Looking for Bob Dylan song that references Wallace Stevens' "Emperor of Ice Cream"

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I usually find posts like this annoying, but where better to ask?

I caught the end of a Dylan song yesterday that references... well, the title says it all. No luck with google yet. I know he stopped being relevant before three-quarters of the people on this board were born, but maybe there's an obessive out there somewhere (or someone who knows a better forum to ask in?)

Thanks!

― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:31 (twenty years ago)

Bobdylan.com has a lyric search function, if that helps.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:40 (twenty years ago)

Well, I'm pretty obsessive but don't really know what you're talking about. Is he referencing the title or lifting a melody?

― Le Baaderonixx de Benedict Canyon (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:41 (twenty years ago)

Bob's still relevant. Love and Theft is my favorite record of the 2000s.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:50 (twenty years ago)

Stevens' melodies really *don't* get enough love.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Much like Ted Hughes' riffs.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Nothing came up on the Dylan site, but thanks. I'm a bit worried that it's just some quasi-ad-lib and therefore unsearchable -- something that someone will have to have heard it.

Wallace Stevens is actually a well-regarded American poet from the first half of the 20th century. (Sorry if you knew that; otherwise see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Stevens.) So "Emperor of Ice Cream" is actually a proper poem. As I recall, Dylan was singing about some Greenwich village scene and one line in the chorus (or an otherwise repeating line) mentioned "the emperor of ice cream." I'm no Dylan expert but it definitely sounded from the earlier part of his career.

― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:56 (twenty years ago)

I know what you're talking about but I can't remember what song it is. I can confirm that it does exist though.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Stevens' melodies really *don't* get enough love.

"Notes Toward A Love Supreme"
"Thirteen Ways of Listening To 'Blackbird'"
"Sunday Morning (Sinking Downward to Darkness On Extended Wings)"
"The Man With The Weeping Guitar"
"The Iron Man"

You could be thinking of...
"The Idea Of Order At Desolation Row"
"Anecdote Of Johanna"
"The Comedian As Jack Of Hearts"

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:21 (twenty years ago)

"No Sop, No Possum, No Rock & Roll"

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:23 (twenty years ago)

hmmmm theres a site out there that covers a lot of dylans allusions...that might be a place...its not ringing bells, but i know there are links between dylan and stevens

― bb (bbrz), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:33 (twenty years ago)

"The Rabbit As The Bush Of Ghosts"
"Tea For The Tillerman Of Hoon"
"Of Mere Being There"
"Charanga To Its Neighbor"

I think I remember that Jonatha Brooke had references to "The Snow Man" in some song on Angel In The House.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:46 (twenty years ago)

You're thinking of Young Jeezy.

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 21:58 (twenty years ago)

The roof was on fire and the world was calm

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 22:12 (twenty years ago)

The voice of the Village sceeene,
It's the Emperor of Ice Creeeamm,
far from insurance poets in Hartford,
I'm for a jar in Tenneseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

― Mr. D., Tuesday, 14 March 2006 22:44 (twenty years ago)

Christopher Ricks to thread!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 23:02 (twenty years ago)

Don't know about Dylan, but They Might Be Giants refer to a line from this poem in "Pencil Rain": "The possible dream / Finale of seem."

Yeah, I know, nerd alert.

― goodoldneon (goodoldneon), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 00:24 (twenty years ago)

"Don't Let Your Dresser Of Deal Go Down"

― brianiast (briania), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 02:47 (twenty years ago)

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