There have been many times over the course of human history when things have looked particularly dire, but somehow or another, we always seem to step back from the brink and avoid disaster. Sure, things can get bumpy from time to time, but sometimes you just have to power through the proverbial turbulence until you find some smooth air to use a (questionable) airplane analogy. Suffice to say we live in turbulent times, but having a sense of humor about it can occasionally be helpful. Just ask Bob Dylan, who certainly dealt with some heavy subject matter when he first made a name for himself as a baby-faced “protest singer” back in the early 60s. But he also did a nice job of injecting a little absurdist humor into the mix as well, and “Talkin’ World War III Blues” from his timeless breakout album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is a great example of that.
So, let’s take a trip back to (seemingly) simpler times with this remarkable performance of the tune from 1964, which finds Dylan whimsically delivering the song around a tableside of hardened blue-collar workers, much to their amusement. “Half of the people can be part right all of the time, some of the people can be all right part of the time, but all of the people can’t be all right all of the time.” Humbling food-for-thought as folks head to the polls today.
