This was fantastic. I read his article on the micro-changes in performances of "It's Alright, Ma" and it blew my mind. I hope a version of that is in the book.
Quick addendum to my previous post: Kudos to Steven Rings for his decision to write his book for a 'non-specialist' audience, and doing so without 'dumbing down' the technical (musical) language too greatly. It's one of the hardest tricks in academic music writing to pull off successfully.
Thanks for posting this excerpt from Steven Rings book –– I doubt that I would have felt the need to read the book had I not read this post. I somehow was unaware of the very existence of the Nara concert and was, frankly, extremely skeptical of the entire idea (it doesn't help that -- sorry! -- seeing the name Michael Kamen generally sends me running -- let's just say that (in my humble opinion), he has become the 'go-to' arranger/conductor for all superannuated rock legends looking for a sprinkling of High Culture to keep their fan base convinced of their High Cultural Relevance.) Anyhow, I'm reading Mr Rings' book now. I should confess that my background includes (somewhat haphazard) training as a (classical) music theorist / composer, which proved somewhat dubious qualities when the 1976/77 advent of punk convinced me I needed to unlearn my 'learning' ASAP in order to be a convincing participating musician in that genre. Steven Rings has tackled the 'words/music' divide in post-50s pop music more convincingly than anybody I've read to date. The very idea of putting the Nobel Prize-winning 'poet' to one side for an entire book of musical analysis of the oft-ridiculed Dylan singing voice and his limited harmonic vocabulary seemed crazy until I read Prof. Rings on the many implications of Dylan's Nara 'Hard Rain' interpretation (and listened to and watched it for the very first time --- thank you for the link!) Very appropriate choice of an excerpt, given the importance that the book gives to the examination of 'Hard Rain' performances from the beginning to the most recent era of Dylan's long career. And Steven Rings' close discussion of Dylan's vocal phrasing in 'Long & Wasted Years' (page 97) sent me straight back to 'Tempest', one of my least-loved of Dylan's studio LPs, and I stayed with the album this morning not just for that song alone. Thanks again for this post!
I was at the Hershey show in 1994, and have always seen it as evidence that Dylan's sense of humor was very much intact (even if much, much quieter than it was in the early-to-mid 60s). The show was in the remnants of a hurricane, and it poured. I mean POURED. I was soaked. Bob was soaked. Everyone was soaked. And what did Bob pull out? Hard Rain. Great, unexpected performance... The only other show I've ever been to that was that wet was the Bob and Willie show at Ripken Stadium in 2004. And what did Bob pull out (again) for a fairly rare performance? Hard Rain :) That wasn't even the best version I heard that year, though. The 3 April 2004 show at Bender Arena in DC was superb and the Hard Rain at that one was fierce. I'll be checking out this book!
Ray, thank you so much for posting this excerpt. It is a sublime read. And it is very instructive to listen to the clips along with the text. I very much look forward to reading the book. I confess that, although I have always considered this an important song, I have until recently not felt like I understood "Hard Rain" very well. That all changed on September 11, 2024 when Bob Dylan came to Cincinnati with the Outlaw Festival. Perhaps it's because this was the first time I actually got to hear Bob perform this live. I don't really know how to explain why I finally got it this time. But his performance was brilliant, his piano and the band's accompaniment offered the perfect framing, and I finally heard the story he was telling. I really believe with some of Bob's performances, performances such as this one, that he is as amazed by the song as we are.
This was fascinating. I couldn't help thinking of jazz singers, though, who improvise different melodies frequently. Somehow the phenomenon gains more significance when it's occurring with Dylan, though. The clips from the Nara performances were gorgeous.
Fascinating. Need that book.
The book will be discussed with the author at the next https://www.bobdylanbookclub.com/
Oh wow. This is going to be such an important book! Thank you both.
The book will be discussed with the author at the next https://www.bobdylanbookclub.com/
So moving. As I sit here above LA on a Topanga hilltop with the rain literally pouring down as our country and the world collapsing all around.
Hey Santa, please add book to my list
This was fantastic. I read his article on the micro-changes in performances of "It's Alright, Ma" and it blew my mind. I hope a version of that is in the book.
Just fabulous!
The book will be discussed with the author at the next https://www.bobdylanbookclub.com/
Thank you for this post. So looking forward to reading this!
The book will be discussed with the author at the next https://www.bobdylanbookclub.com/
I pre-ordered this just last night - fab to have my suspicions confirmed!
The book will be discussed with the author at the next https://www.bobdylanbookclub.com/
Quick addendum to my previous post: Kudos to Steven Rings for his decision to write his book for a 'non-specialist' audience, and doing so without 'dumbing down' the technical (musical) language too greatly. It's one of the hardest tricks in academic music writing to pull off successfully.
Thanks for posting this excerpt from Steven Rings book –– I doubt that I would have felt the need to read the book had I not read this post. I somehow was unaware of the very existence of the Nara concert and was, frankly, extremely skeptical of the entire idea (it doesn't help that -- sorry! -- seeing the name Michael Kamen generally sends me running -- let's just say that (in my humble opinion), he has become the 'go-to' arranger/conductor for all superannuated rock legends looking for a sprinkling of High Culture to keep their fan base convinced of their High Cultural Relevance.) Anyhow, I'm reading Mr Rings' book now. I should confess that my background includes (somewhat haphazard) training as a (classical) music theorist / composer, which proved somewhat dubious qualities when the 1976/77 advent of punk convinced me I needed to unlearn my 'learning' ASAP in order to be a convincing participating musician in that genre. Steven Rings has tackled the 'words/music' divide in post-50s pop music more convincingly than anybody I've read to date. The very idea of putting the Nobel Prize-winning 'poet' to one side for an entire book of musical analysis of the oft-ridiculed Dylan singing voice and his limited harmonic vocabulary seemed crazy until I read Prof. Rings on the many implications of Dylan's Nara 'Hard Rain' interpretation (and listened to and watched it for the very first time --- thank you for the link!) Very appropriate choice of an excerpt, given the importance that the book gives to the examination of 'Hard Rain' performances from the beginning to the most recent era of Dylan's long career. And Steven Rings' close discussion of Dylan's vocal phrasing in 'Long & Wasted Years' (page 97) sent me straight back to 'Tempest', one of my least-loved of Dylan's studio LPs, and I stayed with the album this morning not just for that song alone. Thanks again for this post!
I was at the Hershey show in 1994, and have always seen it as evidence that Dylan's sense of humor was very much intact (even if much, much quieter than it was in the early-to-mid 60s). The show was in the remnants of a hurricane, and it poured. I mean POURED. I was soaked. Bob was soaked. Everyone was soaked. And what did Bob pull out? Hard Rain. Great, unexpected performance... The only other show I've ever been to that was that wet was the Bob and Willie show at Ripken Stadium in 2004. And what did Bob pull out (again) for a fairly rare performance? Hard Rain :) That wasn't even the best version I heard that year, though. The 3 April 2004 show at Bender Arena in DC was superb and the Hard Rain at that one was fierce. I'll be checking out this book!
Tremendous. I had already pre-ordered the book, but if I hadn't, then this excerpt would have prompted me to do so immediately.
Ray, thank you so much for posting this excerpt. It is a sublime read. And it is very instructive to listen to the clips along with the text. I very much look forward to reading the book. I confess that, although I have always considered this an important song, I have until recently not felt like I understood "Hard Rain" very well. That all changed on September 11, 2024 when Bob Dylan came to Cincinnati with the Outlaw Festival. Perhaps it's because this was the first time I actually got to hear Bob perform this live. I don't really know how to explain why I finally got it this time. But his performance was brilliant, his piano and the band's accompaniment offered the perfect framing, and I finally heard the story he was telling. I really believe with some of Bob's performances, performances such as this one, that he is as amazed by the song as we are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8B1hAAh2Aw
This is fantastic. I am one of the people who adores the Nara performance and now I know why.
This was fascinating. I couldn't help thinking of jazz singers, though, who improvise different melodies frequently. Somehow the phenomenon gains more significance when it's occurring with Dylan, though. The clips from the Nara performances were gorgeous.
Wow. I loved this. Thank you.