"Roll On John" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan that appears as the tenth and final track on his 2012 studio album Tempest. Like much of Dylan's 21st-century output, he produced the song himself using the pseudonym Jack Frost.
There is a traditional folk song by the same title that Dylan had performed in 1962,[1] but the track on Tempest is an original song that pays tribute to John Lennon featuring entirely new music and lyrics by Dylan.[2]
Dylan and John Lennon first met in 1964 and their paths crossed a number of times between then and Lennon's murder in 1980.[3] It is likely, however, that the specific origins of "Roll On John" came from a public minibus tour that Dylan took of Lennon's childhood home in Liverpool in 2009. A spokeswoman for the National Trust-owned home said in an interview that Dylan "could have booked a private tour but he was happy to go on the bus with everyone else". She also noted that Dylan, who apparently went unrecognized by the other 13 tourists on the bus, "appeared to enjoy himself".[4] Dylan himself mentioned the visit and what he had learned about Lennon's life from it in a 2012 Rolling Stone interview to promote Tempest. In the same interview, Dylan also recalled that he and his band had "started practicing" the song during soundchecks in late 2011.[5]
In their book Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track, authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon note that, lyrically, the song "retraces the fabulous evolution of the former Beatle 'from the Liverpool docks to the red light Hamburg streets'" and that Dylan "gives a friendly nod to some of Lennon's great Beatles and post-Beatles compositions ("A Day in the Life", "Come Together", "The Ballad of John and Yoko", "Instant Karma!")...and his commitment to the civil rights movement and opposition to the Vietnam War". In terms of the music, they note "Dylan chooses to play piano, with a Lennon-like delay in his voice. The interpretation is moving, the harmonies reminiscent of John's first solo album in which he confessed not to believe, neither in the Beatles nor in a certain . . . Zimmerman ('God' on John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970)".[6] The song is performed in the key of A-flat major.[7]
Receptionedit
Spectrum Culture included "Roll On John" on a list of "Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the '10s and Beyond". In an article accompanying the list, critic David Harris claims that "Dylan looks at Lennon as myth more than man", noting how "the song veers wildly into an exploration of slavery, Jesus and William Blake" but that "there is something entrancing about Dylan’s meanderings, especially when the words, "I read the news today, oh boy", cut through the cryptic text like a bright beacon".[8]
Margotin and Guesdon refer to it in their book as "absolutely brilliant" and "one of Dylan's most moving songs" although they also complain that his voice sounds "shredded" on the studio recording.[10]
Singer/songwriter Elliott Murphy cited it as one of Dylan's top 10 songs of the 21st century in an article for Poetic Justice Magazine.[11]
Cultural referencesedit
The final verse, "Tyger, tyger burning bright / I pray the Lord my soul to keep / In the forest of the night / Cover him over and let him sleep", references William Blake's well-known Song of Experience "The Tyger" from 1794.
Live performancesedit
Dylan has only played the song live in concert twice, both times in 2013: on November 24 at the Opera House Theatre, Blackpool, and on November 26 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Lennon had ties to both locations, and Dylan's guitarist Stu Kimball later recalled the song's live debut in Blackpool as being one of the highlights of his 15-year tenure in Dylan's Never Ending Tour band: "That was the night that the boss called 'Roll On John', which was the first time we ever played it, and it was just amazing. The whole place went crazy and then silent, listening...More than one tear was shed".[12]
Referencesedit
^"Roll on John, sung in 1962, written in 2012. That's Bob Dylan for you. | Untold Dylan". 2017-05-29. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
^"Roll on John | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
^Shephard, Scott Beauchamp, Alex (2012-09-24). "Bob Dylan and John Lennon's Weird, One-Sided Relationship". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2021-05-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Dylan unnoticed on Beatles tour". 2009-05-12. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
^Gilmore, Mikal (2012-09-27). "Bob Dylan Unleashed". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
^Margotin, Philippe; Jean-Michel Guesdon (2015). Bob Dylan : all the songs : the story behind every track (First ed.). New York. ISBN978-1-57912-985-9. OCLC 869908038.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"Roll On John Sheet Music | Bob Dylan | Piano, Vocal & Guitar". www.sheetmusicdirect.com. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
^"Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the '10s and Beyond". Spectrum Culture. 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
^Hermes, Will (2012-08-30). "Tempest". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
^Margotin, Philippe; Jean-Michel Guesdon (2015). Bob Dylan : all the songs : the story behind every track (First ed.). New York. ISBN978-1-57912-985-9. OCLC 869908038.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Editor, Poetic Justice (2023-12-05). "Elliott Murphy's Top 10 Bob Dylan Tracks – 21st Century". Poetic Justice. Retrieved 2023-12-07. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^Sounes, Howard (2021). Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, New Updated Edition. New York City: Grove Press. p. 481. ISBN978-0802158642.
External linksedit
Lyrics at Bob Dylan's official site
April 12, 2024
roll, john, song, written, performed, american, singer, songwriter, dylan, that, appears, tenth, final, track, 2012, studio, album, tempest, like, much, dylan, 21st, century, output, produced, song, himself, using, pseudonym, jack, frost, song, dylanfrom, albu. Roll On John is a song written and performed by American singer songwriter Bob Dylan that appears as the tenth and final track on his 2012 studio album Tempest Like much of Dylan s 21st century output he produced the song himself using the pseudonym Jack Frost Roll On John Song by Bob Dylanfrom the album TempestReleasedSeptember 10 2012RecordedJanuary March 2012StudioGroove MastersGenrePop RockLength7 25LabelColumbiaSongwriter s Bob DylanProducer s Jack Frost Bob Dylan Tempest track listing10 tracks Duquesne Whistle Soon After Midnight Narrow Way Long and Wasted Years Pay in Blood Scarlet Town Early Roman Kings Tin Angel Tempest Roll on John There is a traditional folk song by the same title that Dylan had performed in 1962 1 but the track on Tempest is an original song that pays tribute to John Lennon featuring entirely new music and lyrics by Dylan 2 Contents 1 Background and composition 2 Reception 3 Cultural references 4 Live performances 5 References 6 External linksBackground and composition editDylan and John Lennon first met in 1964 and their paths crossed a number of times between then and Lennon s murder in 1980 3 It is likely however that the specific origins of Roll On John came from a public minibus tour that Dylan took of Lennon s childhood home in Liverpool in 2009 A spokeswoman for the National Trust owned home said in an interview that Dylan could have booked a private tour but he was happy to go on the bus with everyone else She also noted that Dylan who apparently went unrecognized by the other 13 tourists on the bus appeared to enjoy himself 4 Dylan himself mentioned the visit and what he had learned about Lennon s life from it in a 2012 Rolling Stone interview to promote Tempest In the same interview Dylan also recalled that he and his band had started practicing the song during soundchecks in late 2011 5 In their book Bob Dylan All the Songs The Story Behind Every Track authors Philippe Margotin and Jean Michel Guesdon note that lyrically the song retraces the fabulous evolution of the former Beatle from the Liverpool docks to the red light Hamburg streets and that Dylan gives a friendly nod to some of Lennon s great Beatles and post Beatles compositions A Day in the Life Come Together The Ballad of John and Yoko Instant Karma and his commitment to the civil rights movement and opposition to the Vietnam War In terms of the music they note Dylan chooses to play piano with a Lennon like delay in his voice The interpretation is moving the harmonies reminiscent of John s first solo album in which he confessed not to believe neither in the Beatles nor in a certain Zimmerman God on John Lennon Plastic Ono Band 1970 6 The song is performed in the key of A flat major 7 Reception editSpectrum Culture included Roll On John on a list of Bob Dylan s 20 Best Songs of the 10s and Beyond In an article accompanying the list critic David Harris claims that Dylan looks at Lennon as myth more than man noting how the song veers wildly into an exploration of slavery Jesus and William Blake but that there is something entrancing about Dylan s meanderings especially when the words I read the news today oh boy cut through the cryptic text like a bright beacon 8 In a five star review of Tempest in Rolling Stone Will Hermes named the track one of the two most powerful cuts on the album along with Tempest 9 Margotin and Guesdon refer to it in their book as absolutely brilliant and one of Dylan s most moving songs although they also complain that his voice sounds shredded on the studio recording 10 Singer songwriter Elliott Murphy cited it as one of Dylan s top 10 songs of the 21st century in an article for Poetic Justice Magazine 11 Cultural references editThe final verse Tyger tyger burning bright I pray the Lord my soul to keep In the forest of the night Cover him over and let him sleep references William Blake s well known Song of Experience The Tyger from 1794 Live performances editDylan has only played the song live in concert twice both times in 2013 on November 24 at the Opera House Theatre Blackpool and on November 26 at the Royal Albert Hall in London Lennon had ties to both locations and Dylan s guitarist Stu Kimball later recalled the song s live debut in Blackpool as being one of the highlights of his 15 year tenure in Dylan s Never Ending Tour band That was the night that the boss called Roll On John which was the first time we ever played it and it was just amazing The whole place went crazy and then silent listening More than one tear was shed 12 References edit Roll on John sung in 1962 written in 2012 That s Bob Dylan for you Untold Dylan 2017 05 29 Retrieved 2021 05 11 Roll on John The Official Bob Dylan Site www bobdylan com Retrieved 2021 05 11 Shephard Scott Beauchamp Alex 2012 09 24 Bob Dylan and John Lennon s Weird One Sided Relationship The Atlantic Retrieved 2021 05 11 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Dylan unnoticed on Beatles tour 2009 05 12 Retrieved 2021 05 11 Gilmore Mikal 2012 09 27 Bob Dylan Unleashed Rolling Stone Retrieved 2021 05 11 Margotin Philippe Jean Michel Guesdon 2015 Bob Dylan all the songs the story behind every track First ed New York ISBN 978 1 57912 985 9 OCLC 869908038 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Roll On John Sheet Music Bob Dylan Piano Vocal amp Guitar www sheetmusicdirect com Retrieved 2021 07 02 Bob Dylan s 20 Best Songs of the 10s and Beyond Spectrum Culture 2021 02 19 Retrieved 2021 03 15 Hermes Will 2012 08 30 Tempest Rolling Stone Retrieved 2021 01 02 Margotin Philippe Jean Michel Guesdon 2015 Bob Dylan all the songs the story behind every track First ed New York ISBN 978 1 57912 985 9 OCLC 869908038 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Editor Poetic Justice 2023 12 05 Elliott Murphy s Top 10 Bob Dylan Tracks 21st Century Poetic Justice Retrieved 2023 12 07 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Sounes Howard 2021 Down the Highway The Life of Bob Dylan New Updated Edition New York City Grove Press p 481 ISBN 978 0802158642 External links editLyrics at Bob Dylan s official site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roll On John amp oldid 1207949554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
