There was a cultural revolution in 1965 on both sides of the Atlantic. Bob Dylan was a driving force behind the revolution, inspiring bands like The Who to rebel against the status quo and use their music to try to change the world. He also inspired a generation of people to stick two fingers up at the establishment.
Even though Bob Dylan got his start in the Greenwich Village folk scene, he didn’t share many musical similarities. He diverged from the majority of rock ‘n’ roll bands topping the charts at the time. However, regardless of genre, every songwriter could find inspiration in the potent way he was able to convey meaning through his songs.
Pete Townshend of The Who was in wonder at Dylan’s talent, which surpassed their distinct musical styles. Townshend described the maestro as the “master” at one point, going on to explain, “Not just because of the use of words in a creative sense but as a folk singer.” In essence, a folk singer is someone with a good memory. He possessed a lot of American folk songs as well as Irish and Scottish tunes.
Pete also discussed Dylan’s influence on the 1965 hit song “My Generation,” which was released by The Who. In this enraged and elevated attempt, Townshend is taking aim at the status quo. They are annoyed by his antics and refusal to follow established norms.
Townshend went on to say, “(He) definitely created a new style of writing,” in reference to how Dylan inspired the song. I believe Dylan was the one who communicated the message to The Beatles. You could write songs about topics other than falling in love, according to that.
Additionally, Dylan decided to analyze “My Generation” for his book The Philosophy of Modern Song, which was published in 2022. In this passage, the singer-songwriter attempts to put himself in Townshend’s shoes. He imagines what might have been going through the guitarist’s mind during this crucial moment in rock history.
Dylan started off by writing, “Pete seems to have a chip on his shoulder in this song, like a lot of boomers do.” However, he lacks complete self-assurance and appears to be a little bit behind. A certain defensiveness exists. He’s aware that people make fun of him simply because he moves around. Maybe he thinks he will never measure up, or maybe he knows they hate the newfound freedom his generation enjoys.
The fact that Roger Daltrey, The Who’s frontman, sang instead of Townshend was symbolic. According to the musician, it revealed a lot about the guitarist’s attitude. Dylan went on, “Pete is so dependent on his mouthpiece, Roger, for uttering curses that he can’t even point the finger himself.” The song’s most sincere element may be that fear. All of us berate the older generation, but we all know that it’s only a matter of time until we turn into them.
It’s unclear if Dylan’s reflections on “My Generation” are entirely true. Nevertheless, he took away a deeper meaning from the song. This offers an intriguing glimpse into his listening habits and understanding.
Listen to ‘My Generation’ below.
