Van Morrison Vs. Bob Dylan

[ghostofcyberx13]

Well both of these gentlemen are legendary poets, songwriters, and musians but who do you like best and why? This poll is just for fun and conversation and maybe to gain more knowledge of these legendary men.

 

[duff]

Tough call but I went with Bob.

 

[ghostofcyberx13]

Tough call but I went with Bob.

Well I'm glad it was a tough call(I had to find some artist/poet/musician that could challenge "Father Bob") it was for me as well but I went for the "Van Man". Wavelength, Gloria, Domino and Brown-Eyed Girl did it for me. Still one of my favorite songs ever is "Positively Fourth Street" by Dylan.

 

[Morty]

Van Morrison

He got more boogie

 

[grampa_herb]

Van cuz of his voice.

 

[shredder]

BOB! Not a tough call at all.

 

[JCat]

Well I'm glad it was a tough call(I had to find some artist/poet/musician that could challenge "Father Bob") it was for me as well but I went for the "Van Man". Wavelength, Gloria, Domino and Brown-Eyed Girl did it for me. Still one of my favorite songs ever is "Positively Fourth Street" by Dylan.

Jerry Garcia Band does a killer version of "Positively Fourth Street" as well

I can't decide! (you picked 2 of my favourites ... next to the Grateful Dead ... these are definitely in my top 10 if not top 5 ... both of them!)

BOB! Not a tough call at all.

You should check out some live 73-78 Van Morrison and maybe it will become a tough call to you ('73 is one of my favourite years for Morrison for sure)

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

It's apples and oranges to me, but I actually owned VM albums so I went with him. Dylan's voice was kind of whiny sounding to me.

 

[Tranquility]

It's apples and oranges to me, but I actually owned VM albums so I went with him. Dylan's voice was kind of whiny sounding to me.

This seems the closest to my feeling as well. VM can be some toe tapping fun while Dylan just tries to make you think. While I don't listen to songs on the radio any longer, in the olden days when you'd hear the first few notes of something like Brown Eyed Girl (Do-do-DU-do-do) the radio was turned loud and preparations were made for dancing in the seat. Dylan? You might tell your friends to be quiet, but there was not going to be any dancing. Seat or otherwise.

(That being said, Van Morrison's claim he has "about 300" songs that are better than BEG might not be entirely accurate; although I think we all know how to spell "Gloria" without looking it up.)

 

[shredder]

Record sales seem like an fairly accurate gauge of popularity. Anyone have the data on who sold more?

I suspect bob Dylan sold more albums, because while van Morrison made a lot of albums, he never had a lot of sales. Both are icons, both respect each other. I see dylan as an intellectual song writer entertainer, and van morrison as a crooner.

 

[Tranquility]

Record sales seem like an fairly accurate gauge of popularity. Anyone have the data on who sold more?

I suspect bob dilllon sold more albums, because while van Morrison made a lot of albums, he never had a lot of sales. Both are icons, both respect each other. I see dillon as an intellectual song writer entertainer, and van morrison as a crooner.

That would be Bob.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

Edit:
Unless you're talking of just the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-certified_music_artists_in_the_United_States

 

[Morty]

 

[RUDE BOY]

That would be Bob.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

Edit:
Unless you're talking of just the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-certified_music_artists_in_the_United_States

But... Van Morrison doesn't appear on either of those lists so Bob beats him in the USA too.

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

This might be too bold, for that I apologize.

I liken Dylan to a phrase I've heard about classic literature. Often admired but rarely read.

 

[8man]

Dylan gets me thinking, but Van gets me feeling.

I'd highly recommend listening to some of his non-singles: "Madame George", "Sweet Thing", "And It Stoned Me", etc.

 

[CarolKing]

It was thought of as the revolution. Well, a lot of very important things happened. Jim Crow was smashed, the beginnings of the movements that would end communism in Eastern Europe—all sorts of things were happening all around the world in the late 1960s, throughout the 1960s. And Dylan was very much a part of that. And his music was very much a part of that. It expressed what he wanted to express, but people caught onto it as an expression of what they were feeling, what they were thinking.

I took this text out of a larger article about Dylan. Dylan’s music came at the right time in American history. This sums it up for me. I like Van Morrison’s music too. I agree with the statement apples and oranges. They are too different. Other than being from basically the same era.

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

They stone you and then they say good luck

And it stoned me to my soul, stoned me just like jelly roll, and it stoned me

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

I think Bob would have the edge in stiking. VM would be wise to not get into a boxing match with him. But VM is the better grappler. If he can get Bob on the ground, he has a decent shot at a choke or armbar submission.

source: my ass

 

[grampa_herb]

I read an interview with Van once where he seemed to accuse Bob Seger of copying his style. I guess I can hear some influence on Night Moves.

I think Wavelength is burned into my brain from an acid trip long ago. I thought the song would save the world then.

 

[ghostofcyberx13]

I read an interview with Van once where he seemed to accuse Bob Seger of copying his style. I guess I can hear some influence on Night Moves.

I think Wavelength is burned into my brain from an acid trip long ago. I thought the song would save the world then.

Gotsta get me some "Wavelength" so I'm going to 4th Street, yup "Positively 4th Street". I will meet my "Brown-Eyed Girl" her name is "Domino" then we will both go "All Along The Watchtower" because "Everybody Must Get Stoned"!

 

[lwien]

Who do I like better?

As a performer, Morrison.

As a songwriter, it's a tossup.

As a lyricist, no contest. Dylan !!!

 

[macbill]

Dylan can sure tell a story. Up tempo tune "Lily, Rosemary And the Jack of Hearts" is like 8 minutes long and has no repeating chorus. Dylan seemed like The Pied Piper of Baby-Boomer-Social-Outrage-Awareness. "Blowin' In The Wind", etc. He was a huge force in my youth.