Tangled Up In Bob

Happy 85th birthday Mr. Tambourine Man

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May 24th marked the eighty fifth anniversary of Duluth, MN’s own freewheelin’ Robert Allen Zimmerman’s (AKA Bob Dylan) first appearance on this big, still somewhat blue, marble we call Earth. An occasion that I, classic rock archivist and recreational whatever enthusiast, Spyder Darling have decided is high time to resurrect the below piece, originally written by yours truly, now from New York City, for my creative writing class back at Patchogue-Medford High School, in the fall of 1978.

As back story, I had just seen the aforementioned Mr. Dylan at the Nassau Coliseum, in Uniondale, on Long Island, on the occasion of his “Street Legal” tour rolling through the New York metropolitan area, only 42 expressway exits away from my family’s cozy Tudor style condo in Medford.

It was to be my first but far from last concert experience and I went with my mom. Dad wan’t a big Dylan fan, having walked out of Marty Scorsese’s The Last Waltz concert picture, long before Mr. Dylan makes his appearance, in the last fifteen of the rockumentary’s one hundred fifty-seven high decibel minutes.

Meanwhile, back at “The Coliseum” Mr. Dylan put on a superb show, even though he didn’t play “Tangled Up In Blue,” my personal favorite, then and now, of his greatest hits. I also remember a whole lotta funny smelling cigarettes going around. It was my first and only time seeing the artist most famously known as Bob. I did however go on to smell those funny cigarettes a few more times as the years rolled on. Here then is my post show recap, straight outta Patchogue-Medford HS, 1978 (Go Red Raiders!).

Tangled Up In Bob

It was dark and hot in the overcrowded Coliseum

The blackness permeated only by the flash

Of multicolored strobe lights.

Whose beams shot down from the ceiling’s steel cat walks

They took their seats and looked down

Upon the rumbling multitude

At once all of humanity stood and cheered

For down, what down upon the stage

There he was

Dylan

Flash forward forty seven years, one Nobel Prize and a $300-million catalog sale later, and Mr. Zimmerman is still an influence on me and the world. Fun fact: his often covered ballad Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door from the Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid soundtrack would go on to be the opening number for my solo rock shows. But that’s another saga for another story or two. And the line “He not busy being born is being dying” from Dylan’s It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding, via the Easy Rider soundtrack, remains one of my all time favorite lyrics and life lessons.

So cheers wishing the birthday Bob a happy and not too weighty eighty fourth trip around the sun. Keep calm and jingle jangle on Mr. Tambourine man. For the times, still need some changing.

Photo by weston m on Unsplash

Thanks a whole heck of a lot for reading. So whatcha think? Please let me know with a comment below and a re-post would be the hot maple syrup on my French Toast!

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