Marxist Folk Music Critic Famously Criticizes Bob Dylan for Abandoning Protest Music
Irwin Silber, editor of Sing Out! Magazine, the most prominent folk music magazine at the time, on this day famously –or infamously– criticized Bob Dylan, then at a pivotal moment in his career for abandoning social protest music.
In “An Open Letter to Bob Dylan” the November issue of Sing Out!, Silber wrote “You seem to be in a different kind of bag now, Bob –and I’m worried about it.” Silber had already stated that he spoke for everyone at the magazine: “We at Sing Out!” He told Dyan that he had “somehow lost contact with people” and that “fame” was “getting in your way.” “Your new songs” he continued, “seem to be all inner-directed now, inner-probing, self-conscious.” Somewhat arrogantly, Silber added that “we are all responsible for what has been happening to you” (and many other young folk singers), as if to suggest that he, Silber, and other self-appointed folk music “leaders” could control Dylan’s musical development.
Silber’s criticism was a classic example of the idea, which was official doctrine in totalitarian regimes from the Soviet Union to Nazi Germany (and all the others in between) that art should advance the official views of the state. There was no room in art — and this included all the arts– for highly personal artistic expression and absolutely no room for anything that even hinted at criticism of the state.
Bob Dylan was indeed changing in 1964. His first albums were highlighted by his angry and powerful protest songs: “Blowin in the Wind,” “Masters of War,” “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” “With God on our Side, “The Times They Are a Changin,” and many others. In his open letter, Siber conceded that Sing Out! had published thirteen of his protest songs, more than by any other song writer with the possible exception of Woody Guthrie. But Dylan, now universally acknowledged as one of America’s greatest musical figures was following his own muse, and his songs became increasingly personal, suggestive rather than literal, and filled with fascinating and obscure metaphors. A year later, at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, Dylan famously “went electric,” performing with a backing band with electric guitar and bass. And with this, Dylan revolutionized rock and roll and all of American popular music.
Four years later, in 1968, in the face of Dylan’s enormous success and influence, Silber issued a retraction of his “Open Letter.”
Irwin Silber was a life-long Marxist and a major player in the post-World War II folk music revival. Born in 1925 he first joined the Young Communist League and then the Communist Party USA. He resigned from the party in 1955, as did many other disillusioned party members. But he maintained his faith in Marxism. In 1955 he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
After World War II he became executive director of People’s Songs, a left-oriented organization devoted to promoting folk music. In 1951 he co-founded Sing Out!, along with folk singer Pete Seeger and musicologist Alan Lomax. He remained editor until 1967. He also established Oak Publications, which published many many collections of folk songs. The anti-Communist witch hunt destroyed many left-oriented folk song publications and the careers of many prominent leftist singers and groups, including Paul Robeson and the initial version of The Weavers.
Learn more: visit the Irwin Silber web site.
Read the great book: Elijah Wald, Dylan Goes Electric: Newport, Dylan, Seeger, and the Night that Split the Sixties (2015)
Learn more about Sing Out! Magazine here.