What is the relationship between an artist’s public role and their private convictions? Though Dylan outgrew his roots in traditional folk music, his skill in appropriation marks him as employing an artistic method that is undeniably “folk” and places him as a member of a longstanding tradition of folk cultures in the United States. Folk traditions began as oral traditions, which means they had to fit in the fallible human mind…so it is essential to folk traditions that they recycle or reuse various elements such as melodies, lyrics, phrases, characters, titles, and events. These mechanisms serve to signal what sort of tradition the song is operating in as well as transmit important cultural truths in ways that can be both readily identifiable and digestible for other members of the community, those “in the know.” The most famous example is the musical traditions associated with the blues, which date back to African-American folk cultures living in the US during the institution of chattel slavery in the 17
I really like this. I feel like I want to reply to many lines and say, 'yes!' .. and just to say, I think you make a lot sense (I will read this again tomorrow, I'm pretty tired, and not in the best way, but I can tell this essay is something I like). There are a lot of things I feel I want to talk to you about, many things at one time.. like I say, I will respond again when I am little more able to. There are also some strange links, coincidences .. with this essay, and something else, that I didn't explain to you previously. It seems kind of linked, in a good way. Best wishes to you,
I really like this. I feel like I want to reply to many lines and say, 'yes!' .. and just to say, I think you make a lot sense (I will read this again tomorrow, I'm pretty tired, and not in the best way, but I can tell this essay is something I like). There are a lot of things I feel I want to talk to you about, many things at one time.. like I say, I will respond again when I am little more able to. There are also some strange links, coincidences .. with this essay, and something else, that I didn't explain to you previously. It seems kind of linked, in a good way. Best wishes to you,
moth.