Dylan Nails "Norwegian Wood"?

Bob's (likely) parody and Lennon's reaction, plus alternate takes.

Greg Mitchell is the author of a dozen books and now writer/director of award-winning films. He was also a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy.

An interesting piece on the well-known Lennon/Dylan skirmish—a musical conflict partly known and partly obscure for most of us.

I’ve been aware, going back to shortly after Blonde on Blonde, that Dylan’s “4th Time Around” was a takeoff or pay back or message to semi-friend John Lennon. Similar tune and story-telling manner. Allegedly, Bob felt the Beatles had borrowed his songwriting style circa 1965 for “Norwegian Wood.” In any case, that’s partly why the Beatles were suddenly being credited with “growing up” as lyricists during this period. John recognized the suspected Dylan parody immediately and maybe resented it (as shown in interviews), although he veered from viewing it as a cruel parody to accepting it as maybe an homage.

Reports differ on whether Bob deliberately set out to respond to “Norwegian Wood” or did it unconsciously. Still, John felt somewhat “paranoid” faced with Dylan’s closing line, “I never asked for your crutch / Now don't ask for mine.” A few years later John would sing, “I don’t believe in Zimmerman.” And from the article:

Lennon sat on the fence when he was asked in 1968 about his opinion on the track, “4th Time Around,” a song many suggest was Dylan aiming at Lennon. He avoided further confrontation, stating: “I didn’t like it…I was very paranoid. I just didn’t like what I felt I was feeling—I thought it was an out-and-out skit, you know, but it wasn’t. It was great.”

He went on to reveal that the song was expressly about an affair John wanted to hide from his wife Cynthia (a couple of possible mistresses have been mentioned) so he didn’t appreciate any additional attention to, or mockery, of the lyrics. In fact, the surprising addition of George’s sitar—purchased hurriedly from a local shop—helped deflect from that and also from the not-radio-friendly “take her to bed” line. In any case, many attribute the rise of “raga rock” to this tune, with quick appearances soon in the Yardbirds’ “Heart Full of Soul” and the Stones’ “Paint It Black.” (It must be noted, however, that the Byrds had used that sound earlier in “Eight Miles High” and Ray Davies for The Kinks’ “See My Friends.” )

Final note: Paul McCartney later claimed that he provided the key burn-the-house-down climax.

So here below: Beatles and then Bob, another time around. Plus our daily political cartoon. Enjoy, then subscribe, it’s still free.

You probably have never heard this wonderfully odd early demo of “Norwegian Wood” with George trying out the sitar.

Ditto for Bob’s alternate-take of “4th Time Around.”

Waylon Jennings covered “Wood.”

As did Crosby, Stills & Nash later.

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