Scan barcode
blaineduncan's review
5.0
The complaints you'll see are about the song choices and/or who sang them, not the writing. The writing flies off the page and doesn't slow down at all. Dylan is absolutely winking and nodding, and the quicker you realize the book had to have a title at all, the better. It's a book of essays at breakneck speed. Did you like Chronicles, but wish it had five times more hyperbole and a few more lies? This is your book. Do you like looking at songs through completely -- and sometimes false -- narrative lenses? Then this is your book.
Dylan is aware of what's doing, and besides the hilarity of what's going on here, there are also some insightful moments, too: his diatribe on divorce and divorce lawyers gives hints of his own experience; he hints at disdain for hippies of his youth.
And, as hopefully one would expect if they're going to read this, there are thoughtful phrases straight from the heart, as he says of music, it is "a time but also timeless; a thing with which to make memories and the memory itself." The Philosophy of Modern Song almost achieves the same. Never mind the hand wringing.
Dylan is aware of what's doing, and besides the hilarity of what's going on here, there are also some insightful moments, too: his diatribe on divorce and divorce lawyers gives hints of his own experience; he hints at disdain for hippies of his youth.
And, as hopefully one would expect if they're going to read this, there are thoughtful phrases straight from the heart, as he says of music, it is "a time but also timeless; a thing with which to make memories and the memory itself." The Philosophy of Modern Song almost achieves the same. Never mind the hand wringing.
sonofatreus's review
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
“People keep talking about making America great again. Maybe they should start with the movies.” So Dylan ends his essay on the Drifters’ “Saturday Night at the Movies,” an essay that says little about the actual song and loads about its titular topic…and Dylan.
The Philosophy of Modern Song is tricky to describe. It’s Bob Dylan commenting on 60+ songs from the 20th century, most from mid-century. His essays take many forms: some in second person, some informative about a musical style or lyric, some about modern culture, some about the feeling the song may give, and some about…seemingly whatever the hell he wanted.
It’s fascinating to see what Dylan covers and what he doesn’t. I’d pay money to see him interact with TikTok, for example, since he apparently knows what it is. A few of his cultural views are out of step with today’s mainstream, though many are fit perfectly well within the discourse. Even the ones that don’t just sound like an old man ranting at clouds.
I had a lot of fun with this one, not knowing just how seriously to take it all.
The Philosophy of Modern Song is tricky to describe. It’s Bob Dylan commenting on 60+ songs from the 20th century, most from mid-century. His essays take many forms: some in second person, some informative about a musical style or lyric, some about modern culture, some about the feeling the song may give, and some about…seemingly whatever the hell he wanted.
It’s fascinating to see what Dylan covers and what he doesn’t. I’d pay money to see him interact with TikTok, for example, since he apparently knows what it is. A few of his cultural views are out of step with today’s mainstream, though many are fit perfectly well within the discourse. Even the ones that don’t just sound like an old man ranting at clouds.
I had a lot of fun with this one, not knowing just how seriously to take it all.
duparker's review
4.0
Its a podcast, in book form :). I enjoyed the to the direct approach and the flow. Its not a list book, and not a book where the comments build upon each other. If anything it felt like a pitchfork review for each song - just concise.
sjgrodsky's review
3.0
I took a long time with this disappointing book, letting it sit, unread, next to my bed for weeks at a time. From the title, I expected insights into 20th century music from the songwriter who won the Nobel Prize for literature.
Umm. NOT. It’s mostly short essays devoted to a selection of songs, two to four pages per song. There’s a summary of the song (typically just a paraphrasing of the lyrics), sometimes a few paragraphs of background about the singer or songwriter, photos of the singer or song topic, and wide page margins.
A lot seemed like filler to me, and filler expressed in a consistently misogynistic tone. I let that go after a while. There’s no point arguing with a mind formed by Raymond Chandler novels.
There ARE insights every now and then. Here is one of my favorites, in the essay about “Pancho and Lefty,” sung by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.
“Willie Nelson could, as they say, sing the phone book and make you weep…”
A beautiful insight, beautifully expressed. I wanted more like that.
Umm. NOT. It’s mostly short essays devoted to a selection of songs, two to four pages per song. There’s a summary of the song (typically just a paraphrasing of the lyrics), sometimes a few paragraphs of background about the singer or songwriter, photos of the singer or song topic, and wide page margins.
A lot seemed like filler to me, and filler expressed in a consistently misogynistic tone. I let that go after a while. There’s no point arguing with a mind formed by Raymond Chandler novels.
There ARE insights every now and then. Here is one of my favorites, in the essay about “Pancho and Lefty,” sung by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.
“Willie Nelson could, as they say, sing the phone book and make you weep…”
A beautiful insight, beautifully expressed. I wanted more like that.
erincataldi's review
4.0
Nobel Prize winning singer-songwriter, musician, and American icon, Bob Dylan, pens his first book in nearly two decades. The Philosophy of Modern Song is a collection of more than sixty essays that breaks down big music hits, overlooked ballads, and music staples; from Elvis Presley to Elvis Costello and from Bobby Darin to The Clash - Bob Dylan shares musical knowledge, philosophy, and insight that he has accrued over the past 80 years. Each essay looks at a different songs lyrics, beats, history and more; written in Bob Dylan's signature rambling, fast paced style. While the book contains over 150 beautifully curated photos; the audiobook features an amazing full cast performance of celebrities. Jeff Bridges, Renée Zellweger, Oscar Isaac, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, Rita Moreno, Sissy Spacek, and Bob Dylan himself are just a few of the narrators in this all star line up which makes for some spectacular listening. Of the 66 songs discussed only 4 are sung by women - which is shame - but is also Bob Dylan's prerogative. Nearly half of the songs are from the 50's and the others songs go as far back as 1924 and all the way up to 2003 (after which presumably - good music stopped being made). This collection doesn't encapsulate Dylan's all time favorite songs - they are just strong songs that inspired him to write about them (and not always for good reasons!). Listeners won't necessarily agree with all the selections but will certainly enjoy learning about some obscure songs as well as some chart toppers. The all star narration makes this audiobook shine.