Misunderstood art of the “message song” — from Dylan to Gaga

As the cliche goes, Bob Dylan is a lot of things to a lot of people.

But to too many, he’s still the rabble-rousing folkie he could appear to be in 1962. For those individuals, it hardly matters that by 1964, Dylan was already chiding himself for having been “so much older then — I’m younger than that now.”

One of those folks who would pigeonhole the songwriter is New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who last Sunday picked up the gauntlet for quite a few writers who were shocked and outraged that Dylan would play concerts in China last week — without taking a proverbial brick to the fascist Chinese state while he was at it.

They allege that Dylan neglected to play one of his classics, “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” at the behest of the oppressive Chinese government (yes, they regularly vet performers’ setlists, though to what extent they did here remains a mystery. He seldom plays the song these days).

This doesn’t bother me because I’m a big fan of the guy, whom Dowd derided as a soulless, washed-up, money-grubbing bore. He does have his pile of money to go home to, as well as the confidence that at least a hundred adoring books will be published in the time it takes you to finish this sentence; he’ll be okay.

But what about the song? “The Times They Are a-Changin’” is a good one, and to have it dismissed or extolled as some lame protest tune is unfortunate. Like most of his early stuff, it has a world-weariness and a thoughtful sense of doom about it.

You can see why they would speak to protesters worried about the Vietnam War a year or so later, yet lazy columnists and even Associated Press stories have seized this opportunity to allege, yet again, that these songs were narrowly centered on political turmoil of the day, or even the days and years after they were written.

It doesn’t just do a disservice to great music, it sends a horrible message to the Bob Dylans of today.

Of course I’m talking about Lady Gaga. Okay, she has written some pretty good songs herself, though I’m not sure if her current single is one of them; after months of hyping and teasing of “Born This Way,” a lot of people seemed to feel they’d just gotten some warmed-over Madonna. But on a conceptual level, it’s something 1980s Madonna never really served up: an unambiguous anthem. A message song. Her “The Times They Are a-Changin,’” if you will.

Don’t hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you’re set

I’m on the right track, baby

I was born this way, born this way.

On one hand, she deserves a lot of credit for upping the ante in what had become a sleazy game among pop stars this year — co-opting gay culture, at the height of a pivotal political moment, with songs that are sorta-kinda about acceptance.

Gaga’s song touches on insecurity, and for some reason jumbles a bunch of slurs in an attempt at racial inclusion; but she keeps returning to same-sex love and “transgender life.” As our news editor Noah Hurowitz pointed out, when was the last time you heard a blockbuster pop song deal with those things so explicitly?

“Lola,” maybe.

So while you could commend the song for going boldly where so many others tread lightly, if at all, that’s not enough to make it a great song. The Madonna hits it recalls became truly anthemic for a segment the gay community by (I’m told) absorbing and articulating gay dance culture in a way that transcended any overt “message.”

As did Carl Bean, when he composed his 1975 disco anthem called…“I Was Born This Way.” It’s no doubt a song with something to say, but the declarations are a lot more poignant for being personal.

I’m walking through life in nature’s disguise

You laugh at me and you criticize

‘Cause I’m happy, carefree and gay

I was born this way.