Did you know that Bob Dylan is a born-again Christian? Me neither, but apparently, he released some albums that contain only religious songs? It doesn't seem like it can be true; it's just really surreal.
I don't much like Dylan, and never have (I like to joke that I like Dylan when not sung by Dylan), because his voice makes me want to curl up in a ball and die. But I understand that his genius is incomparably important to the history of music, to the history of rock and roll. When S and I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the special exhibit was on Dylan, and it was comprehensive and well-attended. I found it boring, and I'm pretty sure S didn't think much of it either. I don't remember reading anywhere that Dylan was born-again, though (is he still? for instance), and believe me, I read everything you put in front of me. It could be that I was sort of negligent at this exhibit, however, due to my deep apathy towards the subject.
I always feel a slight shock when I learn that people who you wouldn't think are are, and not only are, but are born-again. It's that last part that's ever so shocking, what with the foul taste fundamental christianity leaves in my mouth, and the fact that (this is conjecture) a large number of born-again folks are fundies. I'm not suggesting that Bob Dylan is a fundie, however, because I obviously have no idea how his Christianity works, feels, etc. And of course, it's not making me re-evaluate his music because I'm pretty much done with that evaluation, and have been for a while. Dylan's voice makes his music not for me.
Still, do you at least know what I mean? It's like finding out...that your best friend...has six toes. It doesn't really change the way you feel about them, but damn! Six toes? Freaky. (Although, I will go on record and admit that I don't like polydactylic cats. I find them so creepy I can barely stand to look at them. I suppose that because I've never seen a person with six toes, I might in fact have an adverse reaction to said person. But I think the person could just wear shoes, and cats can't. This is how your best friends hides six toes from you in the first place: shoes.) So yeah, I feel sort of the same way about Bob Dylan's Christianity. I don't hate his music because of it (oh wait...I already hated his music, so what is the equivalent?), but I find it kind of freaky.
If you're wondering how I came to know that Bob Dylan is a born-again Christian, well, that is an interesting question, isn't it. I actually have just finished Positively 4th Street, the book by David Hajdu about Dylan, Joan Baez, Mimi Baez-Farina, and Richard Farina. As is my habit, whenever I read a book that includes something that warrants further delving, I further delve. In this case, the book ends just after Richard's 1966 death by motorcycle (sorry that I ruined the ending, guys!), and I found myself wondering about Bob's, Joan's and Mimi's future. Richard, of course, had no future to wonder about. The point is, as I so often do, I took to reading the wikipedia articles about each person. (Longer than a paragraph, and shorter than a book--perfect post-book biography reading.) This is how I discovered Bob Dylan's secret Christianity. Secret to me, of course.
If you're also wondering how I came to be reading a book about four singers that I've never listened to, ever, well, that's interesting too. I've really been digging books about music recently (some Beatles books, a few books about the California music scene, the Toure book), and when this one presented itself to me, I thought, "hell, why not?" And sure, it was interesting. It made me want to listen to Joan Baez, though thinking about it rationally, I can't imagine I will like her music. Nonetheless, that is how I came to be reading Hadju's book. I don't think I have any more music books at home, though, so I will be moving on to other things.
The end.
Bob Dylan became a born again christian in the eighties and later eschewed that label altogether. It's ancient history. he is not "inot" that anymore. If you were to try some recent Joan Baez CD's with an open mind, you just might like her. Dark Chords on a Big guitar, bowery songs, gone from danger....
Posted by: Barry lay | October 23, 2006 at 09:02 AM