John Lennon and Bob Daylon both were prominent figures in the music landscape of the 1960s and later. While the former was the legendary helmer of probably one of the biggest boy bands in the world, The Beatles, the latter played a significant role in folk music revival. Both could not have been more different, yet they enjoyed a friendship that resulted from their brief meetings from 1964 to 1969.
While Lennon slowly grew interested in Dylan-esque music style, courtesy of the singer, the influence himself took offense to it, allegedly releasing what we now call a ‘diss’ track. Lennon, not holding back thanks to his frank personality, too openly humiliated his ‘idol’.
When Bob Daylon Allegedly Released A Diss Track Shading John Lennon
The world has seldom seen a friendship or a rivalry as iconic as Bob Dylan and John Lennon‘s. Despite their brief meetings and a very stoned limousine ride (via Rolling Stone), both of them were quite familiar with each other. Especially Lennon, who is said to be so infatuated with the singer-songwriter that he wrote the hit Norwegian Wood inspired by Dylan (via The Atlantic).
However, Dylan apparently took offense to it, and soon after in 1966 released Fourth Time Around. The song was understood by many as a clever parody of The Beatles’ Norwegian Wood and soon was hailed by numerous critics as the now equivalent of a ‘diss’ track.
Dylan even played the song for Lennon in person, and the last stanza sounded like the most perfect end punch delivered.
“And I, I never took much, I never asked for your crutch, Now don’t ask for mine”
This stanza was a clear enough message for The Beatles and John Lennon, stating that they, or rather the ‘smart Beatle’ should stop copying his musical style (via The Medium). While all these are just guesses, Lennon’s apparent response was more brutal and straightforward.
John Lennon’s Humiliating Revenge For Bob Dylan
John Lennon was never interested in religion and being the outspoken guy he was, often criticized it. While the celebrated musician lost his life due to his daring personality (via FarOut Magazine), it also resulted in the most humiliating revenge for Bob Dylan.
Back in 1970, Lennon released a song titled God, which called out religion and the numerous ‘authority’ and ‘influencing’ figures and concepts that human beings have looked up to for ages. However, one of the lyrics was,
‘I don’t believe in Zimmerman’
Apparently referring to Bob Dylan’s real name Robert Zimmerman and openly disregarded his choice of using a stage name instead of his real name. Even in the book Lennon Remembers, when asked about why he chose to use Dylan’s real name instead of his stage name, Lennon replied (via FarOut Magazine),
“Because Dylan is bullsh*t. Zimmerman is his name. You see, I don’t believe in Dylan, and I don’t believe in Tom Jones, either in that way. Zimmerman is his name. My name isn’t John Beatle. It’s John Lennon. Just like that.”
However, as the Medium reports, this wasn’t the only clapback that Lennon had over Dylan, for it continued on till after his tragic death.
All Bob Dylan and The Beatles’ songs are available on Spotify to stream.
