The other day I got a call from Bob Dylan. He was feeling out of sorts and wanted to drop by for a session. I agreed. He came in carrying all 66 of his years, looking road-weary, leary, yet eager to queary me on issues of life and faith.
Pistol Pete: Thanks for coming in, Bob. What seems to be the trouble?
Bob Dylan: I’ve been broken, shattered like an empty cup.
I’m just waiting on the Lord to rebuild and fill me up.
PP: Sounds like you’re going through a tough time. How can I help?
BD: I’m looking for anything that will bring a happy glow
Night or day, it doesn’t matter where I go anymore; I just go.
PP: So what’s been going on in your life to make you feel this way?
BD: Life is sad
Life is a bust
All ya can do is do what you must.
PP: You sound terribly depressed. Has this feeling been persistent?
BD: Sometimes I’m in the mood, I wanna lay right down and die
Sometimes I’m in the mood, I wanna climb up to the sky
Sometimes I’m in the mood, I’m gonna laugh until I cry.
PP: So you’re having a lot of ups and downs, huh?
BD: Sometimes I’m thinkin’
I’m Too high to fall.
Other times I’m thinkin’ I’m
So low I don’t know
If I can come up at all.
PP: I can really appreciate that. Are you having any other symptoms?
BD: I’m beginning to hear voices and there’s no one around.
PP: Auditory hallucinations? This sounds serious. Have you ever considered taking psychotropic drugs?
BD: I never asked for your crutch.
Don’t ask me for mine.
PP: Okay. I understand. I just don’t know what to say. What are you looking for?
BD: There are those who worship loneliness, I’m not one of them,
In this age of fiberglass I’m searching for a gem.
PP: So you don’t want to be self-absorbed, is that it?
BD: There’s a whole lot of people suffering tonight
From the disease of conceit.
PP: I appreciate you not wanting to focus so much on yourself, but you’ve come here for a reason. What’s led you here at this time in your life?
BD: In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet flood every newborn seed
There’s a dyin’ voice within me reaching out somewhere,
Toiling in the danger and in the morals of despair.
PP: I tell you, Bob. You seem to be going through a lot right now. I’m wondering how all this is impacting your faith. Where do you see God in all this?
BD: God knows there’s a purpose,
God knows there’s a chance,
God knows you can rise above the darkest hour
Of any circumstance.
PP: Amen to that. That’s what will keep you going, through the darkest valleys.
BD: When a man he serves the Lord, it makes his life worthwhile.
PP: You got it. So what are you going to do now?
BD: Gonna change my way of thinking,
Make myself a different set of rules.
Gonna put my good foot forward,
And stop being influenced by fools.
PP: Sounds like a plan.
And with that, Dylan picked up his guitar and, thanking me for my time, kindly tipped his hat and bid me farewell.
I’m glad Bob Dylan dropped by. It helps to know such a brilliant artist can pass through dark valleys and find a ray of hope.
**********
other famous folk in Therapy:
“An Exclusive Interview with Sigmund Freud”
“Supermodels Speak Out in Therapy”
I’m surpremely impressed with this post–not just because it is creative, but because it implies that you could actually understand the words to his songs. That is amazing. I always assumed that Bob Dylan was also the voice of the teacher on Charlie Brown movies.
The Pistol fires back: Thank you. I’m probably breaking confidentiality by telling you this, but Dylan actually has a very cultured, BBC-English voice. His nasal drip singing voice is just an affectation.
This was just awesome and considering I have always been a Bob Dylan fan…..60’s child that I am…….it was enlightening. You have an amazing talent!!!!
The Pistol fires back: Thank you, Danielle. That means a lot coming from you.
Very clever. It’s amazing that you know his music so well you could put that together.
The Pistol fires back: I must confess that, while I do know Dylan’s music, I don’t know it that well. I’m indebted to Internet sites that have the lyrics to all his songs. Thanks for dropping by.
Hey, clever.
This is real live preacher, working with the High Calling Blog network. I look forward to dropping by and reading your work.
rlp
The Pistol fires back: I’ve heard some nice things about you from various other bloggers. Great you could drop by. Hope to connect with you more in the future.
Loved this, loved this lyrics and you are extremely gifted!
Thanks for this walk down memory lane..:)
The Pistol fires back: Dylan is a great subject to work with.
This was a brilliant and inventive use of ‘net conventions, as well as both a send-up of “therapy” and pretty good look into Dylan’s mind, though of course the lyrics do come from a variety of eras (and thus, moods). Brilliant, hilarious, kinda sad, and wickedly humorous. I am sure that if Bob were to stumble upon this site (if he looks at the web at all, which I kind of doubt), he’d get a real kick out of it. Of course he’s bipolar, and one time he found happiness in domesticity for a while, than after a bleak period, found it in God, and so on. So it’s on point, but still a hoot! Great job! This is the sort of creativity people have expected on the ‘net, but rarely get. It’s just absolutely a winner.
All the best!
The Pistol fires back: Thank you for your very thoughtful words. If Bob drops in, I’ll let you know.
You have good understanding of his songs. And you communicated the fotos and songs beautifully. Is that true he was Jew born and later converted to Christianity?
P.S: I rearranged my blogroll and i added your blog there too. So that i can easier be aware of your being up to date. :)
Regards..
The Pistol fires back:
Thank you for your thoughtful words.
There is much debate about Dylan’s faith. He certainly is ethnically Jewish. For a time, his songs and interviews he gave indicated he had converted to Christianity. Lately, however, this is less clear. I suppose only God knows.
I really appreciate you adding me to your blogroll. That really means a lot. You have a great blog.
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
As the mom of bp … when you write things out like this, how does it help?
The Pistol fires back:
Thanks for your kind words.
It’s hard to say just how it helps. Depends on my state at the time. This time, I became consumed by the project of composing it. Afterwards, however, I felt just about the same as before writing. If I were on a manic high, I might feel euphoric and try to get the world to see my brilliance. If I were more depressed, I wouldn’t have had the energy to write it in the first place. As it is, it feels good just to get something out and have it be read by nice folks like you.
Thanks again for dropping by and responding.
Very clever. You’re quite a fan. So it only makes sense that I introduce you to my new novel, BLOOD ON THE TRACKS, which I think you’ll enjoy.
It’s a murder-mystery. But not just any rock superstar is knocking on heaven’s door. The murdered rock legend is none other than Bob Dorian, an enigmatic, obtuse, inscrutable, well, you get the picture…
Suspects? Tons of them. The only problem is they’re all characters in Bob’s songs.
You can get a copy on Amazon.com or go “behind the tracks” at http://www.bloodonthetracksnovel.com to learn more about the book.
The Pistol fires back: Sounds intriguing. I’ll have to check it out.
[...] Bob Dylan in Therapy posted by Pistol Pete from Necessary Therapy [...]
The Pistol fires back: Danielle, you are too, too kind.
Obviously, Bob need to meet with Roxanne …desperately!
Wow and wow! Searching for pictures (actually free pictures of my idol – do they exist?) I came across your therapeutic blog which I assume is a US-blog, right? In Sweden we now look forward to a Dylan-visit in March. I must link to this post in my latest one!
[...] sist: Kolla in detta om du är [...]
I stumbled on your blog site when I googled my Clonazipam.
They changed it on me at the pharmacy, the marketer that is, and didn’t even tell me! So, there my little pink pill was attached to your site. I thought it was orange but I don’t get outside much to tell true colors. I have been taking them for about 15 years now along with the rest of a coctail that gets changed around. I probably put this in the wrong category of your blog, but I was reading about Dylan. Bless his soul he looks bad. Makes one stop and thing…am I that old!
I have enjoyed your reading, or rather enjoyed reading you!
I bookmarked your site as you have a lot of interesting things I want to check out further…
Now, back to that pill.
God Bless
The Pistol fires back: I’ve enjoyed reading your comments. Great to have you aboard!
Obviously, Bob need to meet with Roxanne …desperately!