Definitely Dylan (Laura Tenschert)

In the midst of a terrifying pandemic, Bob Dylan has released his first original song in eight years. “Murder Most Foul” is a 17 minute long epic about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. But as with much of Dylan’s work, a closer look reveals much more.

So what is Bob Dylan’s brand new song “Murder Most Foul” about?

This episode is a reflection not only on this song, but also on what it means to be a Bob Dylan fan in this day and age.

I have tried to put my initial thoughts into words, but unravelling all the cultural references alone could take hours!

I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please share!

Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

Here’s the Spotify playlist with all the music referenced in “Murder Most Foul”:

Also, here’s the link to the Tom Paine award speech and the apology letter, and you might be interested in these Kennedy poems, which Dylan wrote shortly after the JFK assassination.

If you want more original analysis of Bob Dylan’s work, and tons of great and rare Dylan performances, check out all episodes of the Definitely Dylan radio show on DefinitelyDylan.com.

I hope you’re holding up out there and taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. -Laura

On the 17 April, Bob Dylan released his second surprise song in one month, "I Contain Multitudes". Borrowing more than just the title from Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself", Bob Dylan paints a vivid modern portrait of a country divided.

For more info, please visit the Definitely Dylan website.

Don’t forget to follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Definitely Dylan is on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

Get your own “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt in the shop!

On Friday 19 June, Bob Dylan releases Rough and Rowdy Ways, his first album of original songs in eight years. Here's all the info you need to know to bring you up to speed on the whats, the whys, and the whos.

Here is the link to the Dylan interview with Douglas Brinkley in the New York Times.

Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

You can purchase the album here.

And if you’d like to buy your “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt or the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag, you can do that here. All proceeds from the shop during the month of June will be donated to Black Lives Matter. Thank you!

This month, the Australian, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Emma Swift releases her album of Bob Dylan cover songs, Blonde On The Tracks.

In our conversation, Emma tells me about the story behind the album, how she came up with the song selection, the advantages of singing Dylan as a woman, and the autobiographical dimension of cover songs.

You can listen to and order your copy of Blonde On The Tracks on the Emma Swift bandcamp page, or from the record store of your choice. Be sure to also check out the music videos for I Contain Multitudes, Queen Jane Approximately, and You’re a Big Girl Now.

Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

Get your Definitely Dylan merch: The “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt, and the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag

On the 19th of June, 2020, Bob Dylan released his 39th studio album, Rough And Rowdy Ways, his first collection of original songs in eight years.

In the first chapter of this Definitely Dylan mini-series, Laura begins her exploration of the new album by going back to Dylan’s 2016 Nobel win. What’s the difference between songs and literature? Who’s the secret hero of Rough And Rowdy Ways? And what does Homer have to do with all this? Listen to find out!

Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

If you want to buy me a symbolic coffee to support my work, go to buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan

For more info, please visit the Definitely Dylan website.

Don’t forget to follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your own “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt, or the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag in the shop!

In Chapter 2 of Definitely Dylan’s mini series on Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways, Laura discusses the myth and mystery of creation in “My Own Version Of You” and “Mother Of Muses”.What insight can these very different songs give us into the creative process of the songwriter? How do they portray the creator’s role in society? And what does any of this have to do with the Nobel medal?

Here's the radio episode in which we discuss Bob Dylan’s borrowings from Billy “The Kid” Emerson’s song “If Loving Is Believing” for Dylan’s “False Prophet”.

Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.

If you want to buy me a symbolic coffee to support my work, go to buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan

For more info, please visit the Definitely Dylan website.

Don’t forget to follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your own “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt, or the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag in the shop!

For this episode, we’re going to take a little break from the series on Rough And Rowdy Ways!

I want to take you on a journey towards the heart of one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs of all time: “Most Of The Time” from Dylan’s 1989 album Oh Mercy. Deceptively simple, this song about pain and denial is wonderfully subtle in its development of the singer’s feelings, while also playing with the listener’s expectations. In other words: it’s a masterclass in songwriting. So let’s find out why and how it works!

I hope you enjoy this closer look at one particular Dylan song. Let me know if you enjoy this episode and what other songs you’d like me to take a close look at!

Here’s the link to the Daniel Lanois interview compilation I mention in the episode.

If you are in a position to support my work, you can do that over on Patreon, where you also find the exclusive companion extra to this episode, in which we talk about the recording process of the song, the production, and its shortlived incarnation onstage! Thank you!

Original theme music and sound design for this episode by Robert Chaney

In this episode, Laura considers Shadow Kingdom in the context of Bob Dylan’s career and what it tells us about the artist at 80 years old. We’ll touch on Dylan’s relationship with the past, the language of dreams, and we’ll find out what all of this has to do with Shakespeare.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

Alma Har’el talking about dreams is from this i-D video.

Bob Dylan’s Nobel lecture

Music: Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, Midsummer night's dream overture

The pandemic forced Bob Dylan to take a two year break from performing live. Now he’s back and he’s embarked on the Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour.

I was lucky to be able to fly from London to Washington, DC to catch the last show of the year on 2nd December, 2021.

In this episode, I’m giving you my thoughts on the performances, the setlist, and how this tour relates to the latest album and Shadow Kingdom.

You can listen to the whole concert here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

This is the first of two conversations about the crafting of Bob Dylan’s legacy.

My guest is freelance writer Rebecca Slaman. Follow Rebecca on Twitter: @ithrewtheglass.

The version of “Desolation Row” is from 12 April, 2009 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. You can watch it in full along with others from that year here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

Stories, myths, and narratives – as the Bob Dylan Center opened this May, another Bob Dylan exhibition was coming to a close. What stories are these two Dylan museums telling & what do they reveal about how Bob Dylan wants to be seen?

In part two of this series on the crafting of Bob Dylan's legacy, we take a look at the stories told by two very different museums dedicated to Bob Dylan's work: the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK, and the Retrospectrum exhibition of Dylan's visual art. Laura interviews the curators of the BDC, Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, and talks about how Dylan the Painter has become part of the Dylan Myth.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

Watch my Florida paper on Time in Dylan’s music, paintings, and Shadow Kingdom here.

Here’s the article “In His Own Words: Why Bob Dylan Paints”.

Find out more about the Bob Dylan Center here.

The Retrospectrum catalogue (£85) is available here.

Read Rebecca Slaman’s review of Retrospectrum here.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/

Laura and Robert talk about Bob Dylan's new Bootleg Series, what it tells us about Time Out of Mind, and whether or not accordions can be sexy.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Graley Herren’s book Dreams and Dialogues in Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" is available here.

Listen to the interview with Mark Howard on the Dylan.fm podcast.

For more information, see definitelydylan.com

Laura and James A. Smith from The Popular Show have a late night conversation about the Bootleg Series and Time Out of Mind

Watch the video of our conversation on Patreon, where you can also show your support for the podcast, or you can make a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Consider supporting The Popular Show at patreon.com/thepopularpod.

No other Bob Dylan song has provoked such a diverse range of responses as "Make You Feel My Love". Initially dismissed by reviewers as a failure, it has since grown into a wildly successful pop hit. It's the song that's loved by the masses, but hated by Dylan purists. Perhaps what's at the heart of this fundamental disagreement is a different question altogether: is this a banal love song, or does it have a deeper, perhaps even darker meaning? 

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Thanks to Craig Danuloff from the Dylan.FM podcast for initially inviting me to speak about this topic, this episode partly draws on the talk I gave at his online event last year.

Graley Herren’s book Dreams and Dialogues in Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" is available here.

TW: murder, suicide, racial violence

When Bob Dylan began his career, murder ballads were having a bit of a moment. In this episode, we’ll look into the influence these songs had on the young artist, and how they inspired a particular subset of his own early songs.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura and Rebecca talk about the ladies, babies, mamas, girls, and many many queens that inhabit Bob Dylan’s songs.

Subscribe to Rebecca’s Substack, and watch her Tulsa paper here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In the light of Robbie Robertson's recent passing, I really wanted to have a conversation about this artist whose life not just ran alongside Dylan's a decade, but converged for crucial periods of both their careers. So I asked the biggest The Band fan I know, my Canadian friend Harry Hew, to jump on a call and talk to me.

One note: I make a reference to "Dominique", and thought I should clarify that I'm talking about Dominique Robertson, Robbie's first wife. I'm referring to an incident that occurred after an inebriated Richard Manuel asked to drive the Robertson's new Mustang, and then lost control over the car, which ended up sideways in a ditch. 

Follow Harry Hew on Twitter!

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura welcomes back Harry Hew for a conversation about Sinéad O’Connor’s open letters to Bob Dylan.

A quick note – after converting to Islam in 2018, she adopted the name Shuhada’ Sadaquat, but since she continued to work under her birth name, we refer to her as Sinéad O’Connor in this episode.

Head over here to read all the letters Sinéad O’Connor wrote to Bob Dylan.

Thank you to Thérèse Mullan for her voice acting as Sinéad.

Theme music and sound design by Robert Chaney.

Check out the Creative Arts Psychotherapy YouTube channel Harry mentioned.

Also do yourself a favour and watch Harry’s excellent presentation on Bob Dylan’s sense of humour here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode Laura talks to writer and friend of the pod Rebecca Slaman about Bob Dylan’s surprise appearance at this year’s Farm Aid, where we played a short set with the Heartbreakers.

Here’s a fun fact I only figured out after the episode was finished: the song that preceded Dylan’s remarks about American farmers during Live Aid was in fact The Ballad of Hollis Brown!

I erroneously said that Stan Lynch was on the drums, but it was actually Steve Ferrone.

Make sure you subscribe to Rebecca’s Substack!

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura talks to Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, the authors of Mixing Up the Medicine, the 600 page “inside-out biography” that tells the story of Bob Dylan’s career through pieces from the Bob Dylan Archive.

Buy the book at your local bookshop (or check it out at your local library – it’s unfortunately pretty pricey).

Music by Robert Chaney.

You can listen to the full Beatles bootleg of “Thingymubob”/”Maureen” here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura talks to the one and only Chan Marshall (Cat Power) about her project of recreating Bob Dylan’s iconic 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert. In our conversation about art, love, and resilience, she shares stories about meeting Bob Dylan, how she first got into his music, and which song makes her feel empowered.

Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert is out now on Domino Records. Head over to my Instagram to win a limited edition copy of the album on clear vinyl!

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

All music from Cat Power sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert

Except:
“I Believe in You” - Cat Power (Jukebox)
“I Believe in You” - Bob Dylan (live in Santa Barbara, 7 September, 2008)
“Song to Bobby” - Cat Power (Jukebox)
“Sara” - Bob Dylan (live in Waterbury, CT, 11 November, 1975)
Theme music by Robert Chaney

In case you missed the episode about Sinéad O’Connor’s letters to Bob Dylan, you can find out more here.

“Life is short even on its longest days”, Bob Dylan sang in Indianapolis, covering John Cougar Mellencamp. But a year is pretty long, so I invited Rebecca Slaman to do a recap with me. We talk about the releases, live shows, and our general highlights of 2023.

Check out Rebecca’s PhilosopHER of Modern Song series on her Substack.

Find the extended version of our conversation on Patreon!

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

2023 live snippets that appear in this episode:

“Truckin” - Nagoya, Japan (20/04/23)
“Brokedown Palace - Nagoya, Japan (18/04/23)
“West LA Fadeaway” - Lyon, France (29/06/23)
“Stella Blue” - Barcelona, Spain (23/06/23)
“Only a River” - Rome, Italy (09/07/23)
“Into the Mystic” - Alicante, Spain (15/06/23)
“Dance Me to the End of Love” - Montreal, Canada (29/10/23)
“New York State of Mind” - New York City, NY (16/11/23)
“South of Cincinnati” - Cincinnati, OH (20/10/23)
“Footlights” - Boston, MA (05/11/23)
“Longest Days” - Indianapolis, IN (17/11/23)
“Ballad of a Thin Man” - Farm Aid, Noblesville, IN (23/09/23)
“My Own Version of You” - Brooklyn, NY (15/11/23)
“When I Paint My Masterpiece” - Brooklyn,  NY (15/11/23)
“Every Grain of Sand” - Rome, Italy (09/07/23)

Theme music by Robert Chaney

Today’s episode is a story.

Songs that appear in the episode:

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (More Greatest Hits)

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (demo, Another Self Portrait)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” - The Band (Cahoots)

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (demo, Another Self Portrait) “When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 20 November, 1975)

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea, 27 July, 2018)

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale. 1 March 2024)

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Shadow Kingdom, 2021)

”Dungaree Doll” - Eddie Fisher (1956)

”Get Up, Get Out” - The Weavers (1963)

The Jonathan Cott interview took place on 17 September, 1978 on bus and plane, on the way to the concert that night in New Haven, CT. The discussions continued in the dressing room before the show. The interview was published in Rolling Stone Magazine on November 16th 1978.

Additional music by Robert Chaney

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

This is a slightly updated version of the first ever Definitely Dylan episode, which aired on Resonance.FM in January of 2018.

You can find a version with the full length songs over on Patreon, where I will also be revisiting other radio episodes in the future, so follow along if you're interested in hearing more!

In this episode:

1. Forever Young
2. Subterranean Homesick Blues
3. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
4. Simple Twist Of Fate
5. Shelter From The Storm
6. Born In Time (Oh Mercy Outtake)
7. What Can I Do For You? (Live, 19 April, 1980, Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada)
8. Rise Again (Rehearsal, with Clydie King)
9. Saved (live, 12 January, Portland, OR)
10. Forever Young (demo)

Additional music by Robert Chaney

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

A new podcast reconsiders the legacy of female singer songwriters that have all at one point been dubbed “the Female Bob Dylan”. Laura talks to its creators, Sophie Abramowitz, Sarah Bachman, and Emily Hilliard.

Find The Female Bob Dylan on the podcast app of your choice, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter/X.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

A conversation with Britt Eisnor about the recent Outlaw Festival shows and more.

Follow Britt on Instagram.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Songs that appear in the episode:

“Desolation Row” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)

“Love Sick” (Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)

“Cold, Cold Heart” (Hank Williams cover, Alpharetta, GA, 21 June, 2024)

“Shooting Star” (George, WA, 10 August, 2024)

“Ballad of a Thin Man” (Mickey Raphael on harp, St Louis, 8 September, 2024)

“Stella Blue” (Grateful Dead cover, Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)

“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (Inglewood, CA, 14 February, 1974)

“Dirt Road Blues” (Time Out of Mind, 1997)

“Fire and Brimstone” - Link Wray (Link Wray, 1971)

“Simple Twist of Fate” (with Mickey Raphael on harp, Bethel, NY, 6 July, 2024)

“Little Queenie” (Chuck Berry cover, Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)

“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)

“Silvio” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)

“All Along the Watchtower” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)

Theme music by Robert Chaney

In this episode, Laura revisits a radio episode from September of 2018, all about Bob Dylan's relationship to the truth, and his different attempts to define, grasp, or circumscribe it.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

A conversation with Ren Harvieu after seeing night two of Bob Dylan’s three night stay at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Ren Harvieu is on Patreon, Instagram, and her music is available on all streaming platforms.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Ray and I sit down in the garden of the Troubadour to talk about the final shows of Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour (2021-24) at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Subscribe to Ray’s Substack, Flagging Down the Double E (but get the paid membership if you can), and buy his book Pledging My Time: Conversations with Bob Dylan Band Members.

Music that appears in this episode:

All Along the Watchtower (London 12/11/24)
Desolation Row (London, 12/11/24)
Watching the River Flow (London, 14/11/24)
Every Grain of Sand (London, 12/11/24)
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue (London, 12/11/24)
I Contain Multitudes (Paris, 24/10/24)
My Own Version of You (London, 12/11/24)
My Own Version of You (London, 14/11/24)
Key West (Philosopher Pirate) (London, 14/11/24)
All Along the Watchtower (London, 14/11/24)
I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You (London, 14/11/24)

Theme music by Robert Chaney

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Bob Dylan has been tweeting and it’s high time we talk about it. In this conversation with Rebecca and Britt we cover what’s been going on the World of Bob, including his social media presence and the TWO biopics he’s involved in this year!

Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Britt on Instagram or Twitter.

Theme music by Robert Chaney

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

It’s taken over five years, but the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet) is finally hitting cinemas. So… is it good?

I called up Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith to talk about the film, what it gets right, what it gets wrong, and how it compares to other films like I’m Not There.

You can watch Michael’s short film Handle With Care here. He’s also on Twitter.

If you are considering gifting a Patreon subscription to a friend, you can do that over here.

Theme music by Robert Chaney

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.