matters is what the listener hears. I do love a good misreading of a lyric too!
Love this piece, Lo! As a normie, a nerdy English professor, and a Dylan junkie, I've pretty much dedicated my life to reading things into art, so this one is totally up my alley.
So many examples of songs inspired by literature come to mind, and you've introduced me to some I didn't know about it. One I love is Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska." The characters and events come from the real-life killing spree of Charlie Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. But the song probably owes more to Terrence Malik's beautiful film inspired by the couple, Badlands, starring the young Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. The final lines of "Nebraska"--"They wanted to know why I did what I did / Sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world"--come from the fictional serial killer The Misfit in Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."
If you want a great example of the inspiration working the other way around, check out Joyce Carol Oates's mesmerizing "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" This 1966 story was partly inspired by a real stalker nicknamed the Pied Piper of Tucson. But it was also inspired by Dylan's songs on Bringing It All Back Home, especially "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." Oates even dedicates the story: "For Bob Dylan."
You are a font of knowledge, what fascinating examples. I love Nebraska (& Badlands) and have read A Good Man Is Hard To Find but didn’t know Bruce had borrowed those lines. I have not yet read Joyce Carol Oates, probably should rectify that!
Flannery O’Conner would have been 100 this week. Of course Wiseblood was used as a band name, meanwhile Killdozer wrote a song dedicated to her.
While we’re on the southern gothic trip Lydia Lunch, Sadie Mae and Kim Gordon had the project Harry Crews named after the great writer with songs drawing on his books.
I didn’t know any of these things Jack, thank you, very interesting!
Here’s Lydia with Big Sexy Noise doing The Gospel Singer - a song she first did with Harry Crews - https://youtu.be/jJHaIfJjiZY?feature=shared
I loved this! The Go-Betweens spring to mind for songs with literary references, though I can’t think of specific book references other than the band being named for the book The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley (or so I assume). And of course Karen is a love letter to a librarian (who makes him read James Joyce).
Well I did not know that the Go Betweens were named after a book - now I think about it I believe The Cruel Sea are too. Off to listen to ‘Karen’ now! Thanks so much Jo!
I didn’t know that about The Cruel Sea!
Soooo interesting to read thank you! Although I don’t like the distinction you make between song writers and normies it seems mean or something. People that don’t write songs but love them and “read into them” are an important part of the whole thing. Fans with all their questions and weird theories are essential and I don’t think it’s kind to disparage them. Besides if they can read something into the song that means something to them then who’s to say that it’s “not there”? It’s there!! Excuse me while I kiss this guy! Why not? Bob Dylan who maybe had his songs read into more than anyone else is kind about all of it. He was happy to welcome any reading or version of his songs. I think he said he liked Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along the Watchtower better than his own. Other than my minor gripe about the “normies” thing I loved this piece. So much. Thank you! 🙏
Thanks for taking the time to point that out Cowboy, I see what you mean now I read it back! I should probably wait and have a think about stuff before posting, I get a bit overexcited! Last thing I would want is to sound mean, I might do some editing when I can. I totally agree that ‘reading into songs’ is a fan’s prerogative- the only reading that matters is what the listener hears. I do love a good misreading of a lyric too!