Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan - Vol. 1 Language & Tradition (The 50th Anniversary Series) Paperback – May 29, 2023

I read the first edition of this book back in '73, and I bought the second and third editions, but didn't sit down and read them. The third is BIG. I sort of dipped into them from time to time. But recently I dipped into it again to read about a particular song and once I did that, I was compelled to finish Volume 3, which is where I dipped. After finishing that, I went back to Volume 1 and have read all of it. Gray brings to bear a wealth of knowledge about the things that matter about Dylan's writing: its influences, his use of language and of course how the music works. As I said, these are big books, but they are richly rewarding, and have sent me back to many of the songs, but also to the poetry and other songs that influenced Dylan. It may be more than most people want to read, but jeez, it is totally worth it.

This is an essential analysis of Dylan's work. I found it incredibly enlightening. Why not five stars then? The book stinks, by which I mean, the physical product. I received a book printed by Amazon at a local warehouse. This is not producing a high quality product. My edition has pages cut incorrectly with half-inch notches sticking out of the right bottom corner. As I read, several pages pulled loose from the binding. I am going to have to order a scotch tape from Amazon to put the thing back together. So beware.

This was originally published in 1972 and not really revised. Revising would change it too much. There is a charm in capturing a moment. Some of what is written is dead wrong, some is maybe right but you don't care if you yourself are a song writer, others stuff is thought provoking. The book makes you re-listen to Bob Dylan's records so you can have a fist fight with the author. LOL. The book helps you listen to Bob with a fresh ear. It is a great read!I finished the book, and here are some final thoughts.How does culture ultimately remember its poets? What is meaning? Maybe a poem is just a heady drink of its time, the poet like an evaporating alcohol, leaving dried residue at the bottom of the mug.If you want to know how an English professor thinks about how Bob Dylan thinks, then this is the book for you. It provides insight into the critical apparatus, also accidentally casting aspersions on what the academic critics had to say about Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats. You realize that literary criticism is more of a superimposition of outside ideas ( "isms") and comparisons than any real insight into how the poets created and what their works meant to them. As the poet evaporates, the critic inflates. His analogies and stories grow into a Thanksgiving Day parade held up by clowns with hastily painted faces.I am not saying that the things said in the book are not true. Is our culture wrong? The book is going to make you relisten to Dylan and enjoy him from a different perspective. And yes, I am going to buy volumes II and II, and read those too once I am recovered from this one. Until then, I am going to write a little poem. Maybe even put it to music. Alas, probably no residue at the bottom of my cup.

The 3 book series is marketed as an updated version, but is merely a reprint of the 2000 edition split over 3 books. Disapointing.

If you love Dylan's songs and singing, you may think they're unexplainable. But what Michael Gray has done - first in 1972 and then in two major updates over the years - is to surround Dylan’s work with detailed context; what influenced him, how he created in new ways, exactly which bits are magical. The effect is to clarify and lift your appreciation for Dylan without demystifying him - he remains remarkable but now for more understandable reasons.There are a lot of great books on Bob, from many angles. It’s clear why many think this is the greatest of them, particularly of those that try to look at his work (as opposed to his life or some specific aspect of it). The fact that Gray did this first as a young man experiencing 1960s Dylan in real time is amazing. That he kept at it and followed and expanded for the next 50 years is almost unbelievable. Dylan fans are lucky to have both of them.This new serialized edition gives fans who didn't get one of the earlier editions a new chance to own this great book. Yes it's been out before, but it remains vital and relevant and something any Dylan fan old or new will deeply enjoy. There's also a podcast series on Dylan.FM where the author talks about every chapter and expands on the ideas and issues in this book.

If you are a Bob Dylan fan I would highly recommend it and its companion volumes.Also, Michael Gray was an English teacher of mine a long, long time ago, in a country far, far away.I reached out to him to confirm, he responded, and we are now in communication. He was very gracious, he was a good teacher, I passed my English exams!

Great book. Disappointing new version. Four typo mistakes by page 170 already. Figured a new anniversary edition would have been edited better.

Michael Gray’s analysis of Dylan’s work set the standard for how we engage it and remains a seminal text for Dylan scholars and Dylan fans who want to go beyond biography to understand the depth of Dylan’s art. The reissue brings it back to print, giving us access to the work in three volumes that seem less intimidating than the original (and quite massive) book. If you are a Dylan fan or scholar, this is an essential text.

All that needs to be said about this 50th Anniversary book - or rather the earlier editions has been said - read the thousands of reviews. I simply want to comment on the production qualities.1. A big error is not being available in hardback. Thankfully it is printed in the USA so it is unlikely the pages will yellow like a lot of British printed paperbacks do.2. I do not like the black semi matte finish. This tyoe of cover lends itself to collecting fingerprints.3. It is overpriced for a paperback. The author and publishers have made enough money from all the previous iterations. As such I would liked to have seen this more realistically priced. But...Dylan fans beong Dylan fans...!