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Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Bob Dylan's Neighborhood Bully (1983 Redux) with Commentary





"Neighborhood Bully" is a deep cut from the 1983 Bob Dylan album, Infidels. Maybe Infidels itself is a deep cut. Although the album (vinyl and cassette) reached #20 on the US album charts (#6 in the England and #1 in Norway), the songs are not widely known outside of Dylan stans.

"Jokerman"

"Sweetheart Like You"

"Neighborhood Bully"

"License to Kill"

"Man of Peace"

"Union Sundown"

"I and I"

"Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight"

Dylan himself doesn't seem to be a great fan of "Neighborhood Bully. Of the over 600 songs he has sung in concert (according to setlistfm), he has never played that song. (Corrections welcome!)

The tune was recorded on April 19, 1983 with overdubs on May 8 and May 10 features:

Bob Dylan – guitar, harmonica, keyboards, vocals, production

Alan Clark – keyboards

Sly Dunbar – drums, percussion

Mark Knopfler – guitar, production

Robbie Shakespeare – bass guitar

Mick Taylor – guitar


Here are some reviews and view of "Neighborhood Bully." 

The Music

1983  Rolling Stone wrote  "When Dylan cranks it up, the results are no less satisfying; Infidels‘ two fierce rockers are as wacked-out as “From a Buick Six” or “Tombstone Blues.” In “Neighborhood Bully,” Dylan sings with the fire he showed on Before the Flood, spitting out lyrics as Taylor and Knopfler duel in the foreground; Dylan’s neighborhood bully is an unappreciated crusader; he breaks up lynch mobs, disrupts bomb factories, yet “A license to kill him/Is given out to every maniac.”

The Lyrics 

2009 Tony Atwood: If you are going to do a political song, you don’t have to be balanced (no such song ever is), and your facts don’t have to be inclusive (ditto).   But you have to avoid lines which are just so incredibly wrong that they bring the whole song down and make those who don’t believe dismiss what you have said.

Think of “Times they are a Changing”. It brings us all together, and joins everyone. “Neighborhood Bully” just pushes people further apart.

 Review of the Review 

2017 Joost Nillissen : Approximately nine years ago Tony Attwood wrote a distasteful commentary on "Neighborhood Bully." I use the word ‘distasteful’ partly in jest, of course, as Mr Attwood claimed there was something distasteful about this song. Everybody is entitled to his or her opinion. “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” (Somebody said that, I forgot who). (blogger note: attributed to Voltaire but not confirmed)

Review of Dylan's grasp of 'politics'

2020 Jochen Markhorst: Dylan has a rather private, simplistic conception of the meaning of the word “politics." He seems to think it means something like “being active for an official political party”. Already in 1965, in an English interview with Ray Coleman, he (Dylan) argues quite naively:

“No politics. It would be just impossible for me to stand up and be associated with any political party. They’re all crap – every single one of them is crap. They all think they are better than the next one."

In that light, Dylan’s commentary on the through and through political “Neighborhood Bully” is easier to grasp. Nonsensical, but still traceable within his own, simple-minded definition of “politics."

The punch line to the last three reviews  (all from the site Untold Dylan) is this footnote:

Following a range of comments about matters concerning Israel, I have decided to stop publishing comments on matters relating to Israel. I’ve published a fair number, and have only rejected the ones that are highly abusive towards myself.  But I don’t think any of the points change anyone’s mind or expand the debate any further, and so I think that’s enough.

If social media followed that model, it would be all cats and vacations (but not to Israel.)


Bob on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, 1983

Let's address Tony Atwood complaint about whether the "facts" of the song. 

It is a song and not a scholarly treatise on an incredibly complicated and emotional subject. It is also Bob Dylan who is not known for his scrupulous fact checking.

CLICK HERE FOR DYLAN'S RECORDING 

The lyrics with commentary

Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man

His enemies say he's on their land: TRUE

They got him outnumbered about a million to one / Complicated, as many enemies live in countries that have formal or informal agreements with Israel. Outside of Jordan and Egypt which recognize the existence of Israel, there are 7 entities in the immediate area that do not. Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the Palestinian territories. The combined population of these countries is 250 million. Israel's population is 10 million. That is only 25 to 1. If you want to be ungenerous (and some people are) there are 1.8 billion followers of Islam who may be ill disposed toward Israel. That would still only be 250 to 1. So that is UNTRUE, technically.

He got no place to escape to, no place to run/ While scrolling on the site Threads where I saw a random post that included the slogan"From the River to the Sea." I asked what would happen to the Israelis. The random stranger suggested that those who have dual citizenship could return to those countries and the balance could be resettled in the United States.  Dylan is right about this one.

He's the neighborhood bully.


The neighborhood bully he just lives to survive

He's criticized and condemned for being alive TRUE.

He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thick skin This line can be seen as directed toward Israel's sometime allies.  It is the view that says Israel should not be proactive in it's desire for security. It speaks to proportionality in Israel's response. TRUE.

He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in

He's the neighborhood bully.


The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land / Not every land but many. Over 700,000 Jews left Arab countries after the 1948 Arab/Israeli war. I've attached a timeline of Jewish expulsions from Wikipedia listing which begins in 733 BCE to 2021. There are 85 listed from the grotesque in WW2 to the absurd (there is one Jew left in Yemen). There is also an anti-Semitic right wing meme  109/110. 109 referring to the numbers of countries that have expelled Jews and 110 being the aspirational hope of the Jews being expelled from the US.  MOSTLY TRUE

He's wandered the earth an exiled man

Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn

He's always on trial for just being born

He's the neighborhood bully.


Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized

Old women condemned him, said he should apologize Really Bob...old women. That's the best you could do. /LAME 

Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad: In 1981, the Israeli Air Force destroyed a nuclear reactor in Iraq. Iran attacked the same site in 1980./ MOSTLY TRUE. Some nations were glad.

The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad

He's the neighborhood bully.


Well, the chances are against it, and the odds are slim

That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him

'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back /ALL TOO TRUE:  From 1971 to 1982, the Palestinian Liberation Organization moved their operations to Southern Lebanon and began ground attacks that culminated in the 1982 Lebanon war. Prior to that war, Israel fought in 1947, 1956, 1967 and 1973. Since then Israel fought in the following....

First Intifada (1987–1993) 
Second Intifada (2000–2005) 
2006 Lebanon War (summer 2006) 
Gaza War or Operation Cast Lead (December 2008 – January 2009) 
2012 Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip or Operation Pillar of Defense (November 2012) 
        2014 Gaza War or Operation Protective Edge (July–August 2014) 
2021 Israel–Palestine crisis or Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021) 
2023 Israel–Hamas war (October 2023- )

And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac /Terrorists, militants, freedom fighters...whatever the designation there is a license to kill Israelis. Some are maybe insane but most are aware of what they are doing. Sounds to me like a poor choice of words in service of a rhyme. NO DECISION.

He's the neighborhood bully.


Well, he got no allies to really speak of /The United States has been an ally since 1948. NOT TRUE

What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love

He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied /Maybe in 1948 but since then Israel has benefited from advanced weapon systems. Especially Iron Dome (2011 -present) Too late for Bob's song but this statement was NOT TRUE in 1983.

But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side TRUE

He's the neighborhood bully.


Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace

They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease

Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep  

They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep /This sequence implies that anti-war activists are a 5th column that seeks peace for the express purpose of lulling Israel into inaction. That may be a part of the Palestinian resistance but I doubt that the majority of peace activists have that as their mission. There are legitimately strong feelings toward the suffering caused by any war. NOT TRUE.

He's the neighborhood bully.


Every empire that's enslaved him is gone

Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon /Maybe not every Empire....

He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand  /Israel has been economically and successful since their independence. Paradise? Not so much. 

In bed with nobody, under no one's command

He's the neighborhood bully.


Now his holiest books have been trampled upon

No contract that he signed was worth that what it was written on /I will devote a blog post to Israel's history with "contracts,"agreements, truces and ceasefires with its neighbors, Europe, the US, China, Russia et al. Dylan's lyric is EXAGGERATED. While there is strong anti-Israeli sentiment in Egypt and Jordan, the peace treaties have held. Egypt since 1979 and Jordan since 1994. Whether that continues, especially in Jordan bears watching. There are over 2 million Palestinians in Jordan or nearly 20% of a population of 11 million. 

He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth

Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health

He's the neighborhood bully.


What's anybody indebted to him for?

Nothing, they say. He just likes to cause war /Israel may or not like to cause war but have been in wars nearly every 10 years since its founding. The WARS are REAL.

Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed /This is also a topic that I want to explore. Especially the degree to which religion especially literal readings of the Bible and the Koran make the internal politics of the Middle East especially fraught with intransigence. And the United States.

They wait for this bully like a dog waits for feed

He's the neighborhood bully.


What has he done to wear so many scars?/A question that has bedeviled Jews and non-Jews for millenia. The Jew has (and is being called), a Christ killer, a Prophet killer, a tool of the Capitalist class, a polluter of pure Aryan blood and more recently a Genocidal killer. 

Does he change the course of rivers? Does he pollute the moon and stars? 

Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill

Running out the clock, time standing still  In what is a gross exaggeration, I think that many Arabs in the region believe that the Israelis will go the way of the British, The Ottoman Empire, the Crusaders as part of the "shifting sands" of the regions. Many Israelis prior to October 7 wanted time to stand still. To be able to dance in the desert 3 miles for the Israeli/Gaza border. TIME WILL TELL.

Neighborhood bully.






Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Caryn's in Bolivia Again...reflections

 As long time fans no doubt know that I am interested in fictional bands celebrated in song.  

BTW, my top 5:

1. Uncle John's Band

2. Sultans of Swing

3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

4. Benny and the Jets

5. Alexander's Ragtime Band


This tune (CLICK HERE FOR THE SONG) celebrates a band with no name who is missing their lead singer. Similar to "We Lost Our Drummer in Guangzhou" the song also has some geographical and tourist information. Part of the Don's Basement mission is to educate as well as entertain. Also to take up time between lunch and dinner. 

As usual there is blatant plagiarism-- stealing a line from Deja Vu, a 1970 thing from C, S, N,Y, T &R


Joey....




When they asked him why it had to be that way, “Well,” he answered
“Just because”


As very astute...and very few fans will notice the use of The Blues Brothers and Animal from the Muppet Show in both Guangzhou and Bolivia. They are video gifts  (gifs) that keep on giving.

I followed a song structure from the Internet so you know it's valid.


For those who are heat challenged today, here is the forecast for La Paz this week.


Thanks for watching. Forward to a friend....

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

"Open Arms" explained and deconstructed or not

Carmelita is a beautiful song by Warren Zevon. Produced by Jackson Browne in 1976 with stellar back ups:  Glenn Frey and David Lindley both played guitar on this track and Frey added harmony vocals as well. Session stars Waddy Wachtel (guitar), Bob Glaub (bass) and Larry Zack (drums) also played on it.

The guy in this song has hit rock bottom. He's broke, strung out on heroin, cut off from Methadone and his lover Carmelita's welfare checks have run out. Zevon called it "a cheerful number about heroin, a substance with which, happily, I had only a brief flirtation and not a tragic love affair."

It has beautiful Spanish style guitar lines, a Desolation Row vibe and is clearly a picture of Zevon's 1970s LA. 

"And I'm there with her in Ensenada/And I'm here in Echo Park"

"Well I  pawned my Smith Corona/And I went to meet my man,                                                               He hangs out down on Alvarado Street/by the Pioneer Chicken Stand. 



Echo Park 1970s

Pioneer Chicken (on Alvarado St) 1962-1993









Family with dog, Echo Park, 2023



The song is too damn depressing...also impossible for me to play. Thanks Waddy. So it is not on my personal setlist.  

However, when thinking about what is happening on the Southern Border, this tune sounds appropriate.

My first approach was to use the Karaoke version of this song from Youtube. There is one video that has the lovely instrumental with the vocals taken out on the verse but you can hear Zevon's vocal on the chorus. So, the playing is all mine....

The title of the song comes from Chicago's initial reaction to the Texas governor busing migrants up here. Then Mayor Lori Lightfoot  called  Abbott, a “cheap politician” and “a man without any morals, humanity or shame”. She welcomed the 79 migrants with "open arms." 

Now that there are 8,000 migrants in Chicago, Lightfoot and new Mayor Brandon Johnson have called the situation a "crisis."

Mayor Johnson and former Mayor Lightfoot:
The long and short of it.

                             CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF OPEN ARMS
The video is in black and white because it has a definite 1960s folk club feel and sound despite its contemporary subject matter.

Open Arms 

There’s a crisis at the border of our hearts and mind,

We keep looking for answers that are hard to find.

Hearts and Minds is the title of a 1974 documentary about the Vietnam war. The title comes from a quote by Lyndon Johnson, "So, we must be ready to fight in Vietnam; but, the ultimate victory will depend upon the hearts and the minds - of the people who actually live out there."

My recollection of the title is a quote by Charles Colson? John Wayne? Teddy Roosevelt? "When You've got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow."

We want to welcome you with open arms, lay your burdens down

Can we all reach out as brothers and share our common ground?


Some politicians put on a show pleasing to their base

They’re not solving problems they’re just saving face.

I had difficulty with this line about the politicians. I added a modifier because not all officials are pandering on immigration. What is undeniable is that "the last extensive (immigration) package came under President Ronald Reagan in 1986, and President George H.W. Bush signed a more limited effort four years later." That is 33 years ago!

We want to welcome you with open arms, lay your burdens down

Can we all reach out as brothers and share our common ground?


Heard of a guy who talked about a shining city on a hill.

If we’re not climbing toward it, we’re just standing still.

Another inspiration by (or ripoff of) Dylan from his beautiful song, Red River Shore.

"Now I heard of a guy who lived a long time ago, a  man of sorrow and strife.                                  That if someone around him died and was dead/He knew how to bring 'em on back to life."


"The Shining City on a Hill" is a phrase attributed to John Winthrop (1587-1649) from a speech he made to his fellow Puritans in 1630. Political figures including JFK, Barack Obama, and most notably Ronald Reagan used the phrase in his farewell address in 1989." I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity."


We want to welcome you with open arms, lay your burdens down

Can we all reach out as human beings and share our common ground?


Thanks for reading, watching and listening.


FYI...Youtube recognized the melody!








Thursday, November 17, 2022

"Waiting for My Feelings to Get Hurt."

The 'I" in any song is not necessarily the songwriter or the singer. E.G., Neil Young did not shoot his baby "Down by the River." Or Bob Dylan did not marry "Isis" on the 5th day of day.

The "I" in this song is a troubled, anxious character and not the happy-go-lucky chill dude that I really am. I  wrote the words "I'm waiting for my feelings to get hurt," to a friend and it sounded like a good start to country flavored song. So here it is....

CLICK HERE FOR THIS NICE VIDEO

 The chord progression for the verse is I-V-bV11-IV. This is a popular progression. You can hear it in "Satellite of Love (Lou Reed), Rio (Duran Duran), Linger(Cranberries) and "Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations) and now "Waiting for My Feelings to Get Hurt (Don Shearn)

My latte didn’t taste that good (1)/seemed light on the foam
Had to wonder if I could/ leave well enough alone
What was the likelihood / that they would have known
My order had been misunderstood/I should just go home
Or kill another afternoon/scrolling on my phone
And accept it that soon/you may eat another scone  (2)

1. Amy Shearn, novelist and Jello mold aficionado, wrote in the novel, Unseen City  about New York denizen "with their espressos and flat whites..." This lead to an e-mail chain with an old friend (I mean a really old friend, like 50 year type) about the distinction between flat white and latte. In general, a flat white has thinner layer of foam than a latte. 

2. One of the common criticisms of my writing since grade school has been the tendency to insert a joke-pun-smart aleck remark which can be a distraction from the piece. I got the same critique when I took improv classes. Trying to come up with the joke instead of advancing the story.  Well, I did it again.  Maybe the times aren't a-changing.


I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt
I keep my defenses / all on high alert
An eye roll or inflection   
Can’t escape my detection
When I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt

Seems to happen every day/every place I go
I get dissed in every way/by people I don’t know
It might be a game they play/ to find a stone to throw
I just want to hideaway/ but don’t know where to go

It could be a stranger (3)/ that I read online
That makes me feel a danger/ to my peace of mind
I look back in anger (4)/at the folks who’ve been unkind
I have to let it linger (5)/I don’t leave these things behind

3. Clip in the video is from the 1967 film, "The Stranger. impressively depressing film of an impressively depressing book.

4. "Look Back in Anger," a depressing play and movie from the 1950s.

5. See Cranberries above.

I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt
I keep my defenses / all on high alert
An eye roll or inflection   
Can’t escape my detection
When I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt

Last time out I wrote a song/and sent it to a friend
I didn’t have to wait too long/ and he did not pretend
Your Geetar has a pleasant twang/but the song you penned
Didn’t too that much for me/and I can’t recommend (6)

6. It turns out that  a young woman, Madilyn Bailey wrote and performed a song on America's Got Talent where the lyrics are "hate comments" that she got on youtube. Like "my mom thinks you just got killed by a cat." Maybe I'm too sensitive (or else I'm getting soft.)

I never asked for his critique/ Or the words he had to say
But it hurt me for that week/ and still hurts today
The situation’s not unique/ I can find a way
To turn a conversation bleak/it’s really child’s play

You’d think I’d stop the storming/and let the feelings pass
Yet, I’m not reforming/my outlook stays downcast
In the evening or the morning (7)/if you cross my path
If you wonder how I’m feeling/ don’t have to ask.

Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 5 'And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night, and it was evening and it was morning, one day. ' There is considerable exegesis regarding the 'evening-morning' construction of this verse. Here is 14 pages in very small print. The question revolves around when does the Jewish day begin. For me, the day begins in the morning. After coffee, the New York Times and Wordle. 


I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt
I keep my defenses / all on high alert
An eye roll or inflection   
Can’t escape my detection
When I’m waiting for my feelings to get hurt