As usual readers of this column likely know by now, I’m a huge Bob Dylan fan. I’m grateful that I’ve been alive to witness Dylan’s latter-career years in real time.
I’d say I’ve seen him in concert more than 50 times. Over that span, I’ve seen him up and down the state of New Jersey, from his numerous nights at the Borgata in Atlantic City to Madison, Montclair, Camden and most recently — this past summer — up in Lakewood. (That was the show when he was spotted beforehand, hooded up in the pouring rain, alone and peering into a vacant home by a young policewoman. She didn’t recognize him, he had no ID and a month later CNN reported that the cop had detained the 68-year-old Dylan and escorted him back to his tour bus.)
Ever since my first Dylan concert — in Boston, 1989 — I’ve seen him nearly every year he’s around the East Coast. I’ve seen him in Pittsburgh; New York City; Newark, Del.; Bethel Woods, N.Y. (the site of the first Woodstock); as well as other cities including Philly countless times — a stretch that includes my favorite Dylans show yet.
Dylan’s just released his first Christmas album and all of the proceeds from sales of the album, Christmas in the Heart, will be donated to charities around the globe that help fight hunger. In a twist of strange fate, Dylan’s only interview in connection with the album was given to writer Bill Flanagan, a member of the media who Dylan has granted interviews to several times in the past. And the only place you can find this interview, which touches on Dylan’s favorite Christmas foods, the obscure band Brave Combo and country legend Tex Ritter, is … no, not in Rolling Stone or Newsweek or the Los Angeles Times. The only place to find the interview is in a “street paper.” What’s a street paper, you ask?
Ever been to D.C. and have a homeless person approach you asking you to purchase — for a dollar — a copy of Street Sense? In other cities around the country, there are similar newspapers, sold by and concerning the issues of the homeless. That’s what a street paper is.
Anyway, so Dylan chose to donate all the proceeds from Christmas to charities that fight hunger. But the best part — aside from the video for the polka “Must Be Santa” (check our blog to see it) from the new album — is that Dylan gives the interview to a publication (or a network of publications in this case) that is sold exclusively by homeless people, the same group of people worldwide that Dylan is trying to assist with Christmas.
Smart guy that Dylan. Just like his songs have many layers, so do his actions. Dylan not only is helping the charities, such as Feeding America, but is shining a light on a great network, NASNA (North American Street Newspaper Association), which gives our homeless a chance at a fresh start or, as NASNA’s Web site says, “an opportunity for people living in poverty.”
This Thanksgiving Bob Dylan came to mind. I’m thanking him for being generous with the royalties from his latest album, and helping our homeless. Go pick up this album; not only will it help the homeless and those who are hungry, it will surely give your holidays a different twist this year.
Happy Thanksgiving.
President Barack Obama on Bob Dylan: "The guy is so steeped in this stuff that he can just come up with some new arrangement, and the song sounds completely different. Finishes the song, steps off the stage — I'm sitting right in the front row — comes up, shakes my hand, sort of tips his head, gives me just a little grin, and then leaves. And that was it — then he left. That was our only interaction"
This doesn't happen normally as most Dylan fans know. He barely talks during shows except to introduce his band. Why in Atlantic City?
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1. Ray H. Bournemouth said... on Nov 26, 2009 at 08:01AM
“Your right as they say in the north of England " canny lad that Bob Dylan" makes you THINK.”
2. pretty moilly said... on Nov 27, 2009 at 10:03PM
“DYLAN ROCKS!! Great column.”
3. The LawTunes said... on Nov 28, 2009 at 09:56PM
“Thanks for this thought-provoking article. Here's a thumbs-up to Mr. Dylan and all those who have the initiative to exercise a little creativity in the holiday album context, rather than the endless string of cookie-cutter CDs we too often see. The LawTunes salute such efforts, and seek to follow in even a small way in such footsteps, as evidenced by our latest lawyer holiday gift album, "Season’s Briefings From The LawTunes." You can hear clips at http://www.LawTunes.com. Thanks again for the interesting story on this remarkable individual.”