Thanks to Douglas LeBlanc who e-mails this follow-up to the story of Jimmy Carter falling out of love with Bob Dylan after Slow Train Coming:

I’m skeptical about the claim that President Carter abandoned Bob Dylan’s music after the release of Slow Train Coming.

Wesley G. Pippert, former White House correspondent for UPI, wrote about having a Sunday lunch with Carters at the White House on November 4, 1979. I quote from An Ethics of News: A Reporter’s Search for Truth (Georgetown University Press, 1989):

Then Carter suggested we go into the den across the grand hallway, and he played Bob Dylan’s new record, “Slow Train-a-Comin’.” [sic] Carter had remarked during the meal that Dylan had become a Christian and he wanted him to perform at the White House (which never occurred). As the record played, Carter nuzzled the little boys [his grandchildren, Jason and James Earl IV] and softly sang the words to “Man [Gave Names to] All the Animals.” And whenever they got to the part, “…I think I’ll call [it] — a pig!” or “…I think I’ll call [it] a [sheep]!” they laughed with glee.

If Carter was disenchanted by Slow Train Coming, he had an odd way of showing it.

Well, as mentioned in my own post about it the other day, the sloppiness by author Mattson in his characterizations of Bob Dylan and his music doesn’t attest to the fastidiousness and accuracy of his book generally.

Still, of-course the song Man Gave Names To All the Animals is one that could be enjoyed as a lighthearted track, even by someone who didn’t dig the pronounced tilt of the rest of the songs on that record.

Then there’s the additional detail of Carter desiring Dylan to perform at the White House — which would seem to indicate that Jimmy wasn’t disenchanted with him. (I wonder why Dylan didn’t end up playing there?)

So I guess we can make of it all what we will, apply grains of salt appropriately and refrain from counting unhatched chickens.

It’s certainly, from my point of view, an extremely minor detail of the catastrophic Carter presidency.

…

Addendum: I’m reminded that I wrote at some length on Jimmy Carter before, in another context; that is, a close look at the absolutely horrifying eulogy that he delivered (allegedly) in honor of Gerald Ford: Let’s have a moment of silence in memory of ME. Looking back on it, I think it’s quite a good take on the man from Plains, even if I do say so myself.

...................
Share this!

Posts which might be related to this one based on a mysterious algorithm:

• Jimmy Carter “abandoned” Bob Dylan with Slow Train Coming
• Slow Train Chuggin’
• “Worst president ever?”