Play A Song For Me

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Dress: Anthea Crawford textured jacquard

Wrap: Hari Seng

Booties: Corelli @ Williams

Bag: Novo patent

Necklace: Lovisa

Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

Ring: Georgini

Thin Ring: Thousand Island Dressing

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Last night, I was lucky enough to attend Bob Dylan's Brisbane Concert with my brother & cousin. Such a special, possibly-never-to-be-repeated event needed something truly epic to wear. I had been saving this textured rose print Anthea Crawford jacquard dress for just such an occasion & mixed it with predominantly chunky accessories for maximum impact: black beaded necklace, silver bangle, black stone ring & as a finishing touch, added a small ring dotted with black diamantes on my pointer finger. 

Temperatures at concert venues are notoriously difficult to judge & as we were sitting so close to the front - fifth row, people!! - I knew it would be hot with all of the stage lights, so took a silk & wool-backed wrap to bundle myself up in on the way back to the car.  

The concert was amazing. The man himself was phenomenal. The voice of his generation, still so pertinent today. For me, it was the stuff that dreams were made of, having grown up in a household where protest music was the norm & little Frances thought that Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel, Universal Soldier by Donovan & Mr Tamborine Man by Dylan were children's songs until I realised that the other children at kindergarten had NO idea what I was talking about & were content singing about the Five Little Ducks. 

Much like Neil Young, Dylan spent 75% of the concert playing new - or newer - songs, particularly from his new album, Tempest, but it didn't really matter... Most of the audience seemed hypnotised by the fact that they were actually seeing/hearing that man IN PERSON! As my cousin hypothesised, he is quite a commanding presence, particularly in the cowboy-mixed-with-vintage-conductor getup he wore last night. Then there was the fact that he played All Along the Watchtower & Blowin' in the Wind as the encore... It's safe to say that it pretty much MADE MY LIFE! 

The man. Singing my favourite song since childhood. The song that he wrote. The song that pretty much sums up absolutely everything that I think & feel & believe about this world. And he played the harmonica. In front of me. MIND OFFICIALLY BLOWN!!

Of course, it goes without saying that between the three of us we spent up big at the merchandise counter, going home with shirts, bandanas & programs. Check me out below, post-concert, gleefully holding up my purchases...

For those of you who don't know Dylan (you're missing out, in my humble opinion!) & have never really heard any of his songs, I have compiled a list of Franny's Top Ten Faves:

#1 Blowin' in the Wind

Yes, how many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

#2 Mr Tamborine Man

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free

Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands

With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves

Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Hey! Mr Tamborine Man, play a song for me

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to

Hey! Mr Tamborine Man, play a song for me

In the jingle jangle morning, I'll come following you

#3 Shelter from the Storm

Suddenly, I turned around and she was standing there

With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair

She walked up to my so gracefully and took my crown of thorns

"Come in," she said

"I'll give ya shelter from the storm"

#4 All Along the Watchtower

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view

While all the women came and went, barefoot servants too

Outside in the distance, a wild cat did growl

Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl

#5 Don't Think Twice, It's Alright

I'm a-thinkin' and a-wonderin' walking down the road

I once loved a woman, a child I am told

I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul

But don't think twice, it's alright

#6 Subterranean Homesick Blues

Ah, get born, keep warm

Short pants, romance, learn to dance

Get dressed, get blessed

Try to be a success

Please her, please him, buy gifts

Don't steal, don't lift

Twenty years of schoolin'

And they put you on the day shift

#7 Lay Lady Lay

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed

Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead

I long to see you in the morning light

I long to reach for you in the night

Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead

#8 Like A Rolling Stone

Ah, you never turned around to see the frowns

On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you

You never understood that it ain't no good

You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you

#9 The Hurricane

Here comes the story of the Hurricane

The man the authorities came to blame

For something that he never done

Put in a prison cell but one time he could-a been

The champion of the world

#10 Tombstone Blues 

Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain

That could hold you, dear lady, from going insane

That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain

Of your useless and pointless knowledge

Addendum to Concert: Someone (who shall remain nameless) may have seen her idol when she was out today at Southbank. Seriously, not stalking him... just a coincidence. And he may have spoken to her. TO HER. And she might have jumped up & down. And babbled almost incoherently. And nearly cried. And called him Mr Dylan... You know, maybe. 

MIND. OFFICIALLY. BLOWN.