Oct 06 2008
Bob Dylan: She Belongs To Me
I have just finished reading Suze Rotolo’s memoir A Freewheelin’ Time and I feel like a little Dylan tonight.
This clip is an outtake from the making of the film “Don’t Look Back,” released in 1967. The performance is from 1965, at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The Mike Nesmith lookalike at the beginning, I believe, is Bob’s road manager Bob Neuwirth. The other people are some nondescript Brit’s in all likelihood. The bearded man resembles Alan Ginzberg, but by this time Ginzberg was getting quite bald. I don’t believe Ginzberg was in London with Dylan in ‘65 anyway.
In her book Rotolo declines to say who might be the subject of any of Dylan’s songs. There has been speculation that Joan Baez was the target of this particular barbed arrow. I think Dylan my have been thinking of both Baez and Rotolo as he wrote it. Suze Rotolo had recently left him, because of his affair with Baez, yet Joan Baez was far to strong an individual, with a career and entourage of her own, to be the supporting background figure Dylan was used to. Both were artists. Neither looked back.
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As far as the Dylan world is concerned - the song is as clearly about Baez as they dare to say a song is about someone and not about Rotolo. In Dont Look Back you can see Baez’ sparkling Egyptian ring in some of the scenes.
Dylan and Baez-two great artists!It has been a while since my last visit!I hardly had any time to blog!
I suppose you’re right, Marie. The subject of the song is certainly someone unimpressed with Dylan’s new found notoriety. Baez would qualify on that count as well.
Hi Belinha, glad to have you back.
Oh great pick. I too have been away for too long. I have been very sick.
I am a little better now but still not 100%.
I have missed being able to visit.