After a long life of enjoying accolades from sycophantic slaves, after being heralded as the Voice of the Sixties and Patron Saint of the Baby Boomers, Bob Zimmerman a.k.a. Bob Dylan sells out for good. On April 6th, Dylan performed in Beijing, but with a carefully selected song set, looking very carefully not to offend the Culture Minister, the Chinese Government... in fact, it seems he didn't want to speak truth to power.But if you go carrying the picture of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow... for the counter-culture hero this is frankly embarrassing. Maybe the factual powers of the United States of the Sixties weren't as scary, intimidating or bloody as the Chinese appear right now. Why did Dylan have to go to China to give a concert of his wonderful music and turn his back on his public by hypocritically appeasing the authorities?
We're in it only for the money, that might be the answer. Again: picture yourself Mr. Dylan performing for Nixon at the White House and singing something racist á la Stephen Foster. Bob Dylan lost all moral ground for any kind of criticism he is going to have to withold anyway about his native country. Is he a coward? Did he only took the money and run? Both? Somewhere, John Lennon must be sardonically smiling.
Ah! BTW Bob, how does it feel...?
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