The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie: Change is the Only Constant

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1 Veronica Dow The Beatles and Their Time 5/1/15 The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie: Change is the Only Constant Some musicians leave their mark on the popular consciousness forever. The Beatles were this kind of group, as fifty years later, they are still well studied and well loved. Nostalgia alone does not account for this impact if this were the case, their music would not have the kind of effect it does on the next generation. Their high degree of technical quality does not explain it either. Plenty of artists achieve renown without any complexity in their music, and a work can be of high technical quality and still fail to establish an emotional connection with the listener. So, what is it that enables the Beatles to remain as strong a presence as they have? Undoubtedly there are many factors that I will not be able to address, but I believe that one key aspect to their continues legacy is their ability to adapt over time. To argue this, I will be examining two other artists who have impacted popular music in similar ways: Bob Dylan and David Bowie. Like the Beatles, Bob Dylan s career started in the early sixties. He began as a folk singer, performing in coffee shops with an acoustic guitar and an unpolished voice, but was eventually discovered by a New York Times music critic; he released his first album in 1962 (Martin). Dylan at this time was a folk singer with some political leanings iconic tunes such as Blowin in the Wind and It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) exemplify his style at this point. Because he was associated with the 1960s counterculture, he was often linked to the Beatles thematically, if not stylistically.

2 However, only two years after his debut, Dylan seemed to grow tired of the image he had of a political protest singer. He began experimenting with electronic sounds, incorporating them into folk in a way nobody had done before. Additionally, his lyrical themes shifted from those of protest to something more introspective (Martin). The reaction to this was mixed, with some fans walking out and others heckling him (Negus, 2). In the 1970s, he converted to evangelical Christianity (Martin). This marked another genre shift he made two gospel records, Saved and Slow Train Coming. Lyrics such as By His grace I have been touched/by His word I have been healed/by His hand I have been delivered/by His spirit I Have been sealed from the title track of Saved allow for little room for interpretation. While his sound is notably more polished, the unsubtle and arguably preachy lyrics resulted in more alienation of his fanbase (Negus, 53). Bob Dylan continued to produce music through the 1980s and 1990s as well, returning to his folk roots and producing two albums with only voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica (Negus, 67). He was a part of the Traveling Wilburys, a group which included George Harrison; the sound of this group recalled Dylan s past work (Negus, 66). He still appears to be producing music to this day he recently released a Christmas album, and he was last on tour in 2010 (Martin). In many respects, Bob Dylan and the Beatles had surprisingly similar career arcs. Dylan s early shift away from protest music in favor of greater introspection mirrors the Beatles move from lighthearted, romantic songs to more experimentation, as can be seen in tracks like Norwegian Wood and Eleanor Rigby. In both cases, I think the combined forces of rebellion against being pigeonholed by the press, achieving greater musical experience, and a desire to

3 push artistic limits motivated them to move in a different thematic direction, regardless of how it was received by critics or fans. In addition, both influenced each other musically they have collaborated several times, and during their heyday, often listened to and drew influence from each other. However, there are some notable differences between these two acts. For one, they have very different approaches to music. The Beatles s performances were tight and controlled their time in Hamburg taught them how to perform a solid set, straight through, whereas Dylan was more laid back and interested in developing a rapport with the audience (Negus, 1 2). Furthermore, Dylan was much more averse to using recording technology more than was necessary he was generally of the opinion that music existed outside of a studio. He once stated that a record is not that monumental for me to make. It s just a record of songs (Negus, 3.) In general however, I think these artists are more alike than they are different, but an artist that would stand in sharp contrast to these two was on the way. After the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, another key figure to modern popular music emerged: David Bowie. Much can be said about David Bowie, and I do not have nearly the proper amount of space to discuss his career, influences, affinities, and impact. Thus, I will endeavor to summarize his role in popular music as best I can. David Bowie began performing in the 1960s, but he did not break through to the mainstream until the early 1970s (David Bowie.com). Through the concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, he established an alter ego that almost defies description a bisexual, androgynous rock star from outer space with incredible stage presence, and unforgettable style. Glam rock was his genre during this time, which was an excellent

4 thematic fit. This character was a staple of his theatrical live shows, until 1973, when he suddenly decided to put an end to it (David Bowie.com). After Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie developed another persona: the Thin White Duke. Almost out of necessity, the Thin White Duke was more subdued than Ziggy Stardust, but was also far more sinister and cold (Buckley, 225). Here, David Bowie was experimenting with blue eyed soul and funk; in addition, he was becoming chemically dependant on cocaine (Buckley, 226). This dependency was taking a physical and psychological toll, so in 1977, after filming for The Man Who Fell to Earth was completed, he escaped to Europe and Berlin. In the interest of space, I will need to gloss over Low and Heroes somewhat, but they are notable entries in the David Bowie canon. These albums were composed in Berlin, and were a shift towards experimental rock and electronica, with clear influences from German experimental genres from around this time, most notable krautrock (Buckley, 239). Like Dylan, he continued to perform throughout the 1980s and 1990s, experimenting with new styles, and collaborating with industrial act Nine Inch Nails in 1996 (David Bowie.com). He has been much more prolific than Dylan into the 21st century he continued to act and tour, and he even released a new single as recently as 2013 (David Bowie.com) At first blush, comparing David Bowie to the Beatles seems like a stretch, to say the least. Their differences are too obvious to even mention. However, I think one can make the argument that they are similar in some fundamental ways. They both pushed against ideas about sexual expression in male performers, for one thing. The Beatles may seem rather non threatening now, but in 1962 their long hair and overall androgyny was considered a baffling threat to the social order (Ehrenreich, 534). David Bowie was undoubtedly more

5 forceful in his androgyny, and more explicitly sexual, but both acts clearly subverted ideas about what a sexually appealing male musician looked and acted like. In addition, David Bowie s constant re invention of himself could be seen as a more explicit parallel of the changes the Beatles went through over the course of their career. Each album in the Beatles catalogue signifies some subtle change in the band s outlook and musical development. Of course, Sgt. Pepper is probably the best example of a significant genre departure, and is probably a greater influence on David Bowie than even he realizes, as it was the prototypical concept album with an invented backstory for the band. The quality of timelessness is not something that is easy to explain. However, it s clear that all three of these artists were willing and able to adapt, while still maintaining the fundamentals of what made them the kind of artists they were. Bob Dylan experimented in a wide variety of genres, and despite the mixed reactions he received from fans and critics, he continued to innovate. David Bowie, whose constant reinvention was an essential aspect of his performance, is widely known as an incredibly influential figure for glam rock, heavy metal, and for any musician who has experimented with alter egos Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga owe a great deal of their style to him. And of course the Beatles are the ultimate example of this phenomenon the amount of books, scholarly interest, documentaries, inspired listeners, and college courses speak for themselves. Works Cited Martin, Patricia. "Bob Dylan." Bob Dylan (2005): 1. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 1 May 2015.

6 Negus, Keith. Icons of Pop Music : Bob Dylan. Bristol, CT, USA: Equinox Publishing Ltd, ProQuest ebrary. Web. 2 May "About page." David Bowie Official Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 April Ehrenreich, Barbara, Elizabeth Hess, and Gloria Jacobs. "Beatlemania: A Sexually Deviant Consumer Subculture?" The Subcultures Reader. By Ken Gelder and Sarah Thornton. London: Routledge, Print. Dylan, Bob. Columbia. Bob Dylan. Rec. 23 June Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler, Digital file. Buckley, David. Strange Fascination: David Bowie: The Definitive Story. London: Virgin, Print.

BEATLES STUDIO LP S RANKED

BEATLES STUDIO LP S RANKED ABSTRACT From 1963 to 1970, the Beatles released 13 studio albums, this is my personal list of the Beatle albums ranked from least to favorite record. Carlos E. Valdivia This list was started on June 8th