Library column
The illustrated talk, “For Gabby Goo Goo: Bob Dylan Children’s Troubadour,” by Roderick McGillis will take place at the Nakusp Public Library on May 24, Bob Dylan’s 73rd birthday.
The motive of this talk is simple: to convince people that Bob Dylan’s music remains as relevant today as it was fifty years ago, and that this music seeks a cross generational audience. Children, especially, can find stimulation in this music.
In order to underline the connection between Dylan and children, we will hear (recorded, not live) a quartet of children from New Zealand, ages 7 to 11, singing some of Dylan’s songs. These children form the group, The Starbugs.
Dylan has said, “I hate oppression, especially on children,” an assertion that might remind us of lines from the song, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” In this song, we hear of guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children, and of a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it, and a young woman whose body was burning, and a young child beside a dead pony, images all of vulnerable children. Written during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, the song registers the fear and anger stirred by the doctrine of mutual destruction. The focus of the final part of the presentation is on this song. Here is Dylan’s comment on the song: “when asked what you think of Gene Autry singing A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” say that nobody can sing it as well as Peter, Paul and Mary.”
The talk will take place in the Nakusp Public Library, on Saturday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m. Come one, come all.