Marsha and I have been enjoying an 80’s flashback for the past few days, and you can tune in with us at http://radio.thewalrus.ca. I’ve also implemented a request system, so you can actually request a specific song in the library, and it will slip it into the playlist. Enjoy!
UPDATE: I’ve changed the webcast to nothing but Bob Dylan, since that’s the only time people seem to tune in to listen anyway.
Well, the Lord saw me through delivering the message at two churches on Sunday, and I survived both. I’m incredibly thankful that He helped me through this first attempt, and I can now better understand how dependant on Him I must be in order to bring a message to God’s people.Â
I don’t have much to add at this point, so here’s lyrics to another awesome Dylan song:
The iron hand it ain’t no match for the iron rod,
The strongest wall will crumble and fall to a mighty God.
For all those who have eyes and all those who have ears
It is only He who can reduce me to tears.
Don’t you cry and don’t you die and don’t you burn
For like a thief in the night, He’ll replace wrong with right
When He returnsTruth is an arrow and the gate is narrow that it passes through,
He unleashed His power at an unknown hour that no one knew.
How long can I listen to the lies of prejudice?
How long can I stay drunk on fear out in the wilderness?
Can I cast it aside, all this loyalty and this pride?
Will I ever learn that there’ll be no peace, that the war won’t cease
Until He returns?Surrender your crown on this blood-stained ground, take off your mask,
He sees your deeds, He knows your needs even before you ask.
How long can you falsify and deny what is real?
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal?
Of every earthly plan that be known to man, He is unconcerned,
He’s got plans of His own to set up His throne
When He returns.Â- By Bob Dylan [Listen]
There’s a few big things coming around the bend that have me in a state of anticipation (or trepidation… it’s hard to tell sometimes). Firstly is my Supervised Field Education in which I’ll be attending Billtown Baptist church for about two years, and that kicks off later this month as I bring the message to God’s people there as well as their sister church in Woodville on June 23rd. Sr. Pastor Randall Read is on vacation this month so it provided an opportunity for me to have a Sunday to introduce myself and establish those vital and supernatural connections Christians share through God’s word.
Another exciting thing coming up in August as my favourite songwriter releases yet another full-length album on the 29th (my little-brother’s birthday, as a matter of fact). I’ve often said that Bob Dylan is the greatest popular songwriter of the 20th century, and even those who don’t appreciate his… um… unique vocal style can’t help but grant him the respect due someone of his accomplishments. It was an extremely pleasant surprise when my favourite Christian musical artist, Derek Webb, also commented on his love of Bob on his live album, The House Show, using almost the same language. Webb’s performance of Bob’s spiritual lament “Every Grain of Sand” definitely falls into my list of “Best Dylan Covers Ever.” Speaking of which, let’s have a look at some of those covers, shall we? The following is a little ‘click n’ listen’ list of Bob Dylan originals that have been performed by other artists. Leave some comments!
| Song | Origional Dylan Album | Covered By |
| Every Grain of Sand | Shot of Love (1981) | Derek Webb |
| Mr. Tamourine Man | Bringing It All Back Home (1965) | The Byrds |
| My Back Pages | Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) | The Byrds |
| The Mighty Quinn | Self Portrait (1970) | Manfred Mann |
| All Along The Watchtower | John Wesley Harding (1967) | Jimmy Hendrix |
| Tangled Up In Blue | Blood on the Tracks (1975) | The Indigo Girls |
| When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky | Empire Burlesque (1985) | Jeff Healy |
| Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door | Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) | Several favourites of this Dylan classic: Jerry Garcia Eric Clapton Guns n’ Roses Randy Crawford |
And if this collection of covers or the promise of a new album wasn’t enough to get you wired for the masterful minstrel’s mesmeric melodies, maybe moments of miscellaneous musical melancholy might make for more mouthwatering morsels. Bob is currently hosting a satellite radio show called “The Theme Time Radio Hour” in which he spins some lost vinyl in line with the daily theme, intermixed with Bob’s sharp tongue and clips from old radio spots, movie quotes and who knows what.
