Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg is undoubtedly the greatest American poet of the latter part of the Twentieth Century. Bob Dylan's innovative lyrics owed a huge debt to Ginsberg's stream-of-consciousness approach to composition, and when the two met in the late Sixties, Dylan encouraged Ginsberg's dream of becoming a singer/songwriter. The results are...

By J. Poet

February 16, 2006

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Allen Ginsberg is undoubtedly the greatest American poet of the latter part of the Twentieth Century. Bob Dylan's innovative lyrics owed a huge debt to Ginsberg's stream-of-consciousness approach to composition, and when the two met in the late Sixties, Dylan encouraged Ginsberg's dream of becoming a singer/songwriter. The results are on display in this reissue, a two-album set Ginsberg cut with Dylan's support and originally released on producer John Hammond's short-lived John Hammond Records in 1982. If you've heard any of Ginsberg's live or recorded poetry readings, you know he's a powerful performer. These discs show off his singing voice, which isn't half bad. Now and again he tries for notes he can't quite hit, but the power of his lyrics and the obvious joy he takes in his singing transcend minor quibbles.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Miami New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.