Oh, Mercy!
Every once in a while, I check in to see what the free download is that week from iTunes. This week, I saw that it’s a new song by Bob Dylan. “Oh, cool! A free new song from Bob Dylan,” I thought.
Then I listened to it.
Yikes!
Paging Dr. Daniel Lanois. Paging Dr. Daniel Lanois. The last time Dylan sounded this bad he was in the middle of a motorcycle accident.
If you’re curious, go head on over to the iTunes store and check it out. But first, let me share just a couple of the reviews from listeners:
“Sad. Terribly sad. When the once great artist no longer distinguishes between Christmas and trash.”
“WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?”
“Terrible!”
And, my favorite:
“Eww.”
A further bit of context: I’m a Dylan fan, this is a free download, and I don’t want it. I’m afraid if I put it on my iPhone it’ll come up one day on random play and I’ll accidentally hear it again.
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:15 am
NPR last Saturday did a bit with the host of the Annoying Music Show out of Chicago, and he singled out Dylan’s Christmas album for special attention. Then, as pay-back,in a clip that made me doubt the existence of God, he played the Chipmunks singing “Hey Mr. Tambourine Man.”
It’s the Holidays.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I previewed this song and very quickly moved the cursor away from the “download now” button.
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Yeah, you’re probably the same people who yelled at Dylan and called him ‘Judas’ when he went electric at the Newport Folk Festival. Years from now you’ll be praising that album.