Buy Bob Back

I just read that Bob Dylan sold himself-- and the song "Forever Young" to Pepsi Corporation for a Superbowl ad.

Say it aint true, baby blue! The author of all those great songs about the corrosive effects of materialism and corruption... sold out! Again!

What's his explanation? That everybody does it? That kids today don't mind their artists selling their souls? That he needed the money?

So a new generation of music fans will grow up thinking that "Forever Young" is a jingle. Or that "The Times They Are A'Changin'" means that the Bank of Montreal provides better investment services than they did when black people were oppressed and war was evil.

Well, maybe there's hope. If enough of us Bob Dylan fans link together on Facebook, maybe we can raise a million dollars, or two million, or three. The next time some corporation makes a crass offer for Dylan song, we can offer to match it and Buy Bob Back! What do you say, Dylanistas?

Even better: let's make it clear to the world that honesty and integrity in art and music do matter, and that you can't make uncompromising statements about the corrosive effects of incessant advertising and consumerism when Pepsi is pulling your strings or Budweiser backs your band.

Join now. Please.