Yesterday, music fans across the world celebrated Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday. Somehow, “Happy Birthday” just doesn’t seem good enough to pay tribute to the legend on his big day, so we compiled 14 of our favorite tracks that name-check Mr. Zimmerman as a way of sending some belated well-wishes to the birthday boy.
Check out the tracks below.
1. Syd Barrett: “Bob Dylan Blues”
Got the Bob Dylan blues / And the Bob Dylan shoes / And my clothes and my hair’s a mess.
Not to be confused with “”Bob Dylan’s Blues. On this early track, the Pink Floyd frontman sings the praises of his musical hero.
2. Beastie Boys: “3 Minute Rule”
A lot of parents like to think that I’m a villain / I’m just chillin’ like Bob Dylan
We’re not exactly sure how one chills like Bob Dylan, but we’re pretty sure it somehow involves Victoria’s Secret models.
3. Minutemen: “Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs”
Bob Dylan wrote propaganda songs / Bob Dylan wrote propaganda songs
Short, sweet and to the point.
4. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins: “The Charging Sky”
So my mom, she brushes her hair / And my dad starts growing Bob Dylan’s beard
It’s not the first reference to Mr. Dylan’s facial follicles in pop culture, but Lewis’ voice makes it one of the prettiest.
5. Jesus & Mary Chain: “Fizzy”
Elvis lives and Bob Dylan is dead / And OJ’s wife’s crawling back from the dead
The alt-rock titans conjure images of Americana by referencing two of the nation’s biggest musicians along with its most infamous sports hero-turned-suspected-murderer. We’re even willing to overlook the fact that they rhymed “dead” with “dead.”
6. Stephen Malkmus: “Jo Jo’s Jacket”
Bob Dylan sang in / “it’s alright mama I’m only bleeding” / Everything from toy guns that spark to flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark
Actor Yul Brenner also gets a shout-out in this tune from the Pavement singer.
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