“I’ll Fly Away” is my favorite song in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? This version was recorded by the wonderful Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss.
Below Dylan plays one of my favorite versions of “A Man of Constant Sorrow” (at about the 3 minute mark). This clip from Scorsese’s documentary No Direction Home also makes reference to both Tommy and Robert Johnson, two unrelated blues musicians from Mississippi. As the varying myths go, they sold their souls to the devil in return for being able to play the guitar masterfully. It seems like Tommy turns up in O Brother as the young musician that Everett, Pete and Delmar pick up at the crossroads. I like how Dylan grins and jokingly tries to attribute this story to his own life. It seems fitting; Dylan is oftentimes mythologized by his admirers, and sometimes by himself as well.
But I find it very interesting that the Coen Brothers are able to incorporate and intermingle both Greek and American myth so well into their film. One could argue, as we did in class, that these myths are what makes the movie interesting and worthwhile to study. Or, as Thomas Foster argues in the chapter of his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor titled “It’s Greek to Me,” “myth is a body of story that matters.”
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Ah I see you’re still pushing Dylan in your classes, Mr Quale. I actually just took an entire class on Dylan, which was more of an excuse to watch all of those many many films (Including I’m Not There!) about him for college credit, haha. I must say though, many of your references in class make more sense now… I think the most interesting part about Dylan is how he just gets angry when people try to categorize him; he’s just doing what he always has done because that’s what he does, all the meaning is what we put into it. I guess that’s art.
I’m always pushing Dylan, but how can you not? In my opinion, you need to study him when you study the Odyssey. I’m Not There was quite excellent, in my opinion. But I think you do need to be very familiar with his music to appreciate that one.