Tarantula by Bob Dylan

I finished this Sunday, but I've had one hell of a busy weekend-into-this-week, so we're going through it now. Oh, what is 'it'? To live freely and without preoccupations with nothing holding you back... Oh, sorry, thought I was in Rebels for a second. My bad. The 'it' I'm referring to is Bob Dylan's book Tarantula. It is, if I remember correctly, his first book as well.


I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I have to say. I read a while ago, before I started this blog, another of his books, Chronicles Volume One, a... less than impressive book. The sort that makes you say, stick with songwriting, bro. Also, shave that moustache because it grosses me right out the back door. Anyway. This was kind of off-kilter too, but good off-kilter and interesting off-kilter. It was like Kerouac's freewriting, only he didn't even attempt to make correlations, even in the same sentences and paragraphs. He just thought of anything ever and laced it together, though it does come a little more together throughout and create something followable, even if I don't see a really story happening... Yeah, no sources I can find have anything for me either. Okay well, whatever. On with the show!


In the introduction, the publisher has a note that it didn't really matter what was in the book, it would sell and sell big because Bob Dylan wrote it. And all I could really think was, well, duh. It's not worth pointing out I guess, but I felt kind of stupefied at the fact that he felt the need to mention it.

"Poets and writers tell us how we feel by telling us how they feel. They find ways to express the inexpressible. Sometimes they tell the truth and sometimes they lie to keep our hearts from breaking" (VII).

"You know who that everybody's not a Job or a Nero nor a JC Penney..." (6). It's pretty clear what he means, of course, it seems like such an odd range however. Those are three guys I wouldn't mash together.

"My eyes are two used car lots" (14).

"...while it pays to know who your friends are but it also pays to know you aint got any friends... like it pays to know what your friends aint got--it's friendlier to got what you pay for" (23). Bob Dylan, though I understand about ten percent of this book, I agree with this one.

"...maria, she says i'm a foreigner. she picks on me. she pours salt on my love" (48).

"wonder who ronald reagan talked to about the foreign situation? dthink about it kid, but dont ask any foreigners... wonder why castro hates rock n roll? think about kid, but dont ask no roll. wonder how much the man who wrote white christmas made? think about it, but dont ask no made... wonder why youre always wearing your brother's clothes? think about it kid, but dont ask your father. wonder why general electric says that the most important thing for a family to do is stick together? think about it kid, but dont ask no together... wonder what paydirt is? go ahead, wonder... wonder why the other boys wanna beat you up so bad? think about it kid, but dont ask nobody" (65-66). That's an excerpt from 'Note to the Errand Boy as a Young Army Deserter', my favorite, uh, letter of the book. It's kind of set up in these letters to anyone, no back and forth really between a few subjects (they change names, but I don't see a lot of similarities that would say it's two characters just name-switching) just letters, letters.

"why are you so frightened of being embarrassed?... why dont you admit it? why are you so embarrassed to be frightened?" (83).

"...& me so Sick so Sick of these lovers in Biblical roles--'so youre out to save the world are you? you impostor--you freak! youre a contradiction! youre afraid to admit youre a contradiction! youre misleading! you have big feet & you will step on yourself all the people you mislead will pick you up! you have no answers! you have just found a way to pass your time! without this thing, you would shrivel up & be nothing--you are afraid of being nothing--you are caught up in it--it's got you!' i am so Sick of Biblical people--they are like castor oil--like rabies & now i wish for Your eyes..." (84).

I couldn't help but notice there was a section called Subterranean Homesick Blues... which is the same name as one of his songs. I thought it was interesting, and though I can draw some small connections between the two, I can't really make a great case for their connection, or, I'm not picking up on it well. Honestly, I'd really have to study the two and I've had a hell of a busy two weeks... and I have to give the book back... But this is a book I'd buy, so maybe someday...

"i have never taken my singing--let alone my other habits--very seriously--ever since then--i have accepted it--exactly as i would any other crime" (108).
"...there is nothing i can take from you excpt a guilty conscience..." (129).

Well, there you have it. It was interesting, and I would read it again and buy my own copy--mostly so I could take notes in it.

You may also have noticed that the title style has changed: I realized I was being an idiot for not doing this to begin with... (Though I most likely won't be fixing all the other posts.) Even though I have that fun little google search thing, this will be beneficial.