Bob Dylan is a man who truly needs no introduction. In the world of music, his lyrics tug at heartstrings you didn’t even know were there. From chronicling social unrest in the 60s to releasing bootleg volumes in 2016, Dylan has always appealed more to the burgeoning world of “against the current” swimmers. His speech on receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature was no different. Munira Fidai jots down a few reasons why we loved Bob Dylan’s speech
Like a Rollin Stone
As undulating as his music, the speech hits all the right notes in terms of his own area of expertise as well as those of others who have received the award before him. Nothing is amiss about his note of thanks- it’s a melody of just rights.
Humility all through
Despite having sold more than 100 million records and been a prominent voice during times of diaspora, not once in his speech did fame take over. He was grateful and appropriately awed.
Respect where due
Big leaguers like Shakespeare and Hemmingway were mentioned in the speech where due respect was conferred upon these revered gurus of literature. His real life analogies, comparing his lyrical work to similar challenges in the theatrical work of Shakespeare, were well worded and sans pomposity.
No Self-Deprecation
Many a ‘thank you speech’ has been killed by unnecessary self-deprecating humour. That wasn’t the case for Dylan though. While he highlighted all the hard work his field demands and spoke about how this being regarded as a work of literature never crossed his mind, none of it was worded to put himself down needlessly.
No Leveraging Required
Dylan spoke of struggles and demands in the line of songwriting. This, classily enough, did not turn into a sob story. He kept the struggles to a minimum and the elation to a maximum- just the right kind of combination for an encore-worthy speech.
Can a lyricist be a litterateur? There was an upheaval of sorts on the internet as the word of Dylan’s Nobel win hit the World Wide Web. Not many agree that songwriting could be considered real literature. Dylan revealed his most real side of nature when he said, Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, “are my songs literature?” He kept on doing what he did best, just like Shakespeare had done for drama, and let collective opinion decide
Blanketed Reverence
Throughout the speech, Dylan maintained a respectful admiration of the award being bestowed upon him. He recognised the enormity of it all, cheerfully likening it to setting foot on the moon. He understood the sort of company he now belonged to and was appropriately humbled.
Jury Not Forgotten
“I’ve played for 50,000 people and I’ve played for 50 people and I can tell you that it is harder to play for 50 people,” says Dylan. Playing for the jury in his run for the Nobel was difficult for him, especially since he had never thought of his works as being literary. He realised how difficult it must have been for the individualistic judges to come to a unanimous decision in his favour.
Things Have Changed
They truly have! Gone are the days of long flowing speeches filled with flowery prose. Dylan’s note of thanks did not even contain a snippet of his song. It was crisp and readable. He came, he thanked, he conquered.
Nothing Techno Heavy
Each form of literature comes with its own set of technicalities. Not many can say that they have not succumbed to the temptation of using one or more of these to leverage their work a little more. Dylan brushed all that aside with effortless ease, speaking only about what it meant to finally belong to what is possibly the biggest hall of fame for literature, in this time and age.
Can a lyricist be a litterateur?
There was an upheaval of sorts on the internet as the word of Dylan’s Nobel win hit the World Wide Web. Not many agreed that songwriting could be considered “real literature.” Dylan revealed his most real side of nature when he said, “Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, “are my songs literature?” He kept on doing what he did best, just like Shakespeare had done for drama, and let collective opinion decide.