We have lost count of how manyth of the discography is this new record in Bobby's prolific musical career. Especially, since the record labels started to release the bootleg series from as early as the early 60s.
Dylan's music and lyrics is very personal and means a lot to me. They have helped me navigate some of the darkest stages of the trajectory of survival from many crappy situations.
The first singles, False Prophet, from the new album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, is a clear signal of what is being unleashed, both musically as well as lyrically, in the collection when the album will be revealed on 19 June 2020. Just look at how the prophecy is hidden in the perfect alignment of numbers 19 and 20. Or it could be a false prophecy. As we know by now how much of a false prophet Dylan loves to project himself as, through his art of lyrical cynicism or genius, depending on whichever side of the coin you want to flip.
There are going to be countless cult of the uber-geniuses, critiques and analysts, jumping the bandwagon, who are going to explain us the meaning of every word of every songs of the new album. What do you think Dylan would do or say? Nothing. As he has countless times in the past said - his songs are just songs, they are his expression of the form of art he loves to perform. Yes, art.
Dylan fans treat his lyrics more than just a song. For them, they are poems. The man himself is revered as a poet. However, Dylan doesn't seem to be keen on this kind of accolade. He refused to appear before the Nobel committee to receive his award. Dylan being Dylan once when asked by a journo, ''Do you think of yourself primarily as a singer or a poet?" famously and cynically said, "Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know" (pun intended) in the San Francisco in December 1965 during an interview. A chronicles of that famous interview can be accessed here - https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bob-dylan-gives-press-conference-in-san-francisco-246805/
Dylan makes your average song writer look like a novice school kid. His songs usually have layers of complexity. They are long and open to interpretation. Apparently, deliberately. I once read somewhere that he wants his listeners to think. I'm not expecting anything less rowdy from the new album in terms of the lyrics. Dylan's complex lyrical composition was true back in the 60s, as admitted on record, by even the Beatles. It is equally true today, barring the lyrical flow of M-in-M, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, as far as my musical brain is capable to detect.
There is a reason why Dylan is awarded the Nobel prize and why Like a Rolling Stone is there at the top among the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-151127/). It is because of Dylan's song writing, and their deeper meaning.
Check out the "on your face" lyrics of False Prophet in Verse 3 -
Well I'm the enemy of treason
Enemy of strife
Enemy of the unlived meaningless life
I ain't no false prophet
I just know what i know
I go where only the lonely can go
Full lyrics
Bob Dylan – False Prophet @bobdylan https://genius.com/Bob-dylan-false-prophet-lyrics
Listen to False Prophet -
https://open.spotify.com/track/0eFtOE1vxjNqn4aOAYDvPg?si=8ye9gHmCSGC5lsC-lmZmlQ
Images ©️ @bobdylan, bobdylan.com and fb/bobdylan
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