# Assholes Who Don't Like Dylan's Voice **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493 "2001-01-31T02:08:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lux\_Fiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lux\_Fiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Fiat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/41 "2001-01-31T09:56:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Mighty Tiki God \* > **But Christina _is_ better than Britney!** Pistols at dawn, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/42 "2001-01-31T09:58:42Z")
I TRIED to get into and like Dylan, but his voice annoys me so much I can’t take it. I can read and enjoy the lyrics, and I like most covers of his stuff, but the original…sorry. I also can’t listen to Rush because of Geddy’s singing, though I recognize that they are a great band. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/43 "2001-01-31T11:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crunchy Frog \* > **If a person doesn’t like the taste of chocolate, no matter how much you tell them the merits and greatness of chocolate, that person STILL won’t like the taste of chocolate. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong, or that they have an uneducated palate. It simply means they don’t like it.** But it also doesn’t mean chocolate is, objectively speaking, bad or distasteful, as some people are claiming Dylan’s voice is. I’m at best a casual Dylan listener; I don’t own any of his records, and he isn’t what I normally listen to. But even a casual inspection of his more well-known material reveals that he **does** have a voice, he **can** sing well, and he knows **exactly** how to use his voice to fit the song. “Lay Lady Lay”? “Positively 4th Street”? “The Times They Are A Changin’”? “Subterranean Homesick Blues”? Come on, folks. Really. Springsteen, I don’t normally listen to either, but that dude can belt it out. And Tom Petty? Tom Petty is my man, so don’t fuck with him. ---
**Author:** ![RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5daacb/32.png) [@RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RocknRoll_Killing_Machine)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/44 "2001-01-31T11:40:02Z")
ahahaa. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/45 "2001-01-31T12:17:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > \*\*I also can’t listen to Rush because of Geddy’s singing, though I recognize that they are a great band. \*\* Oh, now you’ve gone too far. ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/46 "2001-01-31T13:21:29Z")
Ike, you’re spawning upstream in a dried up creek on this one. I was once told that the real measure of class is putting up with them that don’t got it. People who don’t listen to Dylan don’t need to listen to Dylan. It’s not as if anyone needs to expand his fan base to increase his product sales to keep him from starving. My favorite Dylan cover is **When I Paint My Masterpiece** by the Band. Both versions give me goosebumps, I just like the singing drummer with the Band. If I had to choose, like if the fucking music police were holding an AK to my head, I would pick the Bands version. Fortunately I have never had to choose my music at a bullys command. This is still the USA, freedom and all that. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/47 "2001-01-31T13:52:35Z")
Ike, I’m with ya all the way, brother! I challenge anyone to listen to him sing “I Shall Be Released” and not be moved. Dylan rules! The rest of you guys don’t know shit from shinola! Zette (PS- this post closed captioned for the humor impaired) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/48 "2001-01-31T14:05:34Z")
I’m with **dropzone** and **pldennison**. Who **cares** if his vocal timbre sounds like a rusty chainsaw? It’s what he **puts into** the song that counts. Otherwise we’d be listening to _101 Strings Play the Lennon-McCartney Collection_. [insert vomiting smiley] Besides, I have it on good authority that **dewt** likes **dylan** ’s voice. And who else has a better right to an opinion? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SaxFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SaxFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaxFace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/49 "2001-01-31T14:09:30Z")
Yuck, I don’t like Bob Dylan at all - not the music, not the voice. Maybe it’s in my genes - my mother hates folk music. I don’t think it’s an ‘adult’ taste, either, since most of the people I know who listen to him are younger than I am. What he puts into it? Ornette Coleman and Lester Young put all of themselves into their music and everyone isn’t crazy about them. I think Bob has brainwashed the lot of you. ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/50 "2001-01-31T14:24:20Z")
Well I guess I’m an asshole. Sorry. I mean, I want to fit in here. I like a lot of you folks. But if you ever want to torture me you can forget the hot coals and thumb screws, just throw a Dylan tune on. To me, it’s absolutely hideous. I swear I can hold my nose and sing just like him and I have not a drop of musical talent. Okay, maybe I do have a drop, I played Sax in high school jazz band. But I know enough to stay away from the microphone. Well, since I’m an asshole, all I can do now is try to be the best asshole that I can be. I’m not going to be one of those mediocre assholes. No sir. I take pride in my work. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/51 "2001-01-31T14:28:07Z")
First off, _de gustibus non disputandum_: roughly translated, ain’t no arguing over taste. Second, while I am a total Dylan fan, I can understand why some people don’t like his voice. There’s no need to condescend to folks, Ike. I enjoy Dylan’s voice because of the authenticity he conveys in his phrasing. Dylan didn’t set out to write 3 and a half minute pop tunes to be played on the AM drivetime slot. The roughness of his voice fits right in the harmonic tradition of Appalachian folk music, where the boy from Hibbing, MN, drew his inspiration. Folk singers like Malvina Reynolds, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie had less than mellifluous voices, but the very plainness of their singing styles gave force to songs of labor, struggle, and sorrow. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/52 "2001-01-31T14:37:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flymaster \* > **He can’t fucking sing. There is only one famous musician out there, IMHO, who’s a worse singer, the man who was billed as “a young Bob Dylan.” Bruce Springsteen.** Alright - now you’re fucking with **me**. Bruce is, without doubt\*, the bestfuckinsinger in the history of time. So there. I mean - can you imagine _anybody_ else singing the Born To Run album? Britney doing _Thunder Road_ perhaps? I mean - did you _hear_ Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s version of _Born To Run_? Jeez. pan \*alright - maybe a bit of doubt ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/53 "2001-01-31T15:07:34Z")
[**little girls voice**] Hey Mister… Who’s Bob Dylan? [**/little girls voice**] 🙂 My two cents… I like him! ---
**Author:** ![ramesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ramesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ramesh)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/54 "2001-01-31T15:14:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goboy \* > \*\*First off, _de gustibus non disputandum_: roughly translated, ain’t no arguing over taste. > > \*\* I agree completely. This thread is totally pointless. Will someone please close it and save us some time and heartburn? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/55 "2001-01-31T15:14:52Z")
Wheeeeeeeee-HAWKEN! Go ta bed, get up and come to work in the morning, tune in the crystal set, and by golly we’re up to page TWO already! Cool! Where were all you guys when I wanted to talk about Henry Darger and “Sally Go Round the Roses” ? I’ve got to put the word “asshole” in my thread titles more often, I guess. Clarification of the OP: I cited Armstrong and Stewart and Guthrie because they have varying degrees of roughness, toughness, and grit to their voices, and are consequently less easy to “enjoy” than a smoothster like Der Bingle. (Not to put down Crosby. There’s a time and a place for everything.) I don’t know why the fuck I included Mariah, her current popularity I suppose, as I have no idea what she sounds like. Okay, to everyone I’ve offended: I don’t give a damn if you don’t like Dylan, but I do maintain that acquired tastes are more rewarding than listening to top-40 singles and eating white sugar straight from the bowl. And all those guys defending Bob’s voice, **pldennison** and **Upham** and **Nacho** and **Lux Fiat** and **Zette** and **magdalene** and everybody? They are VERY SMART posters. You should listen to them carefully, and pattern your lives after theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Dylan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e95f7d/32.png) [@Dylan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dylan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/56 "2001-01-31T15:26:00Z")
- silky voice \* oh Ike… _ **John Corrado** _…_sigh_…must be put on notice that another poster has captured my imagination… _/silky voice_ in my realms of experience, I’ve noticed that you either like Dylan \* :: shivers of joy :: \* or you don’t. [sub] Dylan is god and I love Ike! [/sub] ps: can I use that “I’m right, you’re wrong, fuck off” thing in my sig? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/57 "2001-01-31T15:33:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Juniper200 \* > \*\*[sub][sup]\*No challenege is to implied. Note that you would easily be the victor in this “discussion,” seeing as how the only thing I have to back me up is endless repetition of the statement “I dunno, I just like Tom Petty.”[/sub][/sup] \*\* Except my only back up would be the endless repetition of “But I can’t stand Tom Petty.” I’ve seen MANY Pit threads and MANY, MANY GD threads that looked just like that back and forth on many topics, but I’m in no mood to start one now. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/58 "2001-01-31T15:38:44Z")
Ya know what? I hate Bob Dylan. Love Rush. Hate Bob Dylan. Love Tom Petty. Hate Bob Dylan. Love Jimi Hendrix. Hate Bob Dylan. My parents went to a concert of his 10 years ago with another couple. They said he looked as if he had no clue what city he was in, let alone what planet. After the concert, the other couple asked my parents what they thought of it. My parents said that they really didn’t like it too much. The other couple laughed saying “We thought it was terrible, but we didn’t want to tell you because we invited you to go.” My parents then said “Yeah, we thought the same thing. But you invited us so we couldn’t ask you if you wanted to leave early.” Probably the only song of Dylan’s that I like to hear him sing is “Hurricane.” Either that, or “I like big butts” by Sir Mix-a-Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/59 "2001-01-31T15:45:54Z")
Those at the bottom of the hill can never appreciate the view seen by those at the top. I gotta give mad props (am I allowed to say that?) to Uke and the rest of the BD fans. There seems to be quiate a bit about Dylan in other threads, (Dylan vs. Jimi, etc.) and about cover tunes. I’ve posted it before and I’ll post it again. There has never been, nor will there ever be a true songster the likes of Bob Dylan[sup]1[/sup]. Appreciation of BD is like understanding “completing the square” in algebra. You don’t get it. You don’t get it. You don’t get it. You don’t get it. _Epiphany_ You get it and it’s good. Keep trying, y’all. 🙂 FTR, I gotta break from the Gritty Voice Conglomeration, and be a purist here. BD can NOT be placed in the same group as Springsteen, Petty, _et. al._ for comparison. Petty started out as a Dylan wannabee, but has progressed into a viable singer/song writer in his own right (American Girl does, indeed, rock). Springsteen? What can I say. No big fan. I do like that one song about the kids drinking on the beach and complaining about how life is a drag and they want to escape. Oh, wait, that’s damn near every song from 1973-1985!!! [sup]1[/sup]With possible exceptions of Tom Waits, Ani Difranco and John Prine. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493/60 "2001-01-31T15:56:04Z")
I really like Dillon’s voice. It’s so authoritative and deep. But he doesn’t smile enough. Festus is funny and Miss Kitty…what’s that, honey? Oh, THAT Dylan. I love his voice,too. So fart on you other fuckers! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-who-dont-like-dylans-voice/52493.md?page=4)