Bob Dylan didn’t make the trip to Stockholm to accept his Nobel Prize in Literature. Instead, Patti Smith went on his behalf and performed a cover of his 1963 classic, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” And midway through a beautiful performance, she simply forgot the words, paused, and said, “I apologize. I’m sorry, I’m so nervous,” and asked to start the section of the song again. Which she did.
The lyrics for “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” are difficult, by no means easy to remember. Add a case of nerves (which can beset even the most experienced musician) and you have the makings for a very human moment. Watch the video the whole way through. It’s touching on many levels.
You can read the text of Bob Dylan’s acceptance speech, presented by the US Ambassador to Sweden, here. And if you’re wondering why Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in the first place, you can pick up his handsome, new book, The Lyrics: 1961-2012.
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Human, beautiful and so touching – the whole performance!
About human dignity ….so necessary nowadays. Wonderful !
What a stupid headline, emphasizing Patti’s pause. Superficial sensationalism. A beautiful performance. Meaningful on so many levels. Patti Smith is brilliant covering Dylan’s genius to an audience of laureates, royalty & prestige – much of the establishment Dylan critiqued & called out. I cried watching, listening, seeing & understanding very little has changed.
Patti Smith / Bob Dylan.
Enough.
ith a tear, and a lump in my throat, I thank Patti Smith for a powerful, poignant rendition. Positively beautiful.
How I wish these words of my youth were not so timely today.
In tears over here
A Nobel Prize in Literature for Bob Dylan! What’s next? A Nobel Peace Prize for Phil Spector?
For those who questioned a singer/songwriter winning a nobel prize for literature, don’t know great literature.
Patti Smith, Bob Dylan. All I needed was Arthur Rimbaud to return from the grave for The Holy Trinity.
Beautiful
I agree with Melissa. Beautiful performance by a human being who brought out some beautiful nuances. Beautiful guitar and orchestral accompaniment.
Sweet
Patti did not do Patti
She respectfully say (wonderful) Dylan song
Moved
Loved you both
What a darling you are Patty. Very fitting song for the current time. What a hard yet beautiful struggle life can sometimes be. Thank you for representing our wonderful poet, Bob Dylan. Superb!!! I am in tears
Gratefully yours
Julie Miller
Absolutely beautiful….. can’t get it out of my head…
Dylan’s speech is lovely
What a luminous, transcendent performance by Patti Smith – of an apocalyptic wail which we, the listeners, heard newly in this, no ordinary time.
A truly moving performance, have played it over several times. Very nice guitar playing as the accompaniment. Also lovely pedal steel. (Who was the pedal steel player, does anyone know ?)
Moved to tears. Too damned timely. The times they were a changin’ and now we’re back to where we started. Yes, the pedal steel was a beautiful touch.
I’ve never before heard a song get flubbed so very, very well. It showcased both honest human imperfection and musical mastery, a true tour de force. Her performance added to the depth and meaning of one of the deepest, most meaningful songs ever written, and actually brought me to tears. As far as I’m concerned this will forever be the definitive version of “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall.” A mistake that achieved perfection.
I want to say Greg Leisz, and apologies to the extremely talent player if not. Gre up with pedal steel, so perfectly in place here.