Opinion
Editor: Phoebe Mawi
It is better to accept progress rather than fight it
Rachel’s top five Bob Dylan songs: 1. “All Along the Watchtower” 2. “Farewell, Angelina” 3. “The Times They Are a-Changin’” 4. “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” 5. “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”
Scan here to listen to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are aChangin’.”
Column by Rachel Bayler, Print Managing Editor There aren’t many and socially. The cultural songwriters that come close revolution of the ‘60s and the to the absolute genius of Bob political activism of the era Dylan. His raw, honest voice seems to be amplified today, paired with acoustic guitar and with students participating the occasional harmonica bring in marches and protests and such depth to each of his songs, making their voices heard matched only by the weight through social media. “The Music ‘n Musings of his brilliant lyrics. He has times, they are a-changin’” cry to embrace the changing an amazing power to create all around us, and I think the tone of society set to the tune songs that are simultaneously sooner that that is accepted, of a traditional English ballad, thoughtful and powerful, the sooner we will be able and I think it is probably the songs so full of emotion that to move towards a more best song to represent both they seem to bring everything peaceful existence. the shifting mood of the ‘60s to a halt. My time spent listening and the shift we are currently I didn’t really get into to Dylan has taught me experiencing in the country. Dylan’s music until I went there is no fighting progress. Written in 1963, at the through a music phase when Whether we like it or not, height of the Civil Rights I listened to a lot of songs change comes eventually. Movement and on the brink from the ‘60s countercultural It’s better to acknowledge of the Vietnam War, this song movement. Many of these that “the order now is calls people to stop fighting songs were rock, blues, rapidly fadin’,” instead progress and to pay attention country or folk, Dylan’s of struggling to stop the to the voices of the younger specialties, and it wasn’t till I inevitable. The “present generation. Dylan addresses found myself drawn to artists now will later be past,” congressmen, writers, parents, the younger generation like Simon & Garfunkel and Joan Baez that I discovered his everybody he can, urging eventually takes over and them to recognize that the songs. Of course, I recognized the cycle continues. “old road is rapidly agin’” and his name from hearing it With all its faults, the to get out of the way if they referenced over the years, but ‘60s were a time of immense won’t take part in changing it wasn’t until I actually sat transition within American down and listened to his work the world around them. society. Young people today This song has a universal that I began to appreciate its need to embrace the power element about it that really beauty and impact on my they hold and speak up. As makes it extremely poignant view of the world. Dylan says, “If your time today. I think that it is clear that to you is worth savin’, you One of my favorite songs there is starting to be a shift of his is “The Times They Are better start swimmin’ or in the U.S. today, politically a-Changin’.” It’s a rallying you’ll sink like a stone.”
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“Almost, Maine” Opinion 25
