# Bob Dylan's "Triplicate."



## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

I'm a big fan of Bob. I believe I'm an outlier in the sense that I enjoy his newer material even more than his older, classic material. The main reason for this, is how his voice has become more gravely, rough, raw than ever. I rather enjoy it more than his youthful voice. In many of his new songs, it adds a gravitas, if you will, to his songs. The man never had an objectively "good" voice. One may have liked it, fine, but no one could ever say it was just as good as say, Freddy Mercury's, Paul McCartney's, or even Roger Daltry's (who, IMO, had one of the greatest "rock and roll" voices ever. No song exemplify's that more than "After the Fire" from his solo album "Under A Raging Moon."). One of my favorite Dylan albums is "Modern Times." I do believe it is a "Great" album.

With all that said, I must say, when one dives into the "Great American Song Book" one should have, if not a great singing voice for that genre (Sinatra, Dean, Cole - whom I believe had the greatest of all the "crooners" voices. I mean, Nat's was just pure silky smoothness - etc.), at least a voice that lends itself to such songs stylistically (ie: Rod Stewart - which imo, really works well).

I was in torture listening to this great artist sing these great songs, because the result is just horrendous. It was worse than his Christmas album (I can't tell you how hard I laugh at Bob's "Here Comes Santa Clause" every time I hear it. I just start uncontrollably laughing because it is just SO BAD. Although, his "It Must Be Santa Clause" I find rather listenable). I'm not quite sure what possessed Bob to make this album, but to me, it just wasn't a smart move. Let's leave certain styles/genres to those voices/musicians who fit well into such categories. Let's stop trying to be something we are not, no matter how much one personally likes the material.

V


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Varick said:


> I'm a big fan of Bob. I believe I'm an outlier in the sense that I enjoy his newer material even more than his older, classic material. The main reason for this, is how his voice has become more gravely, rough, raw than ever. I rather enjoy it more than his youthful voice. In many of his new songs, it adds a gravitas, if you will, to his songs. The man never had an objectively "good" voice. One may have liked it, fine, but no one could ever say it was just as good as say, Freddy Mercury's, Paul McCartney's, or even Roger Daltry's (who, IMO, had one of the greatest "rock and roll" voices ever. No song exemplify's that more than "After the Fire" from his solo album "Under A Raging Moon."). One of my favorite Dylan albums is "Modern Times." I do believe it is a "Great" album.
> 
> With all that said, I must say, when one dives into the "Great American Song Book" one should have, if not a great singing voice for that genre (Sinatra, Dean, Cole - whom I believe had the greatest of all the "crooners" voices. I mean, Nat's was just pure silky smoothness - etc.), at least a voice that lends itself to such songs stylistically (ie: Rod Stewart - which imo, really works well).
> 
> ...


I hadn't seen this thread until you mentioned it in the Rough & Rowdy Ways thread. I'm the kind of Dylan nut who tends to only buy records that have "All Songs By Bob Dylan" stamped on the sleeve, but in fairness to the Sinatra records, I have a good pal who says that Bob cut to the core on those songs, brought out an emotional aspect to them in a way that wasn't vocally smooth, but caught the meaning in the songs in a profound way. I don't know, but as you say, Bob's voice has a gravitas. But he also expresses himself in the way a 1940's noir film star would, as a character actor with a distinctive growl. I think he's a great singer, and I totally agree, he sounds better now than ever. He's found a way to work within his limits and express himself more powerfully by doing so.

As for his "Here Comes Santa Claus", he makes it sound more like a threat, than a treat :lol: but I enjoy a couple of his renditions on the Christmas album, especially Little Drummer Boy, which I think he pulls off quite well...


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