the times they are a changin'

I may have watched “No Direction Home” on PBS too many times but so what.

To use my trip back in time I would go to the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. It would be amazing to see Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, Odetta, and all of the other incredible artists there, but I have to admit I would be there for one person: Bob.

At his performance in the festival that year Bob Dylan revolutionized music. He changed the very idea of what a folk song could be. As he rolled into an electrified version of “Maggie’s Farm” many people in the audience and other performers saw it as a slap in the face to traditional folk music. They showed their displeasure by booing and jeering him, shouting at him to get rid of the electric guitar, or even to get rid of Dylan all together and bring back the act before him. Dylan continued to play two more electric songs, including one of his most famous, “Like a Rolling Stone”, and the crowd continued to boo. They were only silenced when reappeared with his acoustic guitar and harmonica and played “Mr. Tambourine Man” for the angry crowd.

Although his performance was short, it was enough to shake the music world. From that point on there was no turning back. Even the most die-hard folk purist had to admit that rock and roll was a legitimate art form and that Bob Dylan was the best person to prove it.

So, in short, if I went back in time I would cheer for Bob Dylan when he plugged in his electric guitar and changed music forever.