Don't Trust Anyone Over 30...

@LadyMarissa (12148)
United States
July 1, 2011 5:34pm CST
Bob Dylan is an American singer/songwriter, musician, poet & sometimes painter. He has been a major figure in music for atleast the last five decades & has had immense influence on popular music. Somewhere around 1970 when he was 29 years old, he announced that the hippie generation shouldn't trust anyone over 30. I think he got his idea from Jerry Rubin the founder of the Youth International Party & a strong anti-war protester during the Vietnam era. I was only 20 at the time & can remember thinking that was the dumbest thing I had ever heard as he'd be 30 within a year. Bob became a major figurehead in the political unrest of the 60s & 70s. I find all of this amusing as I am surprised that Bob has just turned 70 years old on May 14 & has the utmost respect of most of his peers!!! It seems that it was a good thing for him that few took his advice & still trust him some 40 years later!!! Now, to try & make this a valid discussion...what are your thoughts on Bob Dylan???
4 responses
@p1kef1sh (45681)
2 Jul 11
He can't sing, plays instruments appallingly badly and, as your discussion describes, spoke for a whole generation of disillusioned and angry young people. His lyrics rank up there with Woody and Arlo Guthrie and he is without doubt an iconic personality in the history and development of popular music. I still find myself wondering if the X Factor generation would ever buy one of his albums. Where is today's Dylan? Who represents the protest movement of the West of 2011?
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Jul 11
Ahhhh P1key...I take it you don't care for Dylan!!! While reading Rich's response...out of the corner of my eye...I caught your name as the next responder & my first thought was...I don't see P1key as being a Dylan fan Can't say I'm shocked with your response!!! Where is today's Dylan? Who represents the protest movement of the West of 2011? They are squashed as anti-American before they can get their word out!!! The movement of the 60s very much caught our government & parents with their proverbial pants down..they were not prepared for the ensuing rebellion!!! I've always been a peacenik who believed in supporting our troops!!! I used to wonder why Dylan was so popular as I didn't appreciate him as much as some did. However, with age comes a different outlook!!! In learning the MANY songs he wrote that were performed by others, he wrote some beautiful music as well as the protest junk. I'm no longer convinced that some of his anti-war tunes were written for that purpose. Much like the Guthries, I think he just wasn't mainstream to a generation looking for ANY reason to rebel!!! I believe some of his songs were twisted into becoming protest songs & not written for that purpose. Then some record producer convinced him that he could become rich by going with the flow & it worked!!!!
@p1kef1sh (45681)
2 Jul 11
Au contraire LadyM. "Fan" might be a little strong, but I do appreciate his offering to modern music. The thing is that I tend to prefer other people's renditions of his songs. But I truly believe that along with other people of that period he made a huge contribution to the development of music. If the Beatles and the Stones were the super groups then Dylan was undoubtedly one of the super individuals. I do agre though that he has succumbed to "mainstreamism" and commerciality. But then again, if someone offered you the possibility of making a fortune by doing what you do already slightly differently then you might be tempted too. I know that I would!
@urbandekay (18278)
2 Jul 11
I understood the quote to originate with Jack Weinberg in 1964. Bob is a good minstrel. all the best urban
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I don't know who originated it......I just know whose mouth I saw it come out of!!! And I still find it unimaginable that Dylan is now 70 & how he has mellowed with age!!! He has provided us with some wonderful music over the last 50 years!!!!
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I never liked Dylan's music. It made nice poetry and was thought-provoking a lot of the time but his voice is like fingernails on chalkboard to me. I much prefer his son Jakob and his band The Wallflowers. I guess that made more of an impression on me than it did you. I still think a man in a suit is suspicious--suits convey, to me, greed and avarice and corruption. Now, I know that's a ridiculous stereotype and rarely true but that's the way my mind words--and I'm a conservative!
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I don't believe in labeling myself as my reactions to any given situation varies depending on the situation!!! I don't own even one Dylan album as I agree that his voice was always irritating. Most of his music that I loved was performed by others!!! If you go back & look at the words to his songs...even the themes for the anti-war movement, they weren't necessarily anti-war!!! The protesters often turned them into anti-war themes!!! In my eyes, he was a poet who tried to sing & just rode the crest of a wave that made him rich & famous!!! He saved his best stuff for others!!! I'm having a harder time dealing with the fact that soooo many of the performers that were popular in my youth are turning 70...makes me feel old!!!
• United States
3 Jul 11
dont trust anyone over 30?? hmmm. i thinnk that depends if you actually know the person like really well.. you know of course if he's related to you in someone,.. like family..you know.. but if its someone who you don't know,. then yeah, you gotta be careful who you trust
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
4 Jul 11
You only read the title didn't you??? You didn't read the discussion as your response has absolutely NOTHING to do with the discussion!!!