March 28, 2020

Bob Dylan - "Murder Most Foul"


Bob Dylan shares his first new song in eight years. "Murder Most Foul" is an epic tale for a grieving nation.

There seem to be events that every generation remembers where they were for an exact moment in time. Where were you watching the news broadcast when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, when they tore down the Berlin Wall, when you turned on the news on September 11, and now, undoubtedly, where you've been quarantined during a global pandemic. On the latest epic from America's greatest lyricist, Bob Dylan sings about another moment of "where were you when" as he describes the events surrounding the assassination of John F Kennedy. With warmth and compassion, he details the trials and tribulations of the Sixties, a decade he helped shaped, pouring the utmost sentiment into each verse. The references he makes on this track are perfectly developed and comprehensive. He articulately tells us all of the hopes and wonders of the the decade and soundtracks it splendidly over delicate piano notes. He makes subtle quips that may come across as mocking, but are truly made with love. His lyrics are sharp as ever: "For the last fifty years they've been searchin' for that / Freedom, oh freedom, freedom over me / I hate to tell you, mister, but only dead men are free." Of course, nothing feels as current as when he says "I said the soul of a nation been torn away / And it's beginning to go into a slow decay." Even now, Dylan's ability to capture a feeling felt across the country is incredibly just and accurate. For nearly half a decade, he's been the voice of working class people and the representation of true, American Spirit. Now, more than ever, his voice and words ring true.

No comments: