Could be that 200 years from now, Bob Dylan will still be loved as much as Burns is. But, more than that, what these two personalities have in common is that Scotland's favorite poet has been a source of great inspiration for the music legend.
As part of HMV's "My inspiration", an advertising campaign aimed to discover pop stars' influences, Dylan , the poet of the protest generation , selected Burns' 1794 "A Red, Red Rose" as the love song that has had the biggest effect on his life. This poem is certainly written to someone from whom the poet is parted and whom he hopes to meet again one day.
Bob Dylan is a towering figure of late 20th century pop music who has written more than 500 songs and has sold around 57 million albums. Dylan has been recording and performing since 1962 and all this while he's been startling his fans and playing an important role in the music industry.
On the other hand, Burns once said that it was only when he fell in love that he decided to become a poet, since for him, rhyme and song were "the spontaneous language of his heart." He refers to A Red, Red Rose as a "simple old Scots song which I had picked up in the country" and where he talks about love in a romantic, ideal way, by comparing it with a springtime blooming rose and then with a sweet melody.
According to Lesley Duncan, poetry editor of The Herald, "A Red, Red Rose" is an astonishing work. It's obviously a great love song with universal resonance." Additionally, Dr Carruthers, director of the Centre for Burns Study at the University of Glasgow argues that this poem is one of Burns' most emotional pieces of work and perhaps his biggest expression of love, which is still relevant in our days. He also added that "Burns was a hugely committed artist who dealt with everyday emotions, as well as big emotions so, in that sense, it's not a surprise he's influenced Dylan."
Undoubtedly, both Burns and Dylan have written some of the greatest love ballads of all times. By uniting their voices in this unique version of the poet's masterpiece, they create a sound which brings together the traditional and the contemporary and talks straight to our heart.
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