Dylan and Lennon in a cab
November 7, 2008
The two video clips below capture an early meeting between Bob Dylan and John Lennon.
Dylan is wasted in the clip. This transcript will help make some sense of the conversation.
Part 1:
Part 2:
This video reveals quite a bit about both Dylan and Lennon. It still seems like a wasted opportunity, though. There is little in the way of substantive conversation or exchange of ideas. They both seem to be playing to the camera and trying to impress each other. It seems like their egos got the best of them, and they both come off as immature.
These are two of my heroes. They’re both lyrical and musical geniuses. It’s sad that the little existing footage of them interacting is spoiled.
November 8, 2008 at 2:01 am
It’s pretty clear that Dylan is either stoned out of his mind, or drunk, or both. It’s probably a bit unfair to expect substantive conversation from him in such a situation. But I find this document fascinating for another reason. There’s something so mythical about the meeting of these two icons. And it’s very humanizing to see them just goofing off, trying to be funny and not even succeeding, with Dylan on the verge of vomiting the whole time. There’s something very authentic about all that, even if they are playing for the camera.
November 14, 2008 at 5:15 am
You’re right about it being humanizing. I suppose that is the bright side of the clip. It bothers me when people try to immortalize or demonize people in history to the point that they forget they are human. I tend to fall into the same trap when it comes to my musical heroes. Realizing that they are human makes their music much more interesting anyway.