‘The Philosophy of Modern Song’ is, as a title, almost entirely untrue. But the work is revealing nonetheless.
There’s no “philosophy” offered here—no overarching theory or argument made about writing or singing songs. There’s not even an explanation of why Bob Dylan selected these particular 66 records as subjects for essays which encompass criticism, history, and fantastic leaps of reasoning.
Often, this approach is replaced or accompanied by a history lesson. These pieces are reminiscent of Dylan’s narration on his 100-episode “Theme Time Radio Hour” series, the clear precedent for this collection. And these turn out not to be lies at all. Rosemary Clooney’s “Come on-a My House” really was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist William Saroyan and his cousin, Ross Bagdasarian, who later invented Alvin and the Chipmunks.
But it’s clear that these songs are no joke to Dylan. In a 1997 interview, he said that “I find the religiosity and philosophy in the music. I don't find it anywhere else.” And it’s the relentless life-or-death stakes and apocalyptic visions, even when obviously being played for dark humour, that sometimes makea bit exhausting. Only a few selections offer any kind of relief from the mood of inescapable brutality or impending doom.
At age 81, Dylan has spent much of his life batting away analyses of how his personal life informs his songwriting, and here he notes the limitations of autobiographical lyrics. “Sometimes when songwriters write from their own lives, the results can be so specific, other people can’t connect to them. Putting melodies to diaries doesn’t guarantee a heartfelt song.”
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