NationStates Jolt Archive

Aussie PM John Howard has said numerous times that his favourite artist is Bob Dylan. Might seem fair enough; he was born in 1939. But it is interesting nonetheless.

While it is easy to sit back and enjoy the actual aesthetic of the music, I don't see how a conservative like John Howard could possibly have a favourite artist whose lyrics oppose his own values so much, especially when lyrics are as important to the music as they are for Dylan. I mean, he could throw some good chords together, but y'know what I mean.

Howard is extremely socially conservative and a strong defender of the Vietnam war. So is he lying or does he just ignore the lyrics or is he a moron or what?

I find this quite interesting. I mean, as good as Pink Floyd's music is, if the lyrics were politically-charged to the extreme right I'd have trouble calling them my favourite band.

Thoughts?

You don't have to agree with someone to be fond of their music. Plus, Bob Dylan's lyrics wern't thaaaaaaaat radical.

You don't have to agree with someone to be fond of their music. Plus, Bob Dylan's lyrics wern't thaaaaaaaat radical.

Exactly. I'm a Liberal Socialist, but I still like listening to The Right Brother's Republican Rock music. But it's okay. I counterbalance it by listening to my Russian Commie Rock right after.

Maybe he's just trying to be hip.

Maybe he's just trying to be hip.

The old midget's gonna have to do a lot more than listen to Dylan to even be considered anywhere close to "hip". :p

If he says his favorite musician is Bob Dylan, his favorite musician is Bob Dylan. That's one of those things that you have no reason to lie about. Sure, it's a little odd, but can't a guy just enjoy his music?

He also has said he enjoy's Midnight Oil, specifically "Beds are Burning". Yet, I doubt he ever voted NDP.

He also has said he enjoy's Midnight Oil, specifically "Beds are Burning". Yet, I doubt he ever voted NDP.

lol.

I don't see how you can enjoy music where the lyrics are so important and opposed to your own values. If it wasn't Bob Dylan and an artist where the actual music was more important and better I'd understand, but while Dylan's music does have a certain charm, especially after his first few albums, I don't see how you can like it just for the music, as it isn't all that special from my POV. I don't have a problem with him liking or even loving Dylan or Midnight Oil or any other artist, but to have your favourite artist's lyrics be so contradictory of your own values seems strange to me.

Why do I listen to the Dead Kennedys, or perhaps Bad Religion? Is it because I agree with them? Certainly not. It's because they're enjoyable...


...I also get a sick thrill out of Fertile Crescent. *blushes*

Okay, I thought of an analogy. A femenist's favourite song being My Humps. IT MAKES NO SENSE!

The old midget's gonna have to do a lot more than listen to Dylan to even be considered anywhere close to "hip". :p
What? He's so hip, he can barely see over his pelvis!

when you see/hear someone listening to rap do you assume they think women are Hos and that they are going to do a drive-by?

people dont always think the way the people who made the music they listen to think.

Exactly. I'm a Liberal Socialist, but I still like listening to The Right Brother's Republican Rock music. But it's okay. I counterbalance it by listening to my Russian Commie Rock right after.

Please tell me you're listening to the Right Brothers ironically, complete with hipster sneer. Please.

Okay, I thought of an analogy. A femenist's favourite song being My Humps. IT MAKES NO SENSE!
Unless you're listening to this version (http://youtube.com/watch?v=W91sqAs-_-g). :p

Meh, I consider myself to be rather conservative in my politics, but I still love Rage Against the Machine. There's nothing wrong with seeing how the other half lives...

Okay, I thought of an analogy. Anyone's favourite song being My Humps. IT MAKES NO SENSE!
Fixed. ;)

Ann Coulter claims her favourite band is Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia suddenly feels grateful to be dead.

Please tell me you're listening to the Right Brothers ironically, complete with hipster sneer. Please.

Nope. They are very good musicians, even though they are very misguided in thier political views.

P.S. I never listen to "I'm in Love with An Coulter". It gives me the creeps.

Sounds suspiciously like Cameron trying (failing) to be popular by claiming to like the Smiths.

If he says his favorite musician is Bob Dylan, his favorite musician is Bob Dylan. That's one of those things that you have no reason to lie about.

Of course it's something to lie about. You should have seen the number of UK politicians who suddenly loved the Arctic Monkeys when they hit the scene.

Politicians will think very long and hard before they say anything. How they present themselves as a 'normal kinda guy' is just as stage managed as their political performances.

Nope. They are very good musicians, even though they are very misguided in thier political views.
You're kidding, aren't you?
very good musicians?
no way.
They're just piss-weak clones of Blink-182, who were total shite themselves.

do yourself a favour and listen to some decent music.

I think he likes the music but has brain is filtering out the real message.
It'd be funny if he admits to being a Sid Vicious fan!

probably B. ignoring them and enjoying the music, or possibly wishing things could be that way, but knows in this world it won't work.

I'm a communist and I like listening to Skrewdriver. Well, I think they're funny.

This reminds me a bit of Reagan's praise of Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen, thinking it was an album about patriotism.

The old midget's gonna have to do a lot more than listen to Dylan to even be considered anywhere close to "hip". :pWhen was listening to Bob Dylan considered "hip" ? In the 60ies?

This reminds me a bit of Reagan's praise of Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen, thinking it was an album about patriotism.

Yeah, I remember that. I also remember Springsteen asking the Reagan campaign to stop using the song in their 1984 re-election bid.

I don't care about the lyrics too much...I consider myself pretty middle-of-the-road politically but a bit liberal leaning, and hate Ayn Rand with a passion; even so, Rush are among my favorite bands. Just ignore the pseudo-intellectualism of the lyrics and appreciate the rock and roll within!

What? He's so hip, he can barely see over his pelvis!

*Applauds reference*

maybe he just really really doesnt want to work on maggies farm no more.

Aussie PM John Howard has said numerous times that his favourite artist is Bob Dylan. Might seem fair enough; he was born in 1939. But it is interesting nonetheless.

While it is easy to sit back and enjoy the actual aesthetic of the music, I don't see how a conservative like John Howard could possibly have a favourite artist whose lyrics oppose his own values so much, especially when lyrics are as important to the music as they are for Dylan. I mean, he could throw some good chords together, but y'know what I mean.

Howard is extremely socially conservative and a strong defender of the Vietnam war. So is he lying or does he just ignore the lyrics or is he a moron or what?

I find this quite interesting. I mean, as good as Pink Floyd's music is, if the lyrics were politically-charged to the extreme right I'd have trouble calling them my favourite band.

Thoughts?

Ann Coulter's favorite band is the "Greatful Dead." There's no accounting for taste.

Exactly. I'm a Liberal Socialist, but I still like listening to The Right Brother's Republican Rock music. But it's okay. I counterbalance it by listening to my Russian Commie Rock right after.

I'M BACK IN THE USSR!

No, it's not that, is it?

I'm sorry, what is the 'real message' of Bob Dylan's lyrics? In fact... what are his politics? I sure as hell don't know. He renounced most of his early protest songs, so you can't really say they represent his politics. Infidels was essentially a pro-Zionist album that justified the activities of Israel in the Middle East. Saved was a pretty boneheaded fundamentalist Christian effort. His few political statements have frequently been contradictory. That being said he doesn't seem to be in favour of the Iraq war, but he's certainly not some kind of hippie.
Even granted that he's essentially a lefty, most of his songs are love songs or surreal poems. Only a very few of his songs are explicitly political, and they tend not to be the best ones. I don't see a conservative having a problem with, say, Like A Rolling Stone, The Man In Me or Just Like A Woman.

In fact, Howard could even quote Dylan lyrics at his opponents: "you know that sometimes Satan he come as a man of peace". Not an original sentiment, and hardly Bob's best song, but still...

Is he a politician?

Then he's lying.