It’s hard to imagine Bob Dylan ever being devoid of ideas. The renowned wordsmith consistently excels in his artistic pursuits, making the idea of him facing a creative roadblock seem unimaginable. However, in 1990, this unfortunate predicament did indeed befall the rock ‘n’ roll poet. He confronted a case of writer’s block and embarked on the ambitious journey of attempting to conquer it on the fly…but it just didn’t work.
When the list of songs for Dylan’s 1990 album Under the Red Sky was unveiled, one track, in particular, grabbed immediate attention: ‘Wiggle Wiggle’. It seemed like a phrase that should never escape the lips of the iconic troubadour with a timeless legacy. This song remains a puzzling anomaly, an inexplicable oddity that, ideally, probably should have been discarded to save fans from all the confusion that followed.
Perhaps there’s a hopeful lesson to be gleaned from this bizarre musical detour: even the greatest are not immune to creative stumbles. During the recording of Under the Red Sky, Dylan found himself at the hands of despair. This was a man who had already gifted the world with a treasure trove of songs, and now he had hit a significant block.
Discussing his challenging experience with Rolling Stone back in 2006, Dylan explained that he “wasn’t bringing anything at all into the studio” while making the album. “I was completely disillusioned,” he admitted. “I’d let someone else take control of it all and just come up with lyrics to the melody of the song.” If the title is anything to go by, ‘Wiggle Wiggle’ ultimately seemed between a fundamental cry for help and an absurd statement of defeat.
For an artist who had previously written with a sense of unchained creativity, allowing inspiration to course through his work seamlessly, the absence of this flowing muse was particularly significant. Dylan reflected on his earlier creations, such as ‘It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)’, and remarked, “Try to sit down and write something like that. There is a magic to that. And It’s not a Siegfried & Roy kind of magic; it’s a different kind of penetrating magic.“
Although ‘Wiggle Wiggle’ remains shrouded in mystery, thankfully, his legacy charges on without the song’s tarnishing. What’s more, despite being one of the most profound poets in music history, Dylan has always possessed the ability to view his contributions with lighthearted sentiment. When asked if he considered himself more of a singer or a songwriter in 1965, he quipped: “I see myself as more of a song and dance man.”
While it’s true that some of his work doesn’t quite measure up to his more celebrated pieces, Dylan’s failures often come with an intriguing twist. His failures aren’t the result of resting on his laurels; they’re driven by his relentless quest to introduce fresh elements into his body of work. Even when it appears that he might fail due to a perceived lack of effort, you can’t help but admire that punk spirit — a spirit rooted in the same audacious vein that led him to challenge conventions and ignite his own path.
