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Well, the lyrics of Bob Dylan have clearly elicited a strong emotional reaction from you, if nothing else, given you have bothered to make an anti-fan page abou

Well, the lyrics of Bob Dylan have clearly elicited a strong emotional reaction from you, if nothing else, given you have bothered to make an anti-fan page about them on your personal website. :) I also love Vonnegut, but I wouldn't automatically trust his judgement on verse. Plus a lot of literature buffs claim Vonnegut is nonsense, so he isn't particularly good backup in that field. Literature is nonsense really, as a definition. I feel it is just a word for people who feel they are above admitting that they love to be entertained by stories.

leephillips 8y ago
I don't think Vonnegut is a great writer. But I like the guy, and I just happen to agree with him on this. Since he's held in high regard around here, he's a good buttress for my subjective opinion.
- cuboidGoat 8y ago
  Of course you know this bit of doggerel verse, everyone does; ... “There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief “There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth None of them along the line know what any of it is worth” “No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke “There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late” All along the watchtower, princes kept the view While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl ... Have you ever heard it with the lines reversed though? ... Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too All along the watchtower, princes kept the view So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late” But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate “There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke “No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke None of them along the line know what any of it is worth” Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth “There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief “There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief ... Now you have to admit, that is not the work of someone who doesn't know what they are doing with language, irrespective of whether or not you personally like it.
  - leephillips 8y ago
    I think I've heard that song. Interesting what you point out, although I'm not moved to admit what you claim I have to admit. I think the lines are awkward and the writing kind of crude, like Dylan generally. For example, writing "did growl" rather than "growled" in an attempt to add more feet to the line is highschool level. Given all that, the imagery is far more interesting than in the typical rock song, which makes one perk up on first hearing.
    - cuboidGoat 8y ago
      I'd assume 'wildcat did growl' was chosen for for the use of staccato to create rhythm from the consonants, which would be absent with 'wildcat growled', rather than to add more feet to the line, but hey, we are just layering ephemera on ephemera here.

leephillips 8y ago

I don't think Vonnegut is a great writer. But I like the guy, and I just happen to agree with him on this. Since he's held in high regard around here, he's a good buttress for my subjective opinion.

cuboidGoat 8y ago
Of course you know this bit of doggerel verse, everyone does; ... “There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief “There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth None of them along the line know what any of it is worth” “No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke “There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late” All along the watchtower, princes kept the view While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl ... Have you ever heard it with the lines reversed though? ... Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too All along the watchtower, princes kept the view So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late” But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate “There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke “No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke None of them along the line know what any of it is worth” Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth “There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief “There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief ... Now you have to admit, that is not the work of someone who doesn't know what they are doing with language, irrespective of whether or not you personally like it.
- leephillips 8y ago
  I think I've heard that song. Interesting what you point out, although I'm not moved to admit what you claim I have to admit. I think the lines are awkward and the writing kind of crude, like Dylan generally. For example, writing "did growl" rather than "growled" in an attempt to add more feet to the line is highschool level. Given all that, the imagery is far more interesting than in the typical rock song, which makes one perk up on first hearing.
  - cuboidGoat 8y ago
    I'd assume 'wildcat did growl' was chosen for for the use of staccato to create rhythm from the consonants, which would be absent with 'wildcat growled', rather than to add more feet to the line, but hey, we are just layering ephemera on ephemera here.