I developed a theory about Dylan several years ago and it’s stuck with me. He’s a minimalist at heart. He will only show just enough of his musical talent at any one time just to deliver the song. Over the many decades he has surprised fans and critics by introducing some “new” element in a song. So over the years you get comments like, I didn’t know he could hold a harmonica note that long, I didn’t know he could play the piano, I didn’t know he could rap, I didn’t know he could trade guitar licks with Clapton, I didn’t know he could croon, etc. But he only reveals just enough to deliver the song and kind of leaves you wanting more. On his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour I swear at the beginning he seemed to channel Billy Joel at the piano, but only for a minute.
Obviously, I’m a Dylan fan. But I still marvel that every time I’ve written him off as having entered a musical phase that didn’t work, or feeling like he had no good music left in him, he has surprised me. Again and again.
