In early 1961, Bob Dylan left Hibbing, Minnesota for New York City to find the singers he’d heard on records \u2013 Dave Van Ronk, the duo of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Josh White, the Reverend Gary Davis but most of all to find Woody Guthrie (1912-1967), his musical idol whom he referred to as \u201cthe true voice of the American spirit.\u201d Dylan settled into the New York suburb of Greenwich Village and began making a name for himself as a singer of traditional folk songs, featured on his self-titled debut album in 1962. Of folk music, Dylan said \u201cI knew that when I got into folk music, it was more of a serious type of thing. The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n
By 1963, he was a songwriter whose compositions became anthems of his generation, songs like \u201cBlowin’ in the Wind\u201d and \u201cA Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall\u201d, both featured on his second album \u201cThe Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.\u201d This album is also memorable for its cover, a photo of Dylan smiling and walking down a Greenwich Village street with a beautiful young woman on his arm.<\/p>\n
Her name was Suze (Susan) Rotolo (1943-2011), an American artist and political activist of Italian descent whose parents were Communist Party USA members during the McCarthy era. By all accounts, they were a devoted couple and a fixture around Greenwich Village. Dylan described her as \u201ca Rodin sculpture come to life.\u201d In the end, the romance could not survive the enormous adulation and scrutiny Dylan was to receive, the disapproval of the Rotolo family and Suze’s own artistic aspirations. She left for Italy to study art in June 1962, returning after six months but the relationship did not survive. The cover photo for Dylan’s next album, \u201cThe Times They Are a-Changin’\u201d (1964) shows him a changed man, pensive and aloof.<\/p>\n
Dylan’s separation from Rotolo has been credited as the inspiration behind several of his finest love songs, including \u201cDon’t Think Twice, It’s Alright\u201d, \u201cTomorrow Is a Long Time\u201d. \u201cOne Too Many Mornings\u201d and \u201cBoots of Spanish Leather.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cBoots of Spanish Leather\u201d is written as a dialogue, with the first six verses alternating between the two lovers and the last three verses all sung by the lover who has been left behind. Although the lyrics deal with Suze Rotolo’s departure for Italy, Dylan chose to hide this by using Spain as the destination country. The song is an adaptation of \u201cScarborough Fair\u201d, a ballad that dates back to the Middle English period (1150-1500).
\nFolk music has now been absent from contemporary music for more than 50 years. People today would have a tough time listening to anyone singing deep lyrics for 6 minutes accompanied only by a single acoustic guitar. But that is exactly what I’m asking of you.<\/p>\n
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Richard S\u00e9guin \u2013 voice and acoustic guitar<\/p>\n
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