What Did You Hear?

Discover a new side of the songs of Bob Dylan, as a music theorist considers the possibilities ingrained in rough sounds, peculiar intonation, and a raspy voice. Folk troubadour, rock star, country crooner, cultural shapeshifter¿for a musician who adopted so many styles, Bob Dylan always seems to be unmistakably himself. Whether you¿re a fan or a skeptic, you know his sound. A gritty voice that slides toward speech or out of key, a musical trademark that¿s been imitated and parodied in equal measure. A piano that may be out of tune. A wailing, ramshackle harmonica solo. But Dylan always sounds like Dylan, despite a musical legacy built on variation, flux, and flaws. Music theorist Steven Rings argues that such imperfections are central to understanding Dylan¿s songs and their appeal. These blemishes can invoke authenticity or persona, signal his social commitments, and betray his political shortcomings. Rings begins with (what else?) Dylan¿s voice, exploring its changeability, its unmi