Friday, October 2, 2009

Bob Dylan Song #156: Father of Night

"Three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax - YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT I'M LIVING IN THE (expletive) PAST!" - John Goodman in The Big Lebowski

Now, while the previous song had baffled me in a way that I'm embarrassed to think about even now, "Father of Night" somehow manages to make a perfect, almost serene sense. On an album that has evoked such gentle images of pastoral life and quiet solitude (except with a lady, of course), there's something kind of nice about Bob offering up his version of a Jewish prayer as the album's end, sort of a droll Hebrew equivalent of T.S. Eliot's "shantih shantih shantih" or something. And the presentation is gorgeous - running a mere 92 seconds (surely Bob's shortest song ever), opened with a nifty little bit of singing from Bob's backup singers that occasionally repeats throughout, Dylan offers up a simple and plaintive paean to the God of the Torah that he'd worshiped as a young man. It's beautiful, no two ways about it, and a fine ending to an album that hearkens for the simple life he knew as that boy in Hibbing, before rock and roll, Woody Guthrie, and fistfuls of barbituates changed everything.

One of my friends from Michigan is an atheist raised in a Jewish family, and while she continues to not believe in a God, she still makes it a point to observe all the Jewish holidays and traditions and pay homage to the faith in which she was raised. I'm not going to lie - I found that odd when I'd first heard about it (she's not going to read this, so I feel safe mentioning it, although I'm sure she'd be fine with it anyway), as most people that don't believe in God tend to have something less than a favorable opinion about faith in general, and especially in the traditions and occasional prejudices that make up the world's religions. But the more I thought about it, the more respect I have for her stance - even though she has objection to the one principle that binds this entire group of people together, she finds enough worthy in the sort of cultural framework that's sprung up around this group and their devotion to that principle that she's decided to remain a willing participant. It really is an extraordinary thing.

I'm jumping way ahead here, but one of the most remarkable facts of Dylan's career in retrospect, something that I think doesn't get nearly the play that it deserves, was Dylan's conversion to Christianity. It isn't that it's not understandable, so much as it was a fervor that gripped him with remarkable tightness and then loosened itself almost as fast (I've seen pictures of Bob in his yarmulke in the mid-80s). What tends to get lost in the whole thing, though, between the controversy over the music he made and his infamous battles with the crowds in Tempe and all that, is just how deeply human it actually makes Bob. After all, what is more human in the experience of life than the search for a greater truth, a higher plane of existence beyond mortal flesh and blood, and the search for the reason why we're here in the first place? I'm not saying that I consider Bob some sort of demigod, so much as I'm saying that Bob's crisis of faith gives us something to hang our hat on, something we can relate to, just as much as the adultery and the boozing and drug use and occasional terrible albums are things we can relate to. Bob becomes much more enjoyable, I'm starting to find, when he's not on the pedestal that (it has to be said) things like this blog put him on.

And a song like "Father of Night", which has no other purpose than recasting the Amidah into a short little tune to close out a short little album, is just as much a part of that equation that makes Bob a flesh and blood man. His faith (aside from the Christian years, of course) has never been much of a talking point; we knew he was Jewish (I mean, Zimmerman? C'mon, now), but it was never overtly shoved in our faces at any point in his career. And when he does decide to pay a little homage to his old faith, he does it in as low-key a way as possible, paring down his language almost to the point where you can see bone, singing simple words to the Lord of Abraham and Ezekiel. As mantras go, it's pretty hard to top.

And that's it for New Morning! Coming up next - the three unwritten songs from the 2nd Greatest Hits, "Billy" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"...then Dylan's second great creative period. I cannot wait. Hope you all join me on the trip!

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53 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe the shortest song award has to go to "Talkin' Hava Negiliah Blues"!

Rob said...

Your friend is not an atheist, that's just a meaningless word thrown about. Tony, it's not easy for a non-Jew to understand the nature of being Jewish, it's not just "a" religion. Re. Dylan's covert Jewishness, that's a subject too big for one blog entry. btw, I recite the Amidah every day and I don't see how this rather cliched little songlet has any relation to it. I assume you're mentioning the Amidah because Wikipedia mentions it, but what other evidence do you have of the link?

Anonymous said...

Gotta agree with Rob here, I don't think you really have much understanding of judaism, your posts on JWH, especially wicked messenger revealed that.

I do think you're right to assign this song some sort of Jewish characteristic though, the fact is Dylan was and is jewish, you can't just stop, and he certainly hasn't now, with Chabad and everything.

Outside of religion, dylan's culturally jewish-now this is a complicated phrase, but suppose he was black or mexican, obviously everything he wrote would come from that culture and not mainstream white culture.

Warren Peace said...

It's odd that you'd make such a bizarre supposition about someone you've never met, "Rob", with regard to Anthony's friend. You can't accuse him of making wild assumptions about this song when you yourself take even greater leaps in your judgmental and condescending attitude.

Imagine someone describing Judaism as "a meaningless word thrown about". The feelings you have toward that sentence are the same ones I have when you use such flippant language to describe Atheism. You seem like an incredibly disrespectful person in general.

Rob said...

Dearest Warren "Peace". Thank you for so respectfully point out my disrespectful nature. This blog is apparently to discuss the work of someone whose whole modus operandi is highly Jewish and highly "disrespectful", therefore I submit that I am more in tune with him than are you. Re. atheism in general I will happily stick with my "condescending" attitude about it not being a serious label. Re. "Jewish atheists" in particular and their apparent contradictions, if you were jewish you would know why it was a non-starter for serious discussion.

Sal Paradise said...

I agree with Warren. Rob sounds like a real dick. I love it when people say, "You wouldn't understand." Jerk.

Rob said...

Dick. Jerk. Excellent phraseology. Powerful stuff. Did you consider deploying "prick" or would that have been overkill? It's all about the cadence, tempo and rhythm, like a good BD song.

Warren Peace said...

I'm guessing the irony of you getting indignant at Sal's words is lost on you, yeah?

People like Rob are the reason I don't go for religion at all anymore. People like him eat away at it like termites, setting himself up as gatekeeper of the Holy, master of the metaphysical, the guy who's the ultimate authority on what is and isn't the faith. All I did was point out that you're acting childishly to the proprieter of this fine blog, who deserves better. Bob Dylan mouthing off to a reporter forty year ago doesn't excuse it. I would've respected you if you admitted that the guy deserves basic decorum, but you've only demonstrated that respect is a foreign word to you. You're doing your whole ideology a huge disservice acting as you are.

Sorry about this, Anthony. If I comment again, it'll be about the songs themselves, not to feed trolls. Keep up the good work -- you've brought new insight to this material, something I didn't think was possible.

Rob said...

Man of peace, you have no problem calling me this and that while reading my (offensive) defense as a further sign of my culpability. If you prick me, do I not bleed? btw, what is a Warren anyway, isn't it a subterranean dwelling for rabbits, hobbits or perhaps even trolls? Re. decorum: one rabbit's gross impudence is another's insightful comment. Now back you go into your little atheistic foxhole.

Pete said...

I always thought this was one for the children, and I like the piano.

For lack of length, "Jet Pilot" from Biograph edges out "Have Negeilah" and "River Theme" from PG&BtK is also shorter, but do any of them count?

As for the other unfortunate exchanges, I'll just comment that "atheist" is not a meaningless word. If this post is somehow provocative, well, I'd say that's a compliment. Keep it up!

Alan Price said...

*titters*

Pretty sure "atheist" is a fairly straightforward word, really. Sometimes misused where agnostic would be more appropriate, but certainly not meaningless if the dictionary's anything to go by. Any which way, witnessing flame wars over nothing are sometimes an almost pleasing way to spend one's time.

Warren Peace said...

Guiness has nominated one of these posts for "most mixed metaphors in a single paragraph". If I can provide some titters, I'm happy. Just call me Dolly Parton.

This song is a winner, and an underrated one at that. Dylan's descent into religiousity was a lot more gradual than people realize. Certain songs, like this one (and "Oh Sister") were road signs for what's to come. I'm anticipating Anthony's thoughts on that period, whatever his beliefs. Everyone misunderstands it and tends to lapse into zealotry of one kind or another. Dylan's faith at that time wasn't the narrow brand of the "moral majority" (though you could argue that it's narrow in it's own way). Some songs, like Slow Train, even seem to be critical of organized religion ("Men stealers and woman haters talkin' in the name of religion"). It also seemed to lack the putrid "sexual morality" that usually permeates this type of thing -- Dylan was just as sensual and slutty then as he ever was.

But I'm also getting ahead of myself.

Pearce said...

Who'd have thought a song like this would generate such a shitstorm.

And I don't think Tony could be accused of stirring this pot either.

Cymbaline said...

This is my favorite song on this album and I was a little worried you wouldn't treat it kindly! My only complaint is it is too short, but does work perfectly in the closing position.

Alex said...

Hey Tony,
I think you're going to have tackle this new song "California" from "the vaults" that Dylan will unleash on a random episode of the tv show NCIS. Apparently its from the BIABH sessions, very exciting stuff.

http://pitchfork.com/news/36783-bob-dylan-to-debut-song-on-ncis/

--
As for this atheist libertarian bob dylan loving jew - I'll keep ignoring the crickets cause you know what, if dogs run free, why not me?

Rob said...

>Alex: "As for this atheist libertarian bob dylan loving jew" ... someone hasn't been paying attention.

>Warren: "Guiness has nominated one of these posts for "most mixed metaphors in a single paragraph". .. I don't think Guinness would be that interested in 3 (Shylock, rabbit holes, fox holes) but don't let a few facts get in the way of hyperbole.

>Tony / Anthony (as Warren likes to call you): I'm still waiting to hear how you linked the Amidah prayer with this song. Do any of you even know what the Amidah is, when it is said in the service, what its importance is relative to other prayers, what the name means? No, of course not but off you run to Wikipedia to pretend you do.

Alex said...

Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with

Rob said...

Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you

Tony said...

Okay, so.

First of all, if this is the sort of flamewar I can expect when I get to the Christian era, I might be better off just locking the comments and being done with it. I'm not going to, because that runs counter to what I believe a blog should be, but this is discouraging.

Now, Rob. To address the Amidah - were I to dedicate this entire post to what the Shemoneh Esrei is (yes, I can use Google just as well as Wikipedia, sir), I would've gone way beyond the ken of what this blog is about. Honestly, I didn't even have to look that far, as the Wikipedia entry does a perfectly fine job of outlining how important it is to the Jewish faith. Now, I'd admit making a leap from the New Morning entry to attempting to see parallels in said Amidah, especially in the section regarding praise. Maybe they're not there. I apologize if you found this disingenuous (as you so clearly did); faith, as we all know, is nothing to take lightly.

That being said, the disrespect you showed both me and my friend is skirting right at the edge of what I'm willing to take in the comment sections. If you want me to state that my interpretation, which I chose to go on based on (yes) Wikipedia and a Google search, and not from living for many years as a member of the Jewish faith (as I'm assuming you have), is faulty, consider this that statement. If you're going to suggest, on the other hand, as it appears you are, that neither me nor my friend have any respect for the Jewish faith, well, you obviously chose not to read the rest of the post. The last thing I'd want is for anybody to think that. For you to suggest that, quite frankly, makes me upset in a way I'd prefer not to be when dealing with this blog. This blog is a release from real life. The less it becomes so, well...

Listen. The third poster pointed out that I don't really know much about Judaism. I don't. I don't really know much about many things. That doesn't mean I don't know just as much about other things. That's the way people are. All I can do is try to learn, try to understand, and try not to step on the toes of those that understand better than I. This blog is part of that process. It's not always going to be a pretty one.

To wrap things up, I would plead of all of you to bring this whole debate to a rapid conclusion. Like all such threads on the Internet, I accept that the longest blog comments come from these sorts of things (that, or me being called an idiot). I don't have to like it, however. Thank you in advance.

Rob said...

"If you're going to suggest, on the other hand, as it appears you are, that neither me nor my friend have any respect for the Jewish faith" ... Tony, I said nothing about your not having "respect", I'm only interested in getting the facts right. I can't believe people on here, including perhaps yourself, are so thin-skinned and ready to take offense. The ostensible subject of this blog, BD, is someone whose life and work is completely contrary to such prickliness. There is also a long history of red-blooded criticism, perhaps provocative but generally a positive, in which I unapologetically engage. Eg your comments about the Amidah: hopefully now you have thought more about it and whether the connection with this song is justified or not. If you want your blog feedback to be a love-in, then that's an apparent contradiction to your desire for this to be a serious critical compendium of dylan songs.

Tony said...

Rob, in the interests of nipping this in the bud post-haste, I'd like you to take a look back at any number of comment threads on this blog, and you tell me if I want this to be a "love-in" or just how thin-skinned I am. I am more than happy to have debate on the comment threads, and I have taken my fair share of abuse. To suggest that I am a fan of neither is not something I feel like I have to rebut. And yet, here I am.

Rob said...

My last comment on this thread, irrespective of any further jibes. Let's have less talk about "debating" and more debate. I think you are a little thin-skinned Tony and that you do protest too much about your famed tolerance. You've gone public with your dylan thoughts, so embrace the chaos, enjoy the ride, otherwise you can go private again or just select a few fellow-travellers and banish irritants like me. Fyi "Amidah" is from the same root as "omed" as in "Da lifnay mi ata omed", Know before whom you stand. As in God or even G-D. Re. ignorance of certain subjects, such as Jewish law and lore, "I'll know my song well before I start singing." Are you singing on this blog Tony, or whispering ? Keep up the good work.

Alex said...

Rob presents the classic false dilemma fallacy, that is, he presents choices A or B as the only options when in fact there are others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

"You've gone public with your dylan thoughts, so embrace the chaos, enjoy the ride, otherwise you can go private again or just select a few fellow-travellers and banish irritants like me."

A third option (amongst many others) is folks who are trolling and bizarrely get off on starting crap on a blog are not permitted to comment on said blog again. That determination is Tony's and if you don't like it go start your own blog and some jackass can go annoy you. Now let's get back to the Dylan at hand.

Rob said...

Once again Alex demonstrates his inability to understand plain English: I think if you look again you'll see i did indeed offer a THREEFOLD choice. Do try to keep up Alex. (Yes, I know i said I wouldn't post again but that comment was just too dumb to resist).

Alex said...

I read "private" as the same thing as "a few fellow travelers". Unless Tony is muttering small talk at the wall with no one in the hall. Perhaps you were offering three choices, regardless, you still present a false dilemma.

You do not address the fact that the rest of us can go on without you in the future. If you define "a few fellow travelers" as everyone who visits this blog besides you... then I apologize, you are correct.

Rob said...

Meet Alex, age 24, going on 14. Happiest in a high-school milieu, where he can speak on behalf of the "in" crowd.

Alex said...

An Ad hominem argument, put simply, is an argument that attacks the person who holds a view or advances an argument, rather than commenting on the view or responding to the argument.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

Rob,
I beg you, please take a basic class in logic and reasoning. It'd do you a wealth of good and we could avoid embarrassing situations such as these.

Rob said...

"rather than commenting on the view or responding to the argument." ... That's the problem: there is no argument to which I can respond. You don't seem able to understand clear English; you keep running to the wikidictionary in the hope of sounding intelligent and trying (vainly) to disguise your own ad hominem attacks. I just hope you're learning something from this exchange. Go on, give me another exciting definition to flick away.

Alex said...

Just because you don't understand, or ignore, an argument, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. In my case I made the argument that you offered a false dilemma. You did nothing to refute that argument and instead responded with an ad hominem attack.

Your lastest post is an example of a Straw Man fallacy. That's an argument based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

Rob,
I'm not trying to make you look stupid. I just have a pet peeve of people offering fallacious arguments in lieu of actual valid ones. On top of that you're arrogant about it.

If you want to keep getting smacked around please keep going, I'll be online for another hour or so. After that I'm gonna have to start charging you on an hourly basis for the education.

Rob said...

You really are a frisky young pup aren't you, full of the joys of newly-learned rhetoric. But you must also learn that sounding patronising and world-weary immediately marks you out as a child rather than the sophisticate you hope to be. "I was older then, I'm younger than that now." So you "beg" me to do this, and you so considerately urge me not to "embarrass" myself or look "stupid", all the while reminding me of my lack of logic and weakness for ad hominem. But you can't quite keep up the sophisticate act, can you, and out pops the high-school braggadocio bully who wants to see me "smacked around". And you try to ape my own de haut en bas style by simply mimicking it, yet with less subtlety, so my hope that you are learning from this exchange becomes your requirement "to start charging you on an hourly basis for the education". FYI, most arguments contain a big fat dose of the ad hominem from the get-go and ours is no exception. And on that note, I can't help feeling that you are, in your childish pomposity, somehow trying to impress our host, a tad older than yourself but also of the young preppy persuasion. If so, I can only beg you not to embarrass yourself any further. (That was irony, in case you didn't get it).

Rob said...

"In my case I made the argument that you offered a false dilemma. You did nothing to refute that argument"

"You do not address the fact that the rest of us can go on without you in the future."

I had hoped my succinct response did indeed "address" it: you presumed to speak for "the rest of us" without, I believe, having any mandate to do so. Or did you take a straw poll while I wasn't looking?

Apart from which, I don't know how you can ban a single poster, and even if you could (s)he could simply re-emerge under another nom de plume if determined enough.

Alex said...

Just for kicks lets diagram your argument so that we can put to rest any remaining doubts that you might have anything substantive to add to the discourse of this blog in the future.

- "Young Pup" - Some sort of age put down, for what reason I have no idea. Why?

- "Newly learned-rhetoric" - No, I'm using scientific reasoning skills that should be taught in every school - though apparently not in yours.

- Various arguments about my word choice and style. Well if that's the best you can do...

- "Many arguments contain ad hominem attacks and ours is no different" - Well I could mention many but this is a good example of fallacy of both false attribution and false compromise.

- Babbling about my motives of impressing people. You don't know enough about me to possibly draw any reasonable or reliable conclusion to the ends you speak. I do think though, I can say your a jackass, pretty reliably in fact. (Ok that one was ad hominem, but I earned it goddamit)

I'll stop here as you've exhausted any kind of real debate and are now solely in the realm of ad hominem attacks. Please move on to the next blog where you can launch another troll attack, but please try to back up your arguments with evidence in the future. And perhaps have a little respect for the writers you're critiquing? Probably too much to ask.

Thanks,
Alex

Rob said...

Just been perusing your blog Alex. I now have a better idea of my interlocutor. I am indeed embarrassed to have wasted time debating with such a twit. Btw, it's "alluded" not eluded, just one of your many cringe-worthy solecisms. But my favourite is this little bit of genius:

"If you guys don't mind, I'll add one of my own.

Don't wanna to rule nobody, don't wanna be ruled.
Don't wanna to conquer nobody, don't want be conquered"

Watch out Dylan, you have some serious competition at last !

Was that critique respectful enough for you?

Peace n Love bro xx See you at the Prom !

ukmalb said...

Hi Anthony i,ve been a dylan fan since the 60,s 1,st gig I.O.W UK MANY MANY since that day i,ve basically got old with him ,part of my life you may say .happen to come across your site ,well done only thing i,m 150 behind but hey makes a good read keep on going i,ll catch soon WELL DONE MAL

ianM said...

my mom bought me this record for Christmas the year it came out. My dad had turned me on by bringing home Bringing It All Back Home from the same Simpson's store (Queen W., Toronto) that Dylan appears to panhandle in front of during a sequence in Renaldo and Clara.

It snowed a lot that year, big fat slow flakes.

My back door neighbor's favourite was Sign in the Window. He married his high school sweetheart, they had twins. He dropped out of photoarts and started a landscaping company.

On the net somewhere there is a 'poster' of Three Angels that I hung on my tall kitchen cupboard door (the one you put canned goods, and cereal boxes in) beside the fridge. It replaced 'The Clay Pot' by Omar Khayam.

Same thing. Praise. I still wonder about how he must have felt, 21 or 22 or so, getting his picture taken with Victoria Spivey, hanging in the studio with Big Joe Williams, and Lonnie.

------- This is a really good blog, Tony. Too bad about some of the comments you are getting. Nitpicking, without the benefits.
Can't wait till you get to double back.

allan said...

Note re future posts: Comment moderation has its advantages.

Anonymous said...

Only two posts this month? Whats going on Rob? Don't worry about warren peace stop arguing with him, a great album awaits!!

Anonymous said...

Tony,
Please please please stop listening to all these idiots. Don't debate with them, what you're doing is incredible those idiots wish they could have the ability to do what you're doing. I personally think it's hilarious that OF COURSE it's the 'Jewish' song that makes people so up in arms. Put 10 jews together in one room and all you have is a freakin screaming match. QUIT BEING SO DAMN JEWISH AND BICKERING BACK AND FORTH!!! Personally, I had plenty of Jewish friends in college but could only stand hanging out with two of them at a time cause more than that they are SO LOUD AND OBNOXIOUS

Rob said...

Yes, Tony, PLEASE listen to this very wise antisemite, you know he makes sense.

Anonymous said...

Tony--what's the deal here? You need to step it up with the comment moderation and just move on, man. I know you probably think you need to write some long post responding to all this but you don't. Just move on to the next damn album already. That's what we're all waiting for.

Jeff said...

Tony, want to offer some encouragement. Your blog is fantastic, your writing is fantastic. Your sensitivity to criticisms is what is making your ongoing reflection on Dylan's career and creations so compelling. I cannot wait for your reflections on PW, BOTT and Desire. Cheers to you, thank you for all the hard work. It is appreciated by many.

Pat Garrett said...

Tony please come back! I check your blog every day hoping you'll move on to Greatest Hits II, Billy, and ... dear Lord... Blood on the Tracks so soon! Don't stop now!

Althea said...

Hi Tony,

I want to write "Love your blog, keep posting", but I know that won't change a thing if your heart isn't into it or if you are way too busy in the real world.

Online debates about meaningless arguements are nothing new. And it won't stop because you ask people to act like rational and mature human beings. I wish it were that easy, the whole planet would be a nicer place to live for everyone.

If it makes you feel better, I read you for you, not the peanut gallery commentators. But when they start affecting a blog that I have become so fond of, then hear me roar.

Delete or block whomever you don't like.

Pat Shuff said...

“If I wasn’t Bob Dylan, I’d probably think that Bob Dylan has a lot of answers myself.”

"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”

“I define nothing. Not beauty, not patriotism. I take each thing as it is, without prior rules about what it should be.”

"You can’t be wise and in love at the same time.”

"Just because you like my stuff doesn’t mean I owe you anything."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You keep right on changin' like you always do,
An' what's best is the old stuff still all sounds new..

Talking New Bob Dylan
by Loudon Wainwright III

http://tinyurl.com/ykdffx4


Songwriting is a lot like fishing. You cast your line in and sometimes you hook one. Just don't go fishing downstream from Bob Dylan.

- Arlo Guthrie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apropos of Nothing, say hello to Valerie, Vivian.

Anonymous said...

I hope it's school and not the people who waste your time with their comments that are keeping you from this blog. You've taken on a huge project here and I hope you see it through. I think your writing gets better all the time and I look forward to you sharing your journey.

Wes said...

So... *ahem* changing the subject, what about the last line of the song? "Father of whom we most solemnly praise"? I guess I always assumed this was an early hint of his Christianity, because that "whom" sure seems like it means Jesus. Unless it's a grammatical slip-up and he really means "Father whom we most solemnly praise" (without the "of"). Any thoughts?

Amanda said...

Tony. I miss your blog. I do hope you will restart at some stage.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I second that Tony, I discovered this blog only recently and have greatly enjoyed every entry. Don't let the above douchebaggery dissuade you, if that's the reason. Some people are just generally angry and will take it out on whomever they can find, you just happened to be the target. Believe me, there are far more that appreciate the blog than idiots like that guy. Hope you're back soon!

Unknown said...

thought I would share this with you guys. his new Christmas album is actually pretty amazing. Here as a Rolling Stone article http://bit.ly/449KiL

Josh Perry said...

Finally got caught up. What a great read. Looks like you've walked away, but you made it way longer than I would have. Anyway I'm cleaning up my RSS feeder, but before I unsubscribed, I just wanted to say thanks for writing. It was fun for me, I'm sure many others, and I could tell for you. Thanks again.

allan said...

I am hoping it's merely the school workload that has caused the lull.

Anonymous said...

wow that is almost the most pathetic attack on a blog i have ever seen. what i think rob originally meant, though he forgot to mention it in all of his petty arrogance, is that you are born Jewish. if your mother is Jewish than you are whether you follow the actual faith or not. it is actually common for people who were raised Jewish but aren't still to celebrate the holidays and such. Rob didn't need to be a jerk about it. any way if he is Jewish, then i tell you that is certainly not the common view... kinda a disgrace really- to any religon. this is an amazing blog and should definitely be kept going.

David George Freeman said...

Well after all that talk and words why not listen to the actual song and some great versions from inside the comfort of Bob Dylan's Music Box http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/188/Father-of-Night Follow us inside and listen