From Joan Baez to Phil Ochs: The five songwriters who crossed Bob Dylan
Very little can bruise the ego of Bob Dylan. Even from day one, the cynical wordsmith emerged with nothing to prove except everything, with an obvious yet unique prowess that seemed to run bone-deep and independent from anything that could have influenced him at the time. One of the greatest storytellers of all time, Dylan has more than earned bragging rights.
His nonchalance and resignation often feed into his label as perhaps the most enigmatic musical figure of all time. However, much of this is also due to his incessant need to never truly give the game away, especially when it comes to the layers he injects into his music. From the beginning, Dylan presented lyricism in many guises, making it nearly impossible to figure out who or what his primary source of inspiration was.
This is perhaps best demonstrated in DA Pennebaker’s opus Don’t Look Back, following Dylan’s 1965 concert tour in England. Aside from the several scenes proving that he is one of the greatest writers and performers who ever lived, there are also a handful of moments which confirm he is also a wildly standoffish figure who often liked to challenge his situations rather than enjoy being in the crux of them.
This perceived toxicity caused many to turn away from the singer, not just potential and former fans but some of his contemporaries, too. In the eyes of many, he stood with and for some of the most controversial traits you could find in another person, which often overshadowed what could be construed as an otherwise flawless creative. This also explains why he felt sour toward many others; often, if they failed to share attitudes or views similar to his, he would disregard everything they meant as an artist. Here are five.
Five musicians who crossed Bob Dylan:
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell was never really the biggest fan of Bob Dylan, and she once even accused him of being the biggest plagiariser in the business. Why? Well, no one really knows why she became so embittered when faced with the mere mention of Dylan’s name, but her sentiment is clear: “We are like night and day, [Dylan] and I,” she once said. “Bob is not authentic at all. He’s a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception.”
Although Dylan hasn’t really said much about his contemporary, nor is there much to suggest any sort of public or private rift between the pair, he did say some considerably questionable things when her name came up during a 1987 interview with Rolling Stone. Aside from admitting he “hates to see chicks perform” because they “whore themselves,” he also said Mitchell was “almost like a man,” undermining any following compliments he made about her music and musicianship.
John Lennon
Although Dylan eventually grew to appreciate The Beatles and John Lennon, at least publically, he always operated in parallel lines, whether he liked it or not. Over the years, he loosened the grip of his pride, eventually admitting, “I just kept it to myself that I really dug them.” However, his choice of words in the beginning was far from gracious, making others feel the two entities were destined to be enemies forever.
During an interview with Robert Shelton, Dylan likened Beatlemania to nothing more than a “teeny bopper” trend and called the band a “cop-out” because many of their songs, specifically ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Michelle’, sound like a lot of things that were being released at the time. Taking this a step further, he accused Lennon of copying his craft, saying: “What is this? [Lennon’s] doing me. Even Sonny & Cher are doing me, but, fucking hell, I invented it.”
Joan Baez
The relationship between Joan Baez and Dylan was far from perfect, but for a long while, they were celebrated like any other celebrity couple, only in this case, their respective talents enhanced their appeal. Throughout Dont Look Back, Baez is spotlighted as the charming folk singer-songwriter that she is, even if Dylan’s commanding presence eclipses some of her best moments.
However, there’s a subtle darkness throughout the film, particularly in Dylan’s dismissiveness of Baez, which she later spoke about in her writing and some of her interviews. According to Baez and various other sources, Dylan ignored and insulted her a lot during that tour, which likely contributed to many of the mental health struggles she faced later on.
At the same time, she released several songs that seemed inspired by the singer, like ‘To Bobby’, which caught his attention: “Joan Baez recorded a protest song about me that was getting big play, challenging me to get with it – come out and take charge, lead the masses – be an advocate, lead the crusade,” he said, adding, “The song called out to me from the radio like a public service announcement.”
Donovan
It seems Don’t Look Back is a hotbed for detecting possible Bob Dylan rivals, as it also depicts him in a somewhat suggestive moment regarding his then-rival Donovan. Of course, the pair later seemed to make amends and even appreciated and respected one another, but there’s a moment in the film where things don’t seem all that comfortable between the two troubadours.
This particular moment occurs in the subtle notes of dismay Dylan displays towards Donovan throughout the film. Back then, Donovan was being compared to Dylan a lot, which was covered extensively in newspapers, but Dylan didn’t really care much for the discourse. There’s also a scene that proves his desire to one-up the up-and-coming star after he performs an intimate rendition of ‘To Sing For You’, followed by Dylan’s ‘It’s All Over Now Baby Blue’.
Clearly, this was a period when Dylan wanted to be the best and sought to be regarded as the only one to live up to that coveted label, no matter who he belittled in the process.
Phil Ochs
Dylan has a complex relationship with many of his musical peers, but his connection with Phil Ochs seems one of the most turbulent. It’s unclear why; perhaps Dylan felt threatened by the prominence of another singer-songwriter with a political edge. Or, maybe seeing Ochs was like looking into a mirror, one that reflected his earlier musical vision, which he was becoming increasingly intent on leaving behind.
Whatever the reason, one incident occurred when Dylan seemed to clash with the singer so intensely that he insulted his musical abilities. Originally a political journalist, Ochs transitioned into a folk singer after discovering music from legends like Woody Guthrie. One day in 1965, he was riding along in a limousine with Dylan, who was allegedly playing him his song ‘Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?’
However, Ochs didn’t seem impressed with the song, which Dylan immediately detected. Unappreciative of Ochs’ nonchalance, he kicked him out of the car, yelling, “You’re not a folk singer. You’re a journalist!” Ouch.
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