Bob Dylan rarely makes public appearances and statements other than at his scheduled shows. As a matter of fact, the man did not even show up to make any remarks at the Nobel Prize ceremony in 2013 when he won the prize for literature. That is just how the Bard rolls. However, when he does show up and speak up, he does not mince his words for the sake of being cordial and socially acceptable. Rather, Dylan seemingly says exactly what is on his mind, and he did just that in 2015 when he gave a speech at the MusiCares Gala.
Dylan spoke at the MusiCares Gala to give his Person of the Year acceptance speech. Dylan received the award for, well, for being Bob Dylan. Nevertheless, Dylan took the podium and surprised those in attendance, as he didn’t give an overly optimistic speech. Rather, he took some time to tear apart the critics who judged his work and career.
Now, while the highlight of this Dylan speech is his criticism of his critics. He also took quite a bit of time to thank those who helped him become one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Furthermore, he went on to celebrate the world of traditional folk music and shed light on its importance to American culture. However, all people can seem to remember is that rough minute and a half when Dylan destroyed his disbelievers.
Dylan started his speech by stating, “Critics have been giving me a hard time since day one. Critics say I can’t sing, I croak, sound like a frog. Why don’t critics say that same thing about Tom Waits? Critics say my voice is shot, that I have no voice. Why don’t they say those things about Leonard Cohen? Why do I get special treatment?”
Dylan goes on to make similar rhetorical remarks, as he asks why critics criticized him in particular when other artists such as Lou Reed, Dr. John, Robert Johnson, and Muddy Waters utilized tactics he too utilized. Though rather than just bashing on the critics, Dylan makes a point seemingly as to why their opinion didn’t matter to him, nor why it shouldn’t matter to others.
“Sam Cooke said this when told he had a beautiful voice,” Dylan continued. “He said, ‘Well, that’s very kind of you, but voices ought not to be measured by how pretty they are. Instead, they matter only if they convince you that they are telling the truth.’ Think about that the next time you are listening to a singer.”
That speech is a testament as to why Bob Dylan remains one of the most legendary and thought-provoking artists of all time.
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