Like Dylan In The Movies

Bob Dylan: I'm Not There

Is anybody else as excited for this film as I am????? Ye gods, people!

It's a part-biography, part art film about Bob Dylan, directed by Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven, Safe). It's coming out on November 21. Dylan is played by six different actors, including Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere and Cate Blanchett.

More info here: The Official Site

I get giddy just thinking about it. Haynes apparently has spent the past several years working on this film because he wanted it to be sure it adhered to his vision. I am a huge Dylan fan, and the soundtrack is filled with some of my favorite artists, all covering Dylan. I feel like I came up with this idea in my own head once in college.

Go here to listen to some covers of Dylan by Cat Power (a PERFECT rendition of 'Memphis Blues'), Sufjan Stevens, Jeff Tweedy and Jim James from My Morning Jacket. All the songs I've heard so far have sounded absolutely amazing. You can hear how much fun they had doing the covers. Take a listen here: The I'm Not There Myspace Page

Bonus: They're having a big concert at the Beacon Theater in NYC to celebrate the soundtrack too! I'm going. Ticket sales benefit 826, which is Dave Eggers' children's literacy project, one of my favorite charities. More details on that here: I'm Not There Concert

Here's the full soundtrack listing - it really doesn't get any cooler than this!

Disc 1
1. Eddie Vedder and the Million Dollar Bashers: "All Along the Watchtower"
2. Sonic Youth: "I'm Not There"
3. Jim James and Calexico: "Goin' to Acapulco"
4. Richie Havens: "Tombstone Blues"
5. Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers: "Ballad of a Thin Man"
6. Cat Power: "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again"
7. John Doe: "Pressing On"
8. Yo La Tengo: "Fourth Time Around"
9. Iron and Wine and Calexico: "Dark Eyes"
10. Karen O and the Million Dollar Bashers: "Highway 61 Revisited"
11. Roger McGuinn and Calexico: "One More Cup of Coffee"
12. Mason Jennings: "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"
13. Los Lobos: "Billy"
14. Jeff Tweedy: "Simple Twist of Fate"
15. Mark Lanegan: "The Man in the Long Black Coat"
16. Willie Nelson and Calexico: "Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)"

Disc 2
1. Mira Billotte: "As I Went Out One Morning"
2. Stephen Malkmus and Lee Ranaldo: "Can't Leave Her Behind"
3. Sufjan Stevens: "Ring Them Bells"
4. Charlotte Gainsbourg and Calexico: "Just Like a Woman"
5. Jack Johnson: "Mama You've Been on My Mind"
6. Yo La Tengo: "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
7. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova: "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
8. The Hold Steady: "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window"
9. Ramblin' Jack Elliott: "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"
10. The Black Keys: "Wicked Messenger"
11. Tom Verlaine and the Million Dollar Bashers: "Cold Irons Bound"
12. Mason Jennings: "The Times They Are a-Changin'"
13. Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers: "Maggie's Farm"
14. Marcus Carl Franklin: "When the Ship Comes In"
15. Bob Forrest: "Moonshiner"
16. John Doe: "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine"
17. Antony and the Johnsons: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
18. Bob Dylan: "I'm Not There"

Unhappy Anniversary

stained glass eyes

people sink your boat
when you cut a tragic figure
they drink their lemonade
and throw you a line

boil your problem down
to yes or no, what's the matter?
they bomb your promenade
and this makes it shine

so you must play the comic
if they want one
and describe their moment
when they're in one

people pass you by
passing up the chance to know you
they're irregular
in the usual way

you should crack a smile
once in a while, it makes you pretty
it makes you wanna give
them a piece of your mind

but they can't be people
not if I'm one
if i have to be like them
i'd rather be no one

couldn't make the scene
not with all the people looking
all these connoisseurs
on guard all the time

rather spend the day
blank as hell by the window
looking out of my
stained glass eyes

la la la la la la la la la…

You Can't Start A Fire Sitting 'Round Crying Over A Broken Heart

I get up in the evening and I ain't got nothing to say. I come home in the morning. I go to bed feeling the same way. I ain't nothing but tired. Man, I'm just tired and bored with myself. Hey there, baby, I could use just a little help.

Message keeps getting clearer. Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place. I check my look in the mirror - I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face. Man, I ain't getting nowhere. I'm just living in a dump like this. There's something happening somewhere, baby, I just know that there is.

You sit around getting older - there's a joke here somewhere, and it's on me. I'll shake this world off my shoulders. Come on baby, this laugh's on me. Stay on the streets of this town, and they'll be carving you up alright. They say you gotta stay hungry? Hey baby, I'm just about starving tonight! I'm dying for some action. I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book. I need a love reaction.

Come on now baby, gimme just one look.