Bob Dylan

He is known to be elusive, reclusive and generally "off the wall" so his non reaction comes as no surprise. I'm a long time fan but do think he should have acknowledged.

He gets my vote for Every Grain of Sand alone and if you don't like his voice Norah Jones does a beautiful version.

Can't understand why no-one has mentioned that fine piece of poetry "Must Be Santa"! Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without it.

Thanks JessM for the words from Joni's wonderful anthem, Blue. When I heard that Bob had won, I smiled but wondered why Joni or Leonard Cohen missed out. I'm surprised that anyone is surprised by Dylan's response, or lack of it. He's always done exactly what he wanted to hasn't he. He was so influential to a generation, his words are fantastic, his voice is unmistakable.

It's ironic though, that he was chosen when Joni and Leonard were available.

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

I always remember that conversation, although I cannot remember who the conversants were, when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize:

"He might just have well have been awarded the Nobel prize for physics."

"What does Henry Kissenger know about physics. Oh…"

Thank you Jess M for the words. The only lines I have ever heard from the Dylan one is "Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone" - the rest is noise. I admit I do like some of his songs - usually sung by someone else when I can hear the words. Poetry? sometimes. Nobel Prize-worthy? I don't think so.

I'm not really surprised by his reaction. My daughter and her family saw his live show recently and, at the end, he just walked off the stage without a word. No-one knew whether the performance was finished or not...People just trickled away as they gradually accepted that that was it!

I do think Bob, like many other performers, should have retired years ago. My daughter said the show was pretty awful, and the people sitting in front of them all fell asleep. Quite a few of the audience crept away whilst he was still singing. (Doesn't apply to all older stars, of course - the same daughter saw Paul Simon perform live a few months ago and said he was brilliant.)

Having said that, I have to out myself as a Dylan fan since my early teens. Some of those songs still stir my blood when I hear them - like "Hattie Caroll," "Chimes Of Freedom", "God On Our Side," "Hard Rain", "Idiot Wind", "Shelter From The Storm"...Too many to mention, in fact. I'm happy he has been given the Nobel prize, as I imagine that his writing has a lot of significance for a great many people. I can't imagine that it's going to start a trend, and I expect that next year's award will be a more conventional choice.

I agree with Radicalnan. As they didn't consult him about winning this prize, he is not obliged to respond. They should have approached him first.
And why should he accept, thank, and come to the prize giving, Diddy1? Dylan doesn't need his work to be acknowledged by this self-promoting, and not always wise, organisation with its dubious roots and questionable judgement; his work speaks for itself.

If he cant accept, thank, and come to the Nobel prize giving, then he isnt worthy of this great honour.
I live in Sweden, and people here are disgusted with his behaviour, I hope he doesnt come, I dont think he is welcome any more.

Alfred Nobel bequeathed his fortune to found the Nobel Prizes after being condemned for profiting from the sale of arms.

I have no issue with Bob Dylan receiving the Prize for Literature & was not aware that he is "ignoring" it

I do have issues with some of the recipients of the Peace Prize but who am I to judge

It is all subjective, decisions of others may not coincide with our views

Sorry- for me the man is a genius & he will acknowledge the prize in his own time.
I spent half my teens listening to his lyrics & they still move me.

There is no one to compare- except maybe Bowie.

I did not know about Dylan 'ignoring' the award.

Have we forgotten what the Nobel Prizes are founded on?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Nobel

Perhaps it was tactless to offer the award to Bob Dylan in the first place - the piece quoted above could have been referencing Alfred Nobel directly...

Poetry, with a message, but nothing clever or original there. No clever metaphors or new ways of looking at the issue.
But I am open to be convinced otherwise by other examples.

Art of all kinds is subjective. I find it baffling that there is a Nobel prize for literature since it boils down to the opinions of the judges. What moves you may not move me. What inspires me may not inspire you. There is a terrible snobbery about "literature", and what constitutes it, to my mind. It's rather like the emperor's new clothes.

He is indeed within his rights to refuse the award, and,as I said, many a better person has done so (e.g. Jean-Paul Sartre. What I find rude and offensive is simply ignoring it. Can we excuse that on the grounds of "artistic temperament" or is he just being plain silly.

I agree that Masters of War has brilliant lyrics, but so do many others - e.g. Buffy Sainte-Marie and Universal Soldier, and just about anything by W.S.Gilbert. But they are not in the Nobel prize bracket in my opinion.

Think maybe you are being a bit unfair JessM, how about this one.

"Masters Of War"

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks.

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly.

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins.

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do.

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead.

Definitely poetry!

He has always been pretty reclusive even in his heyday, but I do feel some sort of reaction is necessary. Whether or not you like his poetry/music he was a voice of his time and what he says resonates deeply for a generation. I think that there are a few others out there who have been given this accolade for dubious services to mankind but at least Dylan harms no one.

This award brings the whole Nobel Prize into disrepute. When I heard who it had been awarded too my reaction, they must be kidding aren't they??

He is a genius !!! However, he is who he is, and to expect him to behave like everyone else is just daft. I remember the flack he got when he appeared at Live Aid and mentioned the plight of dirt bowl farmers in America, people were furious that he saw the plight of the poor in his own land, when all the other celebs were focusing on Africa.

Not everyone wants an award, or to be part of that artificial recognition circuit that values some 'genius more than others. I don't know what he thinks but I do know that his music has been with me in my darkest hours and taught me more about poverty, racism etc than anyone else did when I was very young, not to mention the pain of love and loss.

Phoenix, ?????

Good thinking Ana

Bob of course he set the world on fire

Perhaps they should offer these Nobel Prizes privately first, and if the proposed recipient shows no interest or refuses it then it's offered to the next choice...

Although I can to a point see why he has been awarded the prize for literature, I think his behaviour since the award was announced has been awful, bloody rude, churlish, add what you like!

IMO he deserves a damn good slap round the chops with a wet cod, plus a jolly good clip round the ear.

Some people have issues with the Peace Prize - in that it has been given to some not-very-peaceful characters in the past. Just rude not to surface and say thanks but no thanks.

I agree with you JessM, Joni Mitchell's lyrics are far more engaging and beautifully written, but I suppose there's always been an air of mystery around Dylan. It was rather more than a personal accolade, but also an acknowledgement that a musician and song writer could be judged worthy of such an award and would open the gates for future winners possibly Joni.

Which is why it's so sad that he's not acknowledged this honour even to turn it down. To treat being honoured among the greats in this way is boorish and rude, so perhaps they got it wrong after all.

I can appreciate how some have no wish to be honoured, e.g. Einstein, but he could have turned it down more graciously. Apparently he was performing in Vegas and never mentioned it.