Robert Plant and his favorite Bob Dylan song
(Image credit: Far Out / Alamy)
Choosing a favorite Bob Dylan song is a near-impossible task. The man has lived through many different versions of himself throughout his life. He has put so many beautiful words to paper and put them to music that choosing a work that stands out from the rest is about as difficult as writing the songs themselves. Yet for many songwriters, a particular Dylan song speaks to them because it resonates with their own songwriting skills. Robert Plant certainly has a favorite.
If you’re looking for praise for Bob Dylan, you don’t have to look far. For example, when Leonard Cohen was asked what he thought about Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, he said it was “like putting a medal on Mount Everest because it’s the highest mountain.”
Bruce Springsteen also once called the songwriter the “father of my country”. In a speech about Dylan, he remembered the first time he heard his music: “I was very influenced by Dylan. I always say he is the father of my country. He first gave me a picture of a country that I recognized. One that felt real, felt like the truth.”
That’s high praise, of course, but given the realism that defines much of Springsteen and Cohen’s music, it’s easy to see where the parallels between them and Dylan begin. With Robert Plant, it’s a little different. Granted, he too had his share of songs focused on the real world, but he was no stranger to delving into mythical escapism. So it’s hard to see that there’s such a close kinship there, but the connections are certainly there.
In fact, Dylan’s adoration is natural, as he was essentially the first to bring depth to emerging pop, and “Plant” is certainly profound.
In response to the question from Mojo When asked what his favorite Bob Dylan song was, Robert Plant quickly suggested ‘Talkin’ World War III Blues.’ Reciting the lyrics, Plant focused particularly on the lines: “‘Some time ago I had a crazy dream / I dreamt I was going into World War III.’ I love what he says – ‘And I was driving down 42nd Street in my Cadillac / A good car to drive after a war.'”
He continued: “For a guy who wanted to be in the Teddy Bears with Phil Spector, he certainly moved some heads and mountains, didn’t he? I have his autobiography (Chronicles Volume 1), but I don’t want to read it. I read something about him being a pretty big piece of shit who lied a little too much and danced with Mimi Farina. I thought, I don’t need to know that; I just need to know that it’s going to rain heavily soon.”
It’s truly remarkable how many artists Dylan was able to reach throughout his career. Whether the connections are obvious or a little harder to understand, there’s no denying the influence of one of the greatest songwriters to ever grace the stage.
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