The science ofincipit. Almost a discipline in itself, in the field of songwriting. A few days ago on these pages we celebrated an Italian specialist, Francesco De Gregori, with an in-depth playlist dedicated to 20 of his songs with a dazzling attack. Now, let's move directly to his master, Bob Dylan, offering you the interesting list drawn up by Far Out magazine of his 10 best initial verses from his endless repertoire.
“When Leonard Cohen was asked what he thought of the Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to Dylan – recalls Dale Maplethorpe in the introduction – he replied: 'It's like pinning a medal on Mount Everest because it is the highest mountain'. In other words, an almost superfluous recognition for something obvious to everyone. Even Bruce Springsteen has repeatedly said how much Dylan's work influenced his writing: 'I always say that he is the father of my country. He was the first to offer me the image of an America that I recognized, true, authentic.' One of Dylan's distinctive traits is the ability to capture the listener from the very first words. Often just one verse is enough to define the atmosphere, characters and themes of the song. Here, according to Far Out, are ten of the best incipits ever written by the singer-songwriter”.
The best attacks of Bob Dylan's songs
Below is Far Out's ranking of the best attacks in Bob Dylan's songs (here is the complete report).
10. “There must be some kind of way out of here, said the joker to the thief”
(“All Along The Watchtower”, from “John Wesley Harding”, 1967)
9. “Your breath is sweet, your eyes are like two jewels in the sky”
(“One More Cup Of Coffee”, from “Desire”, 1976)
8. “Mama, take this badge off of me, I can't use it anymore”
(“Knockin' On Heaven's Door”, from “Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid”, 1973)
7. “If your memory serves you well, we were going to meet again and wait”
(“This Wheel's On Fire”, from “The Basement Tapes”, 1975)
6. “They're selling postcards of the hanging”
(“Desolation Row”, from “Highway 61 Revisited”, 1965)
5. “Once upon a time you dressed so fine, threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?”
(“Like A Rolling Stone”, from “Highway 61 Revisited”, 1965)
4. “Early one morning the sun was shining, I was laying in bed, wondering if she'd changed at all”
(“Tangled Up In Blue”, from “Blood On The Tracks”, 1975)
3. “Come gather round people wherever you roam, and admit that the waters around you have grown”
(“The Times They Are A-Changin'”, from “The Times They Are A-Changin'”, 1964)
2. “Darkness at the break of noon, shadows even the silver spoon”
(“It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)”, from “Bringing It All Back Home”, 1965)
1. “Crimson flames tied through my ears, rolling high and mighty traps”
(“My Back Pages”, from “Another Side Of Bob Dylan”, 1964)
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
