# Who's better? Jimi Hendrix or Bob Dylan **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 29, 2001, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222 "2001-01-29T05:26:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Upham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Upham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Upham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/21 "2001-01-30T04:31:45Z")
Once again, anyway, this is **In My Humble Opinion**. I’m not asking for them to be weighed out and figured out. I’m asking who you think is better (ie. who you like more) So, who? Jimi or Dylan, that’s pretty well it. ---
**Author:** ![MusicJunkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@MusicJunkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MusicJunkie)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/22 "2001-01-30T06:04:17Z")
Okay, A few comparison points: [ul] [li]Historical relevance[/li]Both were HUGE innovators, nobody would even dream of denying the way both of then changed music BUT while Hendrix was instrumental in the creation of Hard Rock and revolucionaized the use of the eletric guitar, Dylan more or less created psychedelia (if you accept it as smoking marijuana and making music) and proved you could actually say something in a short song. [li]Songwriting[/li]Hendrix had his moments, but in general his songs were way too simply built. They distinguished themselves for Jimi’s studio trickery (is that spelt correctly? I’m not that good with English as you can see.) and fenomenal playing ( and **not** only Jimi’s, Mitch was one hell of a great drummer. Now Dylan’s songwriting while not all that original was one of the most effective I’ve ever heard. A stolen folk melody, his exceptional lyrics and that unique voice. Who would imagine that a combination so simple could make a man feel so much. And of course, Jimi did covers of Dylan and his whole aproach to music was influenced by Dylan, from the singing to the lyrics and the opposite does not hold true. [li]Playing[/li]Okay, nothing to say here(obviously), but Bob **did** play that harmonica like few. [/ul] Yeah, I think Bob is the better man but that Hendrix fellow did play like no one before or after. P.S. Van Hallen doesn’t hold a candle to Hendrix in any imaginable field. He wasn’t even all that original in his guitar playing. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/23 "2001-01-30T18:03:13Z")
Sorry Upham, but there is no uncomplicated way to answer this question. I have to agree with some of the others that the comparison is like apples and oranges. I cut my musical teeth on Dylan, and he was more than a songwriter, he was the voice of a generation. Hendrix joined the chorus in a way that no one else ever has or ever will. He was simply the most innovative player of the electric guitar to ever come along. The cover of Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” echoed and resonated in an entirely new way, not better or worse, but totally, mind-fucking-blowingly different! I know it’s not fair for me to say this, but it’s inexplicable, you just had to be there. Try looking at the question in it’s historical context and you may see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/24 "2001-01-30T18:54:38Z")
> [@](#): > > She loves me… but she thinks i’m stupid… Upham, dear, I didn’t say that _you_ are stupid. I said _the comparison_ was stupid. Goodness gracious! Who do I like better, though? Hm. That’s a tough call, too. I guess if I were going to be dropped on a deserted island, and could only take one collection with me, I’d go with Hendrix. But I’d try to hide a copy of “Tangled Up In Blue” in my boot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![barton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@barton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barton)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/25 "2001-01-30T19:15:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MusicJunkie \* > \*\* > [li]Songwriting[/li]Hendrix had his moments, but in general his songs were way too simply built. They distinguished themselves for Jimi’s studio trickery (is that spelt correctly? I’m not that good with English as you can see.) and fenomenal playing ( and **not** only Jimi’s, Mitch was one hell of a great drummer. \*\* I find it difficult to believe anyone listening to a Hendrix album would say Jimi wrote “simply built” songs, especially compared to Dylan. Possibly “Are You Experienced” might fit that as it’s more single-oriented, but by “Axis”… there’s all kinds of R&B and jazz stylings going on, so much you can’t throw a stick at them. if Dylan has written anything more musically complex than the ballads off that album - “Little Wing”, “Castles Made of Sand”, “One Rainy Wish”, “Bold As Love” - feel free to correct me. BTW, my opinion of Dylan is culled mostly from the “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”, “John Wesley Harding”, and “Highway 61” albums, roughly from the same time period, '65-68, I think. My favs. ---
**Author:** ![dal\_timgar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@dal\_timgar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dal_timgar)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/26 "2001-01-30T20:05:53Z")
took a couple of years to get used to dylans singing but the lyrics made it worth it. never got into hendrix. Dal Timgar ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/27 "2001-01-30T22:56:16Z")
For me it really boils down to this: both of these people were (are, in Dylan’s case) blessed with incredible musical genius. Dylan’s is in his ability to write great songs, Jimi’s was in his unbelievable ability to make the guitar do things that no one else ever thought of. (is it obvious that I love guitar music?) I don’t think too many people would argue that Dylan is a gifted or especially technically proficient musician as far as his ability to play an instrument goes. And while Hendrix may not have found the lyrical expression of Bob Dylan, his capability as an innovative guitarist was without peer. If someone held the proverbial gun to my head and forced me to choose,(just as far as the one song is concerned) I suppose it would have to be Hendrix. There, I said it… ---
**Author:** ![Upham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Upham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Upham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/28 "2001-01-30T23:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Sorry Upham, but there is no uncomplicated way to answer this question I will now illustrate for the benefit of **chilidogg** and all others who missed the deeper meaning behind the OP just how really, truly simple it can be to answer this question, like so: “I like Jimi Hendrix better” (or, should you be one of the chronically wrong “I think Dylan is better”) Now, should you wish to sight reasons why, feel free! I can never hear enough good stuff about Jimi Not nearly as hard as it seems eh? ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/29 "2001-01-30T23:55:35Z")
3 words; Hendrix’s National Anthem ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222/30 "2001-01-30T23:59:22Z")
Please forgive me for being so dense as to everlook the true depth of the OP.:o I’m sure that for many the answer is just that simple. No muss, no fuss, no actual thinking…🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-better-jimi-hendrix-or-bob-dylan/52222.md?page=1)