Dylan's Philosophy of Modern Song

From Variety:

Of the dozens or even hundreds of singers and songwriters that Bob Dylan extols in his new  book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song,” there is one that seems to stand out even more than the others, so effusive is Dylan’s praise. This performer, he writes, is “downright incredible” and “lived in every moment of every song he sang… His performance is just downright incredible. There is nothing small you can say about it… When he stood and sang, he owned the song and he shared it and we believed every single word. What more could you want from an artist?”

The artist in question: Perry Como, naturally.

As a Dylan fan from the early '60s, I can tell you that one can never be sure when Bob is serious and when he is putting us on.

Will I buy this book?  Is the sky blue? I was about to write, "Is the Pope Catholic?" But that doesn't work anymore, with Bergoglio the Benighted at the helm of a sinking ship. 

Addendum (1/24)

'Termitic' and 'benighted' are adjectives I have repeatedly applied to 'Pope' Francis. No doubt some of you find that offensive. I intend no disrespect for the office, but I do have serious moral and intellectual reservations about its current occupant. And you should too. See this Telegraph piece which begins:

Gay “clubs” operate openly in Catholic seminaries, the institutions that prepare men for the priesthood, the late Pope Benedict XVI has claimed in a posthumously published book scathing of Pope Francis’s progressive agenda. 

In a blistering attack on the state of the Catholic Church under his successor’s papacy, Benedict, who died on Dec 31 at the age of 95, said that the vocational training of the next generation of priests is on the verge of “collapse”.

He claimed that some bishops allow trainee priests to watch pornographic films as an outlet for their sexual urges.

Benedict gave instructions that the book, What Christianity Is, should be published after his death.

Comments

[oz the ostrich]

"Magic moments" is Bacharach and David. Note the first 4 letters of the former's name.

"The way that we cheered whenever our team
Was scoring a touchdown
The time that the floor fell out of my car
When I put the clutch down"

Perfect rhyming.

[BV]

Wikipedia: >>"Magic Moments" is a popular song with music by Burt Bacharach and lyrics by Hal David, one of the first compositions by that duo.[1] The song was published in 1957. The song was recorded by Perry Como as the B-side of his "Catch a Falling Star". It reached No. 1 in the UK in 1958.<<

It did better in the UK than in the USA, which helps explain why the Ostrich is so impressed by it.

But 'surely' it is vapid, escapist, sentimental, 1950s bullshit as compared to "There But for Fortune" written by Phil Ochs and performed here by Joan Baez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4BYOJ1tc-k

Here is Magic Moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ_hWTuSYSk

Here is another of Perry Homo's hits (that's what the older boys in the 'hood' called him back then. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VJlHWESyLI

[oz the ostrich]

Ostrich likes Bacharach and David. "12 greatest" compilation is here, which includes 'Magic Moments'.

Is it all vapid, escapist, sentimental, 1950s bullshit?

I will put 'The Look of Love'and 'Walk on By' as two of the great classics of 20th century pop.

On 'sentimental', we have discussed kitsch before.

[Vito B. Caiati]

I commend your use of strong condemnatory adjectives in speaking of Bergoglio, which arises from justified irritation, for this is a morally and intellectually corrupt individual, who is ideologically devoted to the undermining--on the spiritual side--of traditional Catholic doctrine and liturgy, along with a respect for the natural law and rational discourse, and--on the secular side--of national rights of self-determination and of economic freedom. Just at the moment when the Church is called to defend the great cultural inheritance of the West, religious and secular, he joins with the global Left in bringing about its destruction. As Aquinas points out (ST II.II.Q. 158. Ad.2), “Anger may stand in a twofold relation to reason. First, antecedently; in this way it withdraws reason from its rectitude, and has therefore the character of evil. Secondly, consequently, inasmuch as the movement of the sensitive appetite is directed against vice and in accordance with reason, this anger is good, and is called "zealous anger."

[BV]

Thanks, Vito.

>>Just at the moment when the Church is called to defend the great cultural inheritance of the West, religious and secular, he joins with the global Left in bringing about its destruction.<<

You've put your finger on the crux of the matter. The RCC should serve as a check on the 'woke' juggernaut. It should stand against the anti-civilizational forces, not genuflect before them. And so should the universities and the Fourth Estate. The amazing thing about the present time is that all of our institutions have been infiltrated by the globalist wokesters and are collapsing. The resistance is surprisingly weak and half-hearted.One problems are the despicable RINOs. But there is also the problem of the huge cadre of Useful Idiots who are notpaying attention to what's going n and continue to support the Dems. Does the sweet old cat lady need to be carjacked or raped before she wakes up?

I say the seminaries should bar entry to all homosexuals, whether they practice or not. What say you, Vito?

[Vito B. Caiati]

I agree, Bill. I fear, however, that the infiltration is so widespread that we may be beyond the point where such a remedy will bring forth good things in the short term. Over time, if the will and the means to enforce it could be found, which is doubtful given the dubious makeup of the much of the hierarchy, such a restriction would yield a more morally upright and spiritually committed clergy in a much smaller but orthodox Church.