Bob Dylan The Philosophy of Modern Song

Bob Dylan: The Philosophy of Modern Song

Bob Dylan may well be the most celebrated songwriter of the 20th century, so his 2022 book The Philosophy of Song offers his fascinating observation of the songwriting craft. He offers essays on 66 songs covering an eighty-year span from 1924 to 2004. He delves into songs from artists as diverse as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Cher, the Clash, Elvis Costello, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, the Eagles, Judy Garland, Little Richard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, the Platters, Elvis Presley, Pete Seeger, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, the Temptations, the Who, and Hank Williams. He explores some of the most acclaimed songwriters of all time, including Howard Arlen, Stephen Foster, Kenny Gamble, Lorenz Hart, Leon Huff, Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe, Barry Mann, Johnny Mercer, Richard Rodgers, Barrett Strong, Townes Van Zandt, Cynthia Weil, Norman Whitfield, and Jimmy Webb. Note: the essays don’t appear to be in any kind of specific order. I have listed the songs chronologically with the recording artist first, followed by the song title, year of release, and songwriter(s) in parentheses. Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations. Uncle Dave Macon “Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy” (1924) Uncle Dave Macon Harry McClintock “Jesse James” (1928) traditional Charlie Poole “Old and Only in the Way (1928) Charlie Poole, Normal Woodlief Bing Crosby “The Whiffenpoof Song” (1947) Meade Minngerode, George S. Pomeroy, Tod B. Galloway Johnnie & Jack “Poison Love” (1950) Mrs. Elmer Laird Perry Como “Without a Song” (1951) Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu Rosemary Clooney “Come on-a My House” (1951) Ross Bagdasarian, William Saroyan Tommy Edwards “It’s All in the Game” (1951) Charles G. Dawes, Carl Sigman Johnnie Ray “The Little White Crowd That Cried” (1952) Johnnie Ray Hank Williams “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) Hank Williams Webb Pierce “There Stands the Glass” (1953) Audrey Grisham, Mary Jean Schurz, Russ Hall Ray Charles “I Gotta Woman” (1955) Ray Charles, Renald Richard Little Richard “Tutti Frutti” (1955) Richard Penniman, D. LaBostroe, Joe Lubin Eddy Arnold “You Don’t Know Me” (1956) Eddy Arnold, Cindy Walker Vic Damone “On the Street Where You Live” (1956) Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner Judy Garland “Come Rain or Come Shine” (1956) Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer Little Richard “Long Tall Sally” (1956) Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman The Osborne Brothers “Ruby, Are You Mad?” (1956) Cynthia May Carver Carl Perkins “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956) Carl Perkins The Platters “My Prayer (Avant de Mourir)” (1956) Georges Boulanger, Carlos Goemz Barrera, Jimmy Kennedy Elvis Presley “Money Honey” (1956) Jesse Stone Jimmy Wages “Take Me from This Garden” (1956) Jimmy Wages Sonny Burgess “Feel So Good” (1958) Herman Parker Jr. Johnny Cash “Big River” (1958) J.R. Cash Johnny Cash “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” (1958) Johnny Cash Little Walter “Key to the Highway” (1958) Big Bill Broonzy, Charles Segar Domenico Modugno “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue)” (1958) Franco Migliacci, Domenico Modugno, Mitchell Parish Ricky Nelson “Poor Little Fool” (1958) Sharon Sheeley Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife” (1959) Kurt Weill, Mark Blitzstein, Berthold Brecht Dion & the Belmonts “Where or When” (1959) Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart Marty Robbins “El Paso” (1959) Marty Robbins Bobby Darin “Beyond the Sea (La Mer)” (1960) Jack Lawrence, Charles Trent Ernie K-Doe “A Certain Girl” (1961) Allen Toussaint Jimmy Reed “Big Boss Man” (1961) Luther Dixon, Al Smith Bobby Bare “Detroit City” (1963) Danny Dill, Mel Tillis Roy Orbison “Blue Bayou” (1963) Roy Orbison, Joe Melson The Drifters “Saturday Night at the Movies” (1964) Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil Dean Martin “Blue Moon” (1964) Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart Elvis Presley “Viva Las Vegas” (1964) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman Nina Simone “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (1964) Bennie Benjamin, Horace Ott, Sol Marcus The Who “My Generation” (1965) Pete Townshend Frank Sinatra “Strangers in the Night” (1966) Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder Glen Campbell “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (1967) Jimmy Webb The Fugs “Cia Man” (1967) Tuli Kupferberg Pete Seeger “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” (1967) Pete Seeger Mose Allison “Everybody Cryin’ Mercy” (1968) Mose Allison The Allman Brothers Band “Midnight Rider” (1970) Gregg Allman, Robert Kim Payne The Grateful Dead “Truckin’” (1970) Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Robert Hunter Santana “Black Magic Woman” (1970) Peter Green Edwin Starr “War” (1970) Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong The Temptations “Ball of Confusion” (1970) Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong Cher “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” (1971) Bob Stone Eagles “Witchy Woman” (1972) Don Henley, Bernie Leadon Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (1972) Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff Billy Joe Shaver “Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me” (1973) Billy Joel Shaver Johnnie Taylor “Cheaper to Keep Her” (1973) Mack Rice Jackson Browne “The Pretender” (1976) Jackson Browne Elvis Costello & the Attractions “Pump It Up” (1978) Elvis Costello Waylon Jennings “I’ve Always Been Crazy” (1978) Waylon Jennings The Clash “London Calling” (1979) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones Willie Nelson “On the Road Again” (1980) Willie Nelson Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard “Pancho and Lefty” (1983) Townes Van Zandt Johnny Paycheck “Old Violin” (1986) Johnny Paycheck John Trudell “Doesn’t Hurt Anymore” (2001) John Trudell Warren Zevon “Dirty Life and Times” (2003) Warren Zevon Alvin Youngblood Hart “Nelly Was a Lady” (2004) Stephen Foster Resources/Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Bob Dylan Dave’s Music Database: lists from critics and individuals Dave’s Music Database: lists from publications and/or organizations First posted 11/1/2022; last updated 11/6/2022.