Last week, one of my favorite artists, Bob Dylan, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Receiving such a prestigious honor at the age of 75, Bob Dylan continually challenges people’s perspectives. I think this is why he has become such a big part of my daily playlist.
How did someone like me born in the 1990s end up loving such old artists? I think in a lot of ways my love for music in general has led me to develop love for not just one genre in particular, but all genres. I also love all different artists of different generations. I grew up as a kid listening to such brilliant artists (The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin etc.) because of the adults in my life. Their generation was truly a game changer with music. Those artists challenged society and were radical in their days.
Giving this prestigious honor to Bob Dylan was a debate made by the Academy because they didn’t think song lyrics have the same artistic value as poetry or novel, but here is where I disagree with the academy.
I believe the Academy couldn’t be more wrong. Sure, Bob Dylan isn’t the only one that came up with brilliant song lyrics. Then how do you say this artist gets preference for the Nobel Prize in Literature over other artists? But I do believe that song lyrics do have the same artistic value as poetry or a novel does. I read an article by USA Today and the article included a quote from Sara Danius, the academy's permanent secretary, who said, "For 54 years he has been at it, reinventing himself.” She went on to say that “Bob Dylan writes poetry for the ear.” I couldn’t agree more with Sara Danius’ commentary. I also discovered from this article that Dylan is the first American to win the prize for literature since Toni Morrison in 1993.
His music in particular, has really grown with me through recent years at only the age of 19. Which simply means that Bob Dylan has in fact broke generation barriers. I like to think that with a little good musical taste from their parents, my future kids might be listening to Highway 61 Revisited. But if the academy and you as a reader still don’t believe that Bob Dylan deserved this prestigious honor of the Nobel Prize in Literature, take this as one example. Listen to his song Positively 4th Street and pay close attention to this song lyric:
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You’d know what a drag it is
To see you.
Now try to tell me that that isn’t poetry. Poetry to me means lyrics or words that tug at the heart of human emotion. Tell me you didn’t feel something when you read that bit of song lyric. That’s a burn I am sure Taylor Swift wishes she could have put into one of her songs first. So yes, the Academy made the right decision. Now Bob Dylan's music might not be for everyone's taste, but just because you don't like it doesn't mean it isn't poetry. To the actually talented artists out there, keep being radical people who challenge the game creating poetry for the ears. You are the people that keep me going and living on every single day!
