<p id=”par-1_49″>During an interview about great songs, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/bob-dylan/?swcfpc=1″>Bob Dylan</a> discussed the effects that <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/john-lennons-son-named-2-favorite-beatles-songs-even-though-hates-asked.html/”>two Beatles songs</a> had on him. He said one makes him feel like he’s levitating. The other gives him a clear picture in his mind’s eye. Interestingly, John Lennon wasn’t interested in co-writing one of those songs.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-bob-dylan-said-this-beatles-song-could-be-played-many-ways-and-still-amaze-him”>Bob Dylan said this Beatles song could be played many ways and still amaze him</h2>
<p id=”par-2_57″>In 2022, Dylan released his fascinating book, <em>The Philosophy of Modern Song</em>. In an interview <a href=”https://www.bobdylan.com/news/bob-dylan-interviewed-by-wall-street-journals-jeff-slate/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>on his website</a>, he discussed his idea of musical greatness. “I think a great song has the sentiments of the people in mind,” he said. “When you hear it, you get a gut reaction and an emotional one at the same time.</p>
<p id=”par-3_74″>“A great song follows the logic of the heart and stays in your head long after you’ve heard it, like ‘Taxman,’ it can be played with a full orchestra score or by a strolling minstrel, and you don’t have to be a great singer to sing it,” <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/bob-dylans-lay-lady-lay-made-madonna-cry-over-over.html/”>the “Lay Lady Lay” singer</a> added. “It’s bell, book, and candle. Otherworldly. It transports you and you feel like you’re levitating. It’s close to an out-of-body experience.”</p>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-that-wasn-t-the-only-beatles-tune-bob-dylan-admired”>That wasn’t the only Beatles tune Bob Dylan admired</h2>
<p id=”par-4_36″>Dylan also cited <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-rolling-stones-paint-it-black-delayed-release-the-beatles-paperback-writer.html/”>The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer”</a> as a good song. He felt that he could see the song in his mind’s eye. Dylan could imagine the author from the song writing a book by hand.</p>
<p id=”par-5_50″>Dylan made use of biblical imagery while discussing great music. “A great song mutates, makes quantum leaps, turns up again like the prodigal son,” he said. The Prodigal Son is a Christian parable about a man who leaves his father’s household only to return when the world has humbled him.</p>
<p id=”par-6_45″>“It crosses genres,” he added. “<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/mick-jagger-made-punk-song-paul-mccartney.html/”>Could be punk rock</a>, ragtime, folk-rock, or zydeco, and can be played in a lot of different styles, multiple styles. Bobby Bland could do it, Gene and Eunice, so could Rod Stewart, even Gene Autrey. Coltrane could do it wordless.”</p>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/beatles-why-bob-dylan-said-yesterday-michelle-are-cop-outs.html/”>
Beatles: Why Bob Dylan Said ‘Yesterday’ & ‘Michelle’ Are ‘Cop-Outs’ </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-john-lennon-didn-t-want-to-help-george-harrison-write-the-song”>John Lennon didn’t want to help George Harrison write the song</h2>
<p id=”par-7_73″>It’s interesting that Dylan had high praise for “Taxman,” considering that John Lennon wanted nothing to do with the song! The book <em><a href=”https://www.everand.com/read/182513881/All-We-Are-Saying-The-Last-Major-Interview-with-John-Lennon-and-Yoko-Ono#__search-menu_231087″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono</a></em> features an interview from 1980. In it, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/paul-mccartney-refused-cover-john-lennons-imagine.html/”>the “Imagine” singer</a> said the song was George Harrison’s idea. However, he wanted help with it. George reached out to John because Paul wasn’t interested in the track at first.</p>
<p id=”par-8_59″>John wanted to avoid aiding George, as he was already working so hard on his own material <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/mick-jagger-on-why-the-john-lennon-paul-mccartney-partnership-ended.html/”>as well as Lennon-McCartney songs</a>. Regardless, John took pity on George because he hadn’t been much of a songwriter up to that point. The “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” singer wrote some one-liners for “Taxman” anyway without receiving a writing credit.</p>
<p id=”par-9_37″>Everything worked out in the end. “Taxman” is likely <em>Revolver</em>‘s most beloved album track because of its humorous lyrics, relatability, energetic beat, and great guitar solo. It was also a clear inspiration for “Start!” by The Jam.</p>
<p id=”par-10_19″>“Taxman” is the perfect pop song, and it has a mystical effect on Dylan. What greater compliment is there?</p>