Famous people—Bob Dylan
An EFL lesson for middle-level students
May 2024. eflsuccess.com ⇔
Warm up: Tell the group something you already know about Bob Dylan.
Vocabulary:
(*key terms) [sth=something, sb=somebody; click here for common English abbreviations]
- *iconic: famous in a way that symbolizes a movement, industry, era, etc.
- to release: to make something (like a song or film) available for people to see or buy
- overnight: suddenly or very quickly
- protest song: a song that publicly complains or strongly objects to sth (e.g., a war or dangerous product)
- *to inspire: to motivate, or to make someone want to do something
- the blues: a kind of music that expresses feelings of sadness
- *to switch: to change from one thing to another
- despair: feeling that you have no hope
- triumph: victory; success after a fight
- to parody (a parody): to copy in a way that makes people laugh
- *to criticize (criticism): to make strong, negative comments about, or verbally attack sb or sth you disagree with
- *to generate: to produce or create
- *to embrace: to eagerly accept or wholeheartedly love (a new colleague, idea, religion, etc)
- *divisive: in a way that causes disagreement (divisional)
- *critics: people who express strong dislike or disapproval, or professionals who review the good and bad qualities in art
- predestination: belief that God has made key decisions (including about what people believe), which people’s actions cannot change
- epistle: an important letter, especially one of the letters printed in the Bible
- *impact: the effect or influence of sth’s/sb’s actions
Expressions or proper nouns:
- *to wear it out: to damage sth by using it a lot (usually because you really like sth)
- *to cut off: to stop or turn off (e.g., electrical power or favorable advertisements)
- *to go through the motions: to do sth because you must, not because you are interested
- Pulitzer Prize: an important US annual award for literature, journalism or music
- Nobel Prize: an international annual award given for important achievements
Bob Dylan
Underlined vocabulary terms are defined above, followed by discussion questions.
Perhaps you’ve heard the iconic song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Released in 1963 on his second album, it made Bob Dylan a legend overnight. The Beatles bought the album and said: “We just played it, just wore it out…it was incredibly original and wonderful.” The song was one of the most famous “protest songs” of the era, and it inspired other musicians to express important ideas in song.
Born in Minnesota as “Robert Zimmerman” in 1941, Bob Dylan loved music while growing up. He loved the blues, and played so loudly at a high school talent show that the principal cut off the microphone! When he switched to folk music, he said: “The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings.” In a 2022 Wall Street Journal interview, Dylan said popular music “just parodies real life, goes through the motions, puts on an act.” His own songs caught everyone’s attention because he was saying something different from most pop singers.
Throughout his life, several things brought criticism. He generated controversy in 1965 by switching to electric guitars, and he was later criticized for moving away from political songwriting. When he embraced the Christian faith in the late 1970s, his next hit, “Gotta Serve Somebody,” was met with divisive reviews. Many of those who loved hearing Dylan complain in song, didn’t like Dylan saying that he found answers in Jesus. Years later, other critics questioned if Dylan’s faith was genuine.
In the 2022 interview, Dylan said: “I’m a religious person. I read the scriptures a lot, meditate and pray, light candles in church. I believe in damnation and salvation, as well as predestination. The Five Books of Moses, Pauline Epistles, Invocation of the Saints, all of it….”
In 2008, the singer-songwriter won the Pulitzer Prize, in 2012 he was awarded the US Medal of Freedom, and in 2016, 75-year-old Bob Dylan became the first musician to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” Dylan has had an impact on western musical culture for decades, and some believe he is the greatest living poet.
Synonym match:
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
(1) Perhaps you’ve heard the iconic song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Released in 1963 on his second album, it made Bob Dylan a legend overnight. The Beatles bought the album and said: “We just played it, just wore it out…it was incredibly original and wonderful.” The song was one of the most famous “protest songs” of the era, and it inspired other musicians to express important ideas in song..
(2) Born in Minnesota as “Robert Zimmerman” in 1941, Bob Dylan loved music while growing up. He loved the blues, and played so loudly at a high school talent show that the principal cut off the microphone! When he switched to folk music, he said: “The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings.” In a 2022 Wall Street Journal interview, Dylan said popular music “just parodies real life, goes through the motions, puts on an act.” His own songs caught everyone’s attention because he was saying something different from most pop singers.
1. overnight a. copy 2. inspired b. popular 3. loved c. instantly 4. despair d. adored 5. parody e. misery 6. pop f. motivated
Paragraphs 3-5
7. switching a. effect 8. divisive b. people who criticize 9. critics c. letter 10. epistle d. changing 11. impact e. divisional
Video (optional):
Before discussing this article, watch one of Bob Dylan’s performances. Here are some suggestions:
- https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/gotta-serve-somebody/
- https://youtu.be/0MzyBv4yOPU?si=Stq1GE_iWmEStLuT (singing Gotta Serve at Grammys—first Grammy performance)
- https://youtu.be/KpD26IoRLvA?si=wPogM8olo3T4izcI (Blowing in the Wind with lyrics)
Discussion:
Are there any terms you want to ask your teacher about? (As always, please do not answer any question that makes you uncomfortable.) If you have a lower English level, ask your partner “content questions” which have answers in the text.
- What are the elements that make artists/musicians “famous”?
- Why did “protest songs” become popular as a genre (in the 1960s and beyond)?
- Why do you think Bob Dylan has had such a big impact on western musical culture for such a long time?
- What do you know about the Pulitzer Prize and/or the Nobel Prize? What kinds of achievements are they given for? Do you think Bob Dylan was a good choice? Explain.
- Work with a partner to answer this: If you oversaw a globally-recognized prize, what would you want to honor/celebrate, and what criteria would you use?
- Why do you think people had a lot of both positive and negative reactions when Dylan became a Christian (late 1970s)?
- What do you think about the way people and the media treat “super-stars” who embrace a new religion, humanitarian cause, etc.? Is it fair to expect someone who is “new” to be a big role model or spokesperson? Explain.
- What advice would you give to a famous person in your culture if he/she decides to publicly embrace a different religion, philosophy, political party, cause, etc.?
- Tell your partner about a favorite musician or artist. If you can, think about someone whose fame extends beyond his/her art to an unrelated area of life.
- Why do you think that music and its poetry/lyrics have such a powerful impact on culture?
More:
If you have extra time, discuss these Dylan lyrics (songs: “Gotta Serve Somebody” 1979):
(You) Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
~ What point is the author trying to make?
(For complete lyrics for this and other Dylan songs: https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/gotta-serve-somebody/)
For additional lessons on famous people, visit: https://famouspeoplelessons.com
Matching (answers)
- 1. overnight = instantly 7. switching = changing
- 2. inspired = motivated 8. divisive = divisional
- 3. loved = adored 9. critics = people who criticize
- 4. despair = misery 10. epistle = letter
- 5. parody = copy 11. impact = effect
- 6. pop = popular
Partial discussion answers:
1. answer: talent (voice and multiple instruments), creativity, originality, appeal to various demographics/races; good performances (dance, etc); the public agrees with the content of the song/movie
2. answer: the public is frustrated and angry about many things (in the 1960s, it was participation in the Vietnam war), and this kind of music helps people to express how they feel; emotional appeal
7. answer: Stay away from the cameras; people will push you very hard (in opposite directions). Just as some critics love and some hate your art, even those who agree with your new ‘belief’ might love you or say you don’t measure up—don’t listen to either; listen to your heart, and dig deeper into this new belief/cause (away from the cameras) so you can embrace it completely. Like a newborn child, you need to grow step by step. If we’re talking about a religious faith, then God is the only “audience” you need to please.
Sources include
- https://famouspeoplelessons.com/b/bob_dylan.html
- https://www.bobdylan.com/news/bob-dylan-interviewed-by-wall-street-journals-jeff-slate/
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-latest-literature-win-speechless-silence-a7386051.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotta_Serve_Somebody
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Dylan-American-musician/images-videos#/media/1/175077/250789
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20060899 By Bill Ingalls – NASA.gov, Public Domain National Archives
- http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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