Curated Quote - Bob Dylan

“Those not busy being born are busy dying”

Bob Dylan ( songwriter, singer, Nobel Prize for Literature recipient 1941 -

Another great quote from rock and roll. This is one of my favorite quotes as it makes creativity, innovation and invention a daily event. As in “So are you busy being born or busy dying today?”

It is also a great quote for this first curated quote of the year. Many people have made new year’s resolutions on turning the corner, doing something tough, doing something that is new. January and February are good months to decide to be busy being born, anew.

The song that has this lyric is “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding

This song also has a chorus that has guided me well through life:

“While one who sings with his tongue on fire

Gargles in the rat race choir

Bent out of shape from society’s pliers

Cares not to come up any higher

But rather get you down in the hole

That he’s in”

It is hard to count the number of times this chorus came to me, as people want to bring you down into the hole they are in rather than be uplifted. Right?

Here is a video of Bob singing this back in his prime of the late 1960s. Quintessential Dylan:

Here is the first 30 minutes of a 60 minute press conference. It is right out of a time capsule of the 1960s. Bob Dylan, the reluctant star, dealing with stupid press questions. The second half is also available if this is not enough for you.

Then there is the iconic, massively visually influential video “Subterranean Homesick Blues” with Allen Ginsburg in the background lending appropriate beat street cred.