A recent trip through southern Spain has allowed me to sit out in sunshine briefly for one day in good company (well the very best actually!) and appreciate the golden ability of a great song. It is only when you listen carefully to the longevity of affection that an a mixed audience from several nationalities have for a classic Bob Dylan number played by a Spaniard with all the appearance quality of General Franco's trusty lieutenant, an acoustic guitar, butchered with a Fender Stratocaster head that life and song can be appreciated.Its a fabulous song "Blowin in the Wind" we all know it, we can all sing a line or several or even all of them, but we cant know how good it is until its played in a way so far from its original setting outside the Museum d'Picasso in Malaga by a soldier of Life in a language developed 5000 miles from its origin by two men (player & songwriter) whom probably never ever met.
Powerful more still when knowing it was written in 1963 - nearly 50 yrs ago and its as fresh a Daisy in relevance, thought provoking and tone. Perhaps only 2/3 songwriters of all time achieve that level of universal acceptance and Bob was/is one of them.
