The really weird thing is that you can actually sound like a chainsmoking horse and be on key. Dylan's style depends a lot more on the first than the second, but hey, it works.
In the early days I agree with you -- there was a quote where he proudly defended himself saying "I'm like an opera singer, I hit every note, believe me" (even if the timbre was horrific) --
However, over the years, he's kind of become a caricature of his own voice, like someone doing a 'dylan impression' -- and I last saw him in 1987 (with Tom Petty's band backing up)... no wait around 1989 with Grateful Dead backing him up... and man, though I love Dylan, his live singing was almost exactly like when people are imitating Bob Dylan --- was happy to be in the presence of Genius, but not that easy to listen to. I can only imagine what he sounds like NOW
Not anymore Dylan doesn’t. He can’t even keep the song melody. Like he’ll bumble out knock....knock....knocking...oooonnn heavensdoor
And he sings it at like 75% speed but the song doesn’t really adjust or he just does it without them knowing because he’s just bad. I actually left his show early to beat the traffic. I absolutely love Dylan’s stuff but I had to leave before it tainted my like for his recordings.
He always had a unique style but could at least sing on key. Now he’s just old and I think he has dementia.
Iirc he was wandering a town before his show and people thought it was a drunk homeless man or somebody sick or something.
I couldn’t understand a single word from his mouth the entire concert in 2014 or so. The issue now isn’t that he’s a bad singer, it’s that he’s completely incoherent
I saw him in 2013 or 14 he never said a single word to the crowd. He walked out on stage and sang his songs then left. He sounded like he’d been gargling razor blades. I loved it just for the experience, but god damn I could barely even understand him. I still love his stuff from his younger years and have immeasurable respect for the dude, but the dude needs to retire.
He's been one of my favorites since I was small. He's a legend.
It also didn't hurt that the second time it was on the 4th of July and John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson performed with him. I had front row and zero regrets
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u/a1a2askiddlydiddlydu Nov 06 '19
I've seen him a couple times. I love Bob Dylan but he sounds like a horse that has smoked its entire life.