Iconic Figures of Popular Music: Bob Dylan Spring 2020
Course no. MUSC 424 Section no. 47255R Units: 2 Time: Mondays 10:00-11:50am Room: KDC 241
Course instructor: Bill Biersach Instructor’s office: KDC 241 Instructor’s office hours: MW 9 – 9:45 am, 12 – 1 pm Office phone: (213) 740-7416 Instructor’s email: [email protected]
The Premise
Bruce Springsteen said it best on January 20th, 1988, at the induction of Bob Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
Dylan was a revolutionary. Bob freed your mind the way Elvis freed your body. He showed us that because the music was innately physical did not mean it was anti-intellectual. He had the vision and the talent to make a pop song that contained the whole world. He invented a new way a pop singer could sound, broke through the limitations of what a recording artist could achieve and changed the face of rock and roll forever. Without Bob, the Beatles wouldn’t have made Sgt. Pepper, the Beach Boys wouldn’t have made Pet Sounds, the Sex Pistols wouldn’t have made “God Save the Queen,” U2 wouldn’t have done “Pride (in the Name of Love),” Marvin Gaye wouldn’t have done “What’s Going On,” the Count Five would not have done “Psychotic Reaction,” Grandmaster Flash might not have done “The Message,” and there never would have been a group named the Electric Prunes. To this day, Bob’s own modern work has gone unjustly underappreciated because it’s had to stand in the shadow … So I’m just here tonight to say thanks, to say that I wouldn’t be here without you, to say that there isn’t a soul in this room who does not owe you his thanks.
Course Goal
Is Mr. Springsteen’s accolade above an example of hyperbole, enthusiastic overstatement, understatement, fantasy, or the simple truth? In this course we will plumb the self-styled conundrum (musical, professional, and personal) that is Bob Dylan. We will explore examples of his work from various stages of his career, consider his lyrics and changing styles, view documentaries, and no doubt argue over the production quality of his recordings. In addition, the students themselves will research his albums and prepare to lead discussions on their quality and content.
Grades
Grades will be based on the following:
Weekly assignments (written discussion points based on reading assignments) 25 Points Oral presentations (album reviews) 25 Points Three essay exams 25 Points Participation (attendance and class engagement) 25 Points
Scores for course grade will be tabulated as follows:
94 - 100 A 90 – 93 A- 87 – 89 B+ 84 – 86 B 80 – 83 B- 77 – 79 C+ 74 – 76 C 70 – 73 C- 67 – 69 D+ 64 – 66 D 60 – 63 D- 0 - 59 F
Texts
Cott, Jonathan (Editor). Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews. Wenner Books. New York, 2006. ISBN: 1-932958-09-6
Heylin, Clinton. Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited. Harper Entertainment. New York, 1990. ISBN: 0-06-052569-X
BOB DYLAN Spring 2020 Schedule of Album Presentations and Reading Assignments
WEEK [Group] ALBUM DATE Clinton Heylin Jonathan Cott ed. Behind the Shades Essential Interviews
1. Bob Dylan Jan. 13 ------1962
2. (Holiday) Jan. 20 ------
3. [1] The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Jan. 27 Chpt. 1-7 Chpt. 1-2 1963
4. [2] Another Side of Bob Dylan Feb. 3 Chpt. 8-9 Chpt. 3-4 1964
5. [3] Bringin’ It All Back Home Feb. 10 Chpt. 10-12 Chpt. 5-8 1965
6. (Holiday) Feb. 17 ------
7. [4] Highway 61 Revisited Feb. 24 Chpt. 13 Chpt. 9-10 1965
8. FIRST MIDTERM Mar. 2 ------
9. [1] John Wesley Harding Mar. 9 Chpt. 14 Chpt. 11 1967 [2] Nashville Skyline 1969
10. (Spring break) Mar. 16 ------
11. [3] Planet Waves Mar. 23 Chpt. 15-23 Chpt. 12-13 1974 [4] Blood on the Tracks 1975
12. SECOND MIDTERM Mar. 30 ------
13. [1] Slow Train Coming Apr. 6 Chpt. 24-28 Chpt. 14-18 1979
14. [2] Infidels Apr. 13 Chpt. 29-30 Chpt. 19-24 1983
15. [3] Time Out of Mind Apr. 20 Chpt. 31-39 Chpt. 25-28 1997
16. [4] Tempest Apr. 27 The Finishing Chpt. 29-31 2012 End
17. FINAL EXAM Monday, May 11 8 – 9 am
Statement of Academic Conduct
Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus in Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standards
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Support Systems for Students
A number of USC’s schools provide support for students who need help with scholarly writing. Check with your advisor or program staff to find out more. Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute
Bibliography (books consulted while creating and updating this course)
BOOKS
Brackett, David The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader (Third Edition) Oxford University Press, New York, 2005 ISBN 978-0-19-981170-0
Brown, Peter The Love You Make Signet (McGraw-Hill), New York, 1983 ISBN 0-415-12797-8
Byrne, David How Music Works McSweeney’s, San Francisco, 2012 ISBN 978-1-938073-53-3
Charlton, Katherine Rock Music Styles: A History, Seventh edition. McGraw Hill Education, New York, 2019. ISBN: 978-1-259-92257-2
Cott, Jonathan (Editor) Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews Wenner Books, New York, 2006 ISBN: 1-932958-09-6
Covach, John and What’s That Sound? An Introduction to Rock and Flory, Andrew It’s History (Third edition), Norton & Company, New York, 2012 ISBN-13: 978-0-393-91204-3
Dylan, Bob Chronicles Volume One Simon & Schuster, New York, 2005. ISBN 0-7432-2815-4
Dylan, Bob Lyrics: 1962 – 1985 Knopf (Random House), New York, 1985. ISBN 0-394-54278-9
Dylan, Bob The Bob Dylan Scrapbook, 1956-1966 Simon and Schuster, New York, 2005 ISBN 978-0743228282
Dylan, Bob The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1966 – 1975 Knopf (Random House), New York, 1978. ISBN 0-394-40888-8
Dylan, Bob Tarantula (Fifth edition Scribner, New York, 2004 0-7432-3041-8
Garafalo. Reebee Rockin’ Out: Popular Music in the USA, (Fourth Edition) Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2008 ISBN-13: 978-0-13-234305-3
Gitlin, Todd The Sixties: Days of Hope, Days of Rage Bantam Books, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-553-05233-0
Hampton, Timothy Bob Dylan’s Poetics: How the Songs Work Zone Books, New York, 2019 ISBN 978-1942130154
Hedin, Benjamin Studio A: The Bob Dylan Reader W. W. Norton, New York, 2005 ISBN 0393327426
Hentoff, Nat “Playboy Interview: Bob Dylan” Playboy Magazine, February, 1966
Herdman, John Voice without Restraint: A Study of Bob Dylan’s Lyrics and Their Background Delilah Books/Putnam, New York, 1982 ISBN 0862280370
Heylin, Clinton Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited. Harper Entertainment, New York, 1990. ISBN: 0-06-052569-X
Kemp, Louie Bob Dylan & Me: 50 Years of Adventures Westrose Press, New York, 2019 ISBN 978-1733001212
Marcus, Greil Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes Owl Books, New York, 1998 ISBN 033033642X
Marcus, Greil Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ’n’ Roll Times Obelisk (Dutton), New York, 1975 ISBN 0-525-48556-2
Marshall, Scott M. Bob Dylan: A Spiritual Life BP Books, New York, 2017 ISBN 978-1944229641
McDougal, Dennis Bob Bylan: The Biography Wiley, New York, 2014 ISBN 978-1630260682
Mellers, Wilfrid A Darker Shade of Pale: A Backdrop to Bob Dylan Oxford University Press, New York, 1984 ISBN 0-19-503622-0
Heylin, Clinton Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades (revisted) New York; Harper, 1991 ISBN: 0-06-052569-X
Kubernik, Harvey Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and the Music of Laurel Canyon Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 2009 ISBN: 978-4027-9761-3
Larson, Thomas E. History of Rock & Roll Kendall Hunt, Dubuque, 2010. ISBN 987-4652-0532-2
Lazell, Barry Rock Movers and Shakers (editor) Billboard Publications, New York, 1989 ISBN 0-8230-7608-3
Margotin, Philippe and Bob Dylan: All the Songs – The Story Behind Every Guesdon, Track Jean-Michel Black Dog and Leventhal, 1st Edition, 2015 ISBN 978-1579129859
Parles, John and The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll Romanowski, Patricia Rolling Stone Press, New York, 1983 ISBN 0-671-44071-3
Pattison, Robert The Triumph of Vulgarity: Popular Music in the Mirror of Romanticism Oxford University Press, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-19-503876-2
Pichaske, David A Generation in Motion: Popular Music and the Culture of the Sixties Ellis Press, Peoria, 1989 ISBN 0-944024-16-5
Rubin, Nathan Rock and Roll: Art and Anti-Art Kendall/Hall Publishing, Dubuque, 1993 ISBN 0840386664
Scaduto, Anthony Bob Dylan Helter Skelter Publishing, London, 2001 ISBN 1900924234
Shelton, Robert No Direction Home: The Life and Times of Bob Dylan Ballentine Books, New York, 1986 ISBN 1617130125
Sounes, Howard Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan Grove Press, New York 2001 ISBN 0802145523
Smith, Joe Off the Record: The Oral History of Popular Music Warner Publications, New York, 1988 ISBN 0-446-51232-X
Stambler, Irwin The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1989 ISBN 0-312-04310-4
Starr, Larry and American Popular Music: The Rock Years Waterman, Christopher Oxford University Press, New York, 2006 ISBN 0199859116
Theorem, Hood Bob Dylan Love Coloring Book: A Collectable Unauthorized Biography Independently Published, 2019 ISBN 978-1095319659
FILMS
Don’t Look Back. Dir. D. A. Pennebaker. Distributed by Docurama, 1967.
Eat the Document. Dir. Bob Dylan. Featuring the Band. 1966.
I'm Not There. Dir. Todd Haynes. The Weinstein Company/Paramount Pictures, 2007.
The Last Waltz. Dir. Martin Scorsese. United Artists. 1978.
Masked and Anonymous. Dir. Larry Charles. Sony Pictures, 2003.
No Direction Home. Dir. Martin Scorsese. Paramount Pictures, 2005.
The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at the Newport Folk Festival, 1963-1965. Dir. Murray Lerner. 1965.