What makes a song great?

14th December 2022 Oxford Brookes University

Bob Dylan’s new book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, provides a commentary on 60+ wonderful modern songs. He discusses the merits and idiosyncracies of songs by The Clash, The Who, Frank Sinatra, Pete Seeger, The Temptations, Elvis Costello, Mose Allison and many more.

We'll discuss Dylan’s choices and we want to hear yours, while our Think Human House Band of students and staff plays a selection of great songs for us.

Our panel includes Prof. Roger Dalrymple (educationalist and Dylan enthusiast), Dr. Jan Butler (Senior Lecturer in Music at Brookes), Constantine Sandis (Professor of Philosophy University of Herts) and will be chaired by Professor Gary Browning co-editor with Constantine Sandis of Dylan at 80- it used to go like that and now it goes like this.