Did anyone read Douglas Brinkley's interview with Bob Dylan in the New York Times? It was hilarious. Like most establishment media, he managed to discuss the song at length without discussing the actual lyrics concerning the assassination. It's amazing how taboo this topic still is after 60 years.
Yes, I did. That very thing is discussed in this article here: Dylan Does Have a Lot on His Mind, But the NYT Didn't Want to Talk About It - CounterPunch.org
When I come to look back on 2020 and it all contained, the unexpected drop of Murder Most Foul will be my no.1 moment. An extraordinary song in a extraordinary year.
A play on words as I either thought that was one of the reporters names involved with the (non) story or I may have lazily thrown in a Rupert reference can't recall exactly now.
Just for the record, Rupert's last name is spelled "Murdoch." An important distinction for those of us who spell it "Murdock"...
Today is the anniversary of the release of Murder Most Foul. I remember the exact moment it appeared on Spotify last year. Basically coming out of nowhere. I think I will always be transported back to early Covid-era whenever I listen in the future. That's okay with me. Such a shining artistic achievement. An absolutely unforgettable masterpiece.
Agree. Not a big follower of Dylan (there is so much to his catalog that I can't attend to), but "MMF" made me aware of how important and immediate his offerings are ... still.
Your post encouraged me to give the song another listen, since it had been about 11 months since I last listened to it. My original take still holds. “Murder Most Foul” is still “Song Most Dull.” Blathering on about JFK 50+ years after the fact does not a good song make. Dylan has written and recorded plenty of classics; this (IMO) is not one of them.
I've heard it likely 40 times and every time it almost seems like, did the lyrics change?? Always something there I never noticed, or if noticed a new thought or way a line makes me feel. It is mindblowing still.
I'm glad my post sent you back to the song. I am completely enamored with Rough & Rowdy Ways, and even though I genuinely think Murder Most Foul is exceptional, I must admit that I don't always play it with the rest of the album. It is just a little too intense for everyday use.
MMF is about JFK in the same way that Blind Willie McTell is about Blind Willie McTell. It's also a stone cold classic.
Earlier this week I put it on, after not hearing it since early winter. It put me right back in that precarious place that it describes - and the precarious world where it was released last year. Spooky and powerful. I only made it about a minute into the song. It's definitely not a song and dance man song, it has a very specific place. It's almost like a battle plan ONLY in case of emergency. Bob did not mince words or try to riddle with language on that one.
I guess the beauty of a song like "Murder Most Foul" is there are so many interpretations of how the lyrics and sparse musical background impacts each listener.
Excellent interview here with pianist Alan Pasqua who talks about, among other things Bob related (1978 tour, etc), his work recording “Murder Most Foul”. Pianist Alan Pasqua Talks "Murder Most Foul," Dylan's Nobel Lecture, and the 1978 Tour
I listened to this on rotation in my garden when it appeared and we were in lockdown. Probably the most important single release of the year. I never really understand the people who find it dull, but that is personal taste I guess and we are all entitled to that. Personally the song flies past in spite of its length and I don't find the sparseness a problem. I have to day though I haven't revisited the album for a couple of months so perhaps a spin is called for.
I don't know why I thought this, but something I read somewhere made me think Fiona Apple was piano on this. Am I inventing this fantasy? [[EDIT: OK i read too fast---apparently Pasqua, Apple, AND Benmont ALL play piano on the track!]]
It's addressed in the interview. I haven't checked out the stereo panning on MMF again though. Relevant excerpt: In a recent interview, Fiona Apple said she also played piano on that track. I gather she wasn't at your session, but when you are listening to it, can you pick out who is doing what, knowing what you played? Yes, I can. Benmont's on the left, Alan's on the right, Fiona's in the middle. It's like the early days of stereo. It's a really cool collaboration. She sounded beautiful too.
