There may be even a second song at least inspired by an honorary event. Dylan could be a hoot at acceptance speeches as early as 1963 when he got the Tom Paine award and gave the saturated liberal elite a big drunken fuck you (the connected song is As I Went Out One Morning from John Wesley Harding). His 1991 grammy speech was a howler, too. I’m very anxious about what he’ll be saying in Stockholm, but maybe it’ll be just: “Thank you”. 
I don’t mean to ruffle feathers as I am a Bob Dylan fan. And, I am not trying to bring ya down, dudes, but it must be asked: I understand Leonard Cohen wrote some of Bob Dylan’s tunes. This makes one ask just how much original material did Dylan write? Continuing, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes Cohen as the greatest writer of all time. So, should Leonard Cohen have been given the Nobel Prize instead?
[emphasis mine]
Dylan always stole tunes and arrangements left and right, that’s for sure. But how do you come to the bolded conclusion? Never heard of that before, do you have any examples? Cohen wasn’t exactly famous for his tunes (though he had some good ones), either. And Dylan didn’t get the Nobel for his tunes. That Cohen was a writer in the same league as Dylan though is unquestionable, but that was already addressed in this thread several times.
FYI, he’s not going to Stockholm to receive the award in person. But he’s required to give a lecture within six months.
As good as a musician as he is, I think all of his songs sound better when they’re sung by someone else.
Tears of Rage on Music from Big Pink is such an amazing, poignant song when sung by Richard Manuel since his voice is so much more capable of conveying depth and degree
I heartily concur.
They shouldn’t waste everyone’s time giving awards to people who don’t care. Do they think it makes them better that Dylan thinks himself better than the award, or the committee? “He’s such a great man, he’s even better than the Award!”
And I can see his lecture. “Hab en not smoff ona deer in the toone.” An hour of that! They’ll need Tom Petty to translate.
JAQ; not a Dylan fan (obviously)
Here’s his Nobel Prize speech, which was read at the ceremony by the U.S. ambassador to Sweden:
He doesn’t say anything like he doesn’t care.
I have to disagree. Dylan’s voice is a unique instrument that is vital to the success of his songs. His phrasing, emphasis, shading, and sometimes sheer contempt brings them a dimension that can’t be matched by anyone. They can be sung differently and well. Even so, they will lack his special sauce, a mysterious quality that contribute to the genius of his works.
Truly wonderful speech. Here’s Dylan imagining Shakespeare writing Hamlet:
“When he was writing Hamlet, I’m sure he was thinking about a lot of different things: “Who’re the right actors for these roles?” “How should this be staged?” “Do I really want to set this in Denmark?” His creative vision and ambitions were no doubt at the forefront of his mind, but there were also more mundane matters to consider and deal with. “Is the financing in place?” “Are there enough good seats for my patrons?” “Where am I going to get a human skull?”…”
I woke up once thinking I was listening to bagpipes. It was a Dylan album.
And Bob Dylan has finally received his Nobel Prize.