Congrats to Bob Dylan for winning a special honorary Pulitzer Prize yesterday, a citation for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." Dylan’s honor may be the first-ever Pulitzer for a rocker; the jury awards a prize in music each year to a classical composer, and it only occasionally offers special recognition to jazz composers. (Last year, a special citation went to John Coltrane, only 40 years after his death.)
Now, one can argue that such recognition for rock (or at least for Dylan) is long overdue, but think about it: which rocker (besides Dylan) has created a body of work, or even a single work, with the intellectual heft to merit a Pulitzer? Maybe Brian Wilson should have gotten one four years ago for finally finishing Smile, and maybe Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, and Patti Smith have created bodies of work with strong literary merit, but that’s about it. Otherwise, rock is a proudly anti-intellectual enterprise, or at least more interested in the visceral and emotional than the intellectual. It’s also, generally, a music of small gestures, not the sweeping ambition that marks the operatic and orchestral works that usually win Pulitzers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Jerry Seinfeld would say, but we’re talking about musics that generally demand to be appreciated on different terms, and Dylan is one of the few artists I can think of whose work demands to be taken seriously in both camps. Anyone else, PopWatchers?
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Bruce Springsteen is a storyteller who happens to back up his stories with a guitar. Nebraska is one of the greatest short story collections I own.
Good call, Miranda. Springsteen’s the only one I can think of that could be put in the same category as Bob Dylan.
Paul Simon, above and beyond all others.
Joni Mitchell.
David Byrne
Neil Young.
I’d say Joni and Neil, too, except they’re Canadian–and the Pulitzers go to Americans. Joni was my first retort. So Springsteen for sure. “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” I think I’ll listen to it now! Bruce goes West and digs up some Americana on the other side of the Mississippi, away from Jersey and the NE Corridor. Gorgeous songs, esp. the title track and “The Promised Land.” So passionate and felt.
I second Paul Simon. If I had to choose a rock-poet laureate for these times I’d have to go with both Dylan and Simon. Both are extremely perceptive about the times we live in and the human heart. Between the two of them, I’ve always thought of Dylan as being the master of the cerebral, with Paul Simon being the master of the heart. (I think it’s really great that Dylan won the Pulitzer Prize!)
Seeing as i quite disagree with the premise that “rock is a proudly anti-intellectual enterprise, or at least more interested in the visceral and emotional than the intellectual”, I can’t answer that other than to also say “Paul Simon”.
Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
I too don’t agree that rock is proudly “anti-intellectual”. Anti-establishment, sure (at least it used to be, before it became the establishment), but not anti-intellectual. I think forms of it are more crayon than ink, but definitely not all of it. That would be a little like saying only classical art is intellectual, while modern art (specifically, the kind of shock art that adorns the walls of places like the Brooklyn Museum) is not. The Pulitzer is supposed to be awarded to someone who makes a major musical contribution to America, and I would consider a number of rockers of the last fifty years to fit that definition.
All this is to say, I’d add a number of names to the list–several of whom have been mentioned already. I admit, no one in the last ten years comes to mind (at least, no one American), but each decade before that has had its singers/songwriters who’ve redefined music.
I would “third” Springsteen; he’s the first person with “lierary” merit outside of Dylan that came springing to mind. Michael points to “Darkness” and Miranda to “Nebraska,” both excellent examples of poetry put to song, and poetry that specifically explores the American landscape. There’s also “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” which many have compared to Steinbeck (helps to use a Steinbeck character in the title, no doubt!), and I would hold up works from “The Rising” and “Magic” as great examples of slices from post 9/11 America. I don’t know of anyone else in music who has tackled those themes as explicitly — and as well — as Bruce.
Bob Dylan’s poetry stands up well to comparison to other poets of the 20th century, he innovated a new free-style and new rhyming methods, extraordinary rhythmic variation. As well as formerly – and why he hasn’t got poet laureates from around the world is a mystery – he has produced a body of work which encourages and kind of teaches people to think for themselves, to break through the barriers of hyporcrisy that attempt to govern us. I’m delghted he has been awarded the Pulitzer, and believer that no other writer more deserves it.
Bob Dylan’s poetry stands up well to comparison to other poets of the 20th century, he innovated a new free-style and new rhyming methods, extraordinary rhythmic variation. As well as formerly – and why he hasn’t got poet laureates from around the world is a mystery – he has produced a body of work which encourages and kind of teaches people to think for themselves, to break through the barriers of hyporcrisy that attempt to govern us. I’m delghted he has been awarded the Pulitzer, and believer that no other writer more deserves it.
An incredible persona and icon that comes along maybe once in a generation. He is truly unique.
Brian Wilson–no one else wrote, performed, arranged and produced on such a high level
Brian Wilson–no one else wrote, performed, arranged and produced on such a high level
Brian Wilson–no one else wrote, performed, arranged and produced on such a high level
When I was in high school, our english teacher used to give us lyrics from Bob Dylan to study. He also gave us lyrics from Rush, because many of their songs are filled with literary allusions and if you read them, some of the writing is quite amazing.
I’ll back up Springsteen as well… Maybe he’ll get his Pulitzer in another 15 years?
When it comes to original, literary, un-cliched writing, however, I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Tom Waits. He has a 35-year body of work that includes operas, musicals, and more critically-acclaimed albums than one can count. Shame he’s too much of a “fringe” artist to get the Pulitzer, though.
erm… Frank Zappa anyone?
Meat Loaf?
‘Body of work’ possibly not extensive enough.
Sorry Meat Loaf has writing collaborator so maybe doesn’t qualify anyway.
let’s face it, to say ‘Maybe Brian Wilson should have gotten one four years ago for finally finishing Smile, and maybe Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, and Patti Smith have created bodies of work with strong literary merit, but that’s about it.’ is a very naive and foolish comment to make. I’m not going to bother with adding more to the list. suffice it to say there are plenty more with strong literary merit.
I was totally taken aback by this announcement regarding Dylan and Pulitzer. But certainly well deserved.
I don’t know if you were reporting on the news (and good news it is) or are actually a fan, but if you are then I thought I’d introduce you to my new novel, BLOOD ON THE TRACKS, which I think you’d enjoy.
It’s a murder-mystery. But not just any rock superstar is knocking on heaven’s door. The murdered rock legend is none other than Bob Dorian, an enigmatic, obtuse, inscrutable, well, you get the picture…
Suspects? Tons of them. The only problem is they’re all characters in Bob’s songs.
You can get a copy on Amazon.com or go “behind the tracks” at http://www.bloodonthetracksnovel.com to learn more about the book.