--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived as a…" description: "\"From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he was [so] much better than everybody else around.\" — Steve Earle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png" --- # From the moment \[Bob\] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he… ![“From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he was [so] much better than everybody else around.” quote by Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png) > “From the moment \[Bob\] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he was \[so\] much better than everybody else around.” [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bob Dylan's songwriting talent was far superior to his contemporaries, setting a new standard. **In simple terms:** Dylan was exceptionally talented. Key Takeaway Recognize and study exceptional talent. Themes music creativity excellence Mood admiring contemplative Type analytical celebratory When to use this quote - music criticism - songwriting workshops - music history classes Key Concepts songwriting artistic influence Questions to Reflect On - How does one measure artistic superiority? - What factors contribute to a songwriter's lasting impact? A Different Perspective Talent can be subjective and context‑dependent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrived Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrived-songwriter-6003083/) [Better Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-everybody-609231/) [Bob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bob/) [Bob dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bob-dylan/) [Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dylan/) [Dylan Arrived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dylan-arrived-6003082/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Songwriter Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriter-better-6003081/) [Songwriters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriters/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I was comparatively late in understanding Bob Dylan's overwhelming importance as a songwriter. Everybody who does my job exists in the shadow of Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-was-comparatively-late-in-understanding-bob-dylan-s-overwhelming/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [ The confessional singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s was in full swing, and Bob Dylan's emotional album \[ Blood on the Tracks\] resonated with the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-confessional-singer-songwriter-movement-of-the-1970s-was-in-full/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I think that any songwriter - and I think that Bob Dylan knows this more than all of us - you don't write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-think-that-any-songwriter-and-i-think-that-bob-dylan-knows-this/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ The \[Nobel\] prize is for literature.\[Bob\] Dylan is a songwriter. Here is where the argument starts to get interesting, because here is where it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bennun/the-nobel-prize-is-for-literature-bob-dylan-is-a-songwriter-here-is/) [David Bennun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bennun/) > [I think Bob Dylan's a good songwriter. I think he's the best songwriter in the world probably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissie-hynde/i-think-bob-dylan-s-a-good-songwriter-i-think-he-s-the-best/) [Chrissie Hynde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissie-hynde/) > [If Woody Guthrie set the bar for American songwriters, Bob Dylan jumped right over it. No one I know will ever come close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/if-woody-guthrie-set-the-bar-for-american-songwriters-bob-dylan/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Townes Van Zandt ranks alongside Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan. He inspired so many songwriters to shoot for something that's timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/townes-van-zandt-ranks-alongside-kris-kristofferson-and-bob-dylan-he/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [In New York, I'm around a lot of the reasons I started playing music in the first place. I live right behind Matt Umanov…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/in-new-york-i-m-around-a-lot-of-the-reasons-i-started-playing-music/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [ Bob Dylan is one of the very few people in the history of popular music who you can unquestionably apply that word \[genius\] to. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/bob-dylan-is-one-of-the-very-few-people-in-the-history-of-popular/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Bob Dylan emerged from nowhere, like an alien. And that was just the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/bob-dylan-emerged-from-nowhere-like-an-alien-and-that-was-just-the/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/townes-van-zandt-is-the-best-songwriter-in-the-whole-world-and-i-ll/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Gregory Corso used to get really pissed when people called Bob Dylan a 'poet.' After writing poetry for a few years, I can understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/gregory-corso-used-to-get-really-pissed-when-people-called-bob-dylan/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [The drama teacher that I had in high school, back in Texas, was the only teacher who didn't kick me out of his class.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/the-drama-teacher-that-i-had-in-high-school-back-in-texas-was-the/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [All we do as songwriters is rewrite the songs that have impressed us till we find our own voice. It's part of learning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/all-we-do-as-songwriters-is-rewrite-the-songs-that-have-impressed-us/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Songwriters are expanding time rather than compressing time. My short stories tend to be old fashioned, with a beginning, middle and end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/songwriters-are-expanding-time-rather-than-compressing-time-my-short/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) ## More by Steve Earle > [When you're really bummed out, the last thing you want to hear is up-tempo and positive. And it lets you know that you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/when-you-re-really-bummed-out-the-last-thing-you-want-to-hear-is-up/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [America's criminal justice system isn't known for rehabilitation. I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/america-s-criminal-justice-system-isn-t-known-for-rehabilitation-i-m/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I love theater. I go all the time. It's one of the reasons I moved to New York. But I understand that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-love-theater-i-go-all-the-time-it-s-one-of-the-reasons-i-moved-to/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [You know, I'm not comfortable with people whose politics are static in a democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/you-know-i-m-not-comfortable-with-people-whose-politics-are-static-in/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I had everything I need to get me killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-had-everything-i-need-to-get-me-killed/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Back then, the business depended on bohemians. ... They needed Kristofferson and Roger Miller ..It was the tail end of something...the last Tin Pan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/back-then-the-business-depended-on-bohemians-they-needed/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I think the singer/songwriter genre is going to be like bluegrass and jazz. You can make a living at it, but it's not part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-think-the-singer-songwriter-genre-is-going-to-be-like-bluegrass-and/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I've been a serial husband, and I've done it badly every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-ve-been-a-serial-husband-and-i-ve-done-it-badly-every-time/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Every day on Earth is another chance to get it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/every-day-on-earth-is-another-chance-to-get-it-right/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [The singer-songwriter has always played music that was stylistically rooted in the '30s and the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. But the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/the-singer-songwriter-has-always-played-music-that-was-stylistically/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Sonnets are guys writing in English, imitating an Italian song form. It was a form definitely sung as often as it was recited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/sonnets-are-guys-writing-in-english-imitating-an-italian-song-form-it/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [When I write something simple I'm always really proud of it. When you write something that simple with that much air in it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/when-i-write-something-simple-i-m-always-really-proud-of-it-when-you/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [My spiritual system is 12-step programs. That's the only one I've ever had. I didn't have one before that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/my-spiritual-system-is-12-step-programs-that-s-the-only-one-i-ve-ever/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [“As he left room 817, Nguyen turned for one final look before he allowed the soldiers to enter and remove the body. Nguyen thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/as-he-left-room-817-nguyen-turned-for-one-final-look-before-he/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [The drama teacher that I had in high school, back in Texas, was the only teacher who didn't kick me out of his class.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/the-drama-teacher-that-i-had-in-high-school-back-in-texas-was-the/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) [Explore all 146 Steve Earle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) ## More Bob quotes > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ The most recent incarnation of \[Bob\] Dylan has been the traveling journeyman/ charlatan who sings roots music, snarls dark lyrics that make "All Along… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/the-most-recent-incarnation-of-bob-dylan-has-been-the-traveling/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Because of my tremendous respect for Bob Barker and for the show's high standards of professionalism I consider this a tremendous honor that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-west/because-of-my-tremendous-respect-for-bob-barker-and-for-the-show-s/) [Randy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-west/) > [That's who I wanted to be like was Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/that-s-who-i-wanted-to-be-like-was-bob-dylan/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Listen, the story of the United States is this: One kid, without anything, walks out of his house, down the road, with nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/listen-the-story-of-the-united-states-is-this-one-kid-without/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) [Browse all 886 Bob quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bob/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he was [so] much better than everybody else around.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Earle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-songwriter-he-was-so-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bob" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-songwriter-he-was-so-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/steve-earle-2893_bob_from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-s_778480.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived as a songwriter, he was [so] much better than everybody else around.” — Steve Earle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steve Earle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "From the moment [Bob] Dylan arrived...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-songwriter-he-was-so-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/from-the-moment-bob-dylan-arrived-as-a-songwriter-he-was-so-much/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```