Heres another documentary for all you Bob Dylan fans and lovers of the Folk revival music of the 1960’s. ‘Roads Rapidly Changin’ explores the Folk revival Scene of the 1960’s in Greenwich Village, New York. We learn how a young Bob Dylan became part of that scene and rose to fame.
This Docu-Movie features Interviews from Tom Paxton, Martin Carthy, Robert Christgau, Nigel Williamson, Eric Andersen, Harold Leventhau, John Cohen & Izzy Young, . It also Features music from Pete Seeger, woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, The Animals and The Byrd’s
Bob Dylan: Roads Rapidly Changin
The Folk Revival
As America was trying to cope with the Great Depression of the 1930’s, there arose a folk scene. This scene included great folk singers such as Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson and Leadbelly. They sung songs about the life they lived. Addressing subjects such as Poverty, Workers rights, Racism, etc they sung protest songs.
However, come the early 1960’s, a New Era of Folk music which was to become known as The Folk Revival Scene. Artists like Pete Seeger with his Group The Weavers were elevated to spokeperson for the Folk revival scene. However, the Anti-Communism sentiment was still very much a thing in the states at the time and tensions were still quite high. Seeger was banned in the United States under the Anti American Bill that was passed in 1960.
Anti Communist
Bob Dylan comes to Town
Robert Zimmerman was a kid in Hibbing Minnesota who was born in 1941. He had played in a Rock n Roll band with friends at High School. But he fell in love with the folk songs of Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson and Leadbelly. He was having fun playing with his band. But he wanted to be where the action was happening. So he headed to Newyork city and to Greenwich Village.
It was in Greenwich Village that he found a place in the music scene going by the pseudonym Bob Dylan. He was soon busy playing gigs almost every night in the Village.
But Bob had another mission in mind when he arrived in New York. He wanted to visit his hero Woody Guthrie who was dying in hospital at the time. So he went to see the aged folk singer in the hospital. Woody Guthrie gave him a card that read “I’m not Dead Yet” which Dylan went around Greenwich town showing everyone he knew. He returned the gift in song with his ‘Song to Woody’.
Recording
Bobs love for Woody Guthrie’s music Inspired his self titled debut album which he released in 1962. This album consisted almost wholly of covers except for ‘Song to Woody’ which was his own. But his Second Album ‘The Freewheelin Bob Dylan’ was mostly his own compositions. However, it wasn’t until his Third Album that it was completely Dylan’s own material. This is often considered his Greatest album. Especially amongst his original fans of the ‘Acoustic Dylan’ Era.
Dylan with Joan Baez
The documentary talks about Dylan’s professional relationship with female folk singer Joan Baez. This was a collaboration that would earn the duo the nickname ‘The King and Queen of Folk’. With so much going on in both Vietnam and within America, they’d enough material to sing about. There was no shortage of issues that needed addressing and the Duo did just that.
His 5th studio album ‘Bringing it All back home ‘ was released inn April, 1965. It was a Top selling Hit and reached Number Six in the Billboard Chart. The album featured Top Ten Hit singles ‘Subterranaean Homsesicvk Blues’ and ‘Mr Tambourine man’.
Dylan Goes Electric
During Dylan’s 1966 World Tour, Dylan went electric. Each of his shows consisted of two Parts. The First Part would be an acoustic set. However, when he came back on stage to play his Second half, Dylan was armed with an Electric guitar. This was to the horror of many of his more conservative Folk fans. One fan even called him “Judas!” at his concert in Manchester Free Trade Hall.
However, this was no deterrent to Dylan on his new rock n roll lifestyle. Before long many contemporary groups were covering his songs. A Rendition of ‘House of the rising sun’ by Newcastle band, The Animals became a Top Ten hit in the UK and America. Also The Byrd’s version of Mr Tambourine man’ has became a well known classic. Dylan was going down well in his new role as a Rock n Roller rather than a Folkie and Dylan liked it. Songs like ‘Maggie’s Farm’ reflect his attitude towards his Musical Career path. He was doing his own thing whether anyone liked it or not.
This New Era of bob Dylan saw hits such as ‘Like a Rollin Stone’, ‘Positively 4th Street ‘ and ‘Desolation Row’. He also released Top selling albums ‘Blonde on Blonde’ and ‘Highway 61 revisited’ around this time.
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