Anyone who has followed Bob Dylan's career over the course of a lifetime will agree that Bob Dylan is one of a kind. I think the same can be said for Daniel Botkin, a lifelong Dylan fan, artist and singer/songwriter in addition to being a Bible teacher and conference speaker.I first met Mr. Botkin at the 2016 Duluth Dylan Fest and helped orchestrate his one man art show at The Red Mug that year, which also included an artist talk that garnered a good crowd and TV coverage. His creativity extends to performing as well, and he's continued to participate annually in the singer/songwriter contests that have continued in Duluth.
Botkin, who hails from Peoria, Illinois, also has a sense of humor that reveals itself in both his art and his songwriting. On one occasion he was in his house singing "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" and his wife told him to sing something his twin daughters would enjoy. He reinvented the song as "The Ballad of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Priest," which he later performed here in Duluth.
This spring he assembled a collection of riddles for Dylan fans which he may have intended for distribution at our 2020 Dylan Fest which had unfortunately been cancelled due to the pandemic. I obtained a copy a couple weeks back and found it quite entertaining. There's a sense in which it's not only a book of riddles but also a trivia contest. A few of the answers will be obvious, but many will challenge even the most dedicated fan.
Here are a handful of riddles so you can catch the spirit of this book. The 57 page volume includes a chapter on where the idea for this book came from, a brief history of Botkin's relationship to the music of Bob Dylan and some other bonus material. For $7.99 I think it's a pretty good value and might make a good gift for the Dylan fan who already has everything else.
What did the farmer say to his stubborn hen?
A: Lay, lady, lay.
Lay, Lady, Lay
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| "Motorcycle Black Madonna" -- Painting by D. Botkin |
A: When your rooster crows at the break of dawn.
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
What did Bobby Zimmerman‘s mom say to him when he came home after his curfew?
A: Where have you been my blue-eyed son?
Hard Rain
What do Dylan fans say when they set their clocks ahead for daylight savings time?
A: The times they are a changin'.
The Times Are A-Changin'
What does a Dylan fan do when you ask him for $.15?
A: Well, he hands you a nickel, he hands you a dime.
Maggie's Farm
Why can't burglars break into Bob Dylan‘s house?
A: His bedroom window it is made out of bricks and the National Guard stands around his door.
Maggie's Farm
What did the Dylan fan say to a friend who couldn’t remember his own phone number?
A: They say that Pat Garrett’s got your number.
Billy 1
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| Self-Portrait with Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat |
A: Will I be able to count on you?
Is Your Love In Vain
What did the surgeon say to the Dylan fan is they wheeled him into the operating room?
A: You won’t get out of here unscarred.
Narrow Way
What did the Dylan fan say to Marie-Antoinette?
A: You went and lost your lovely head.
Narrow Way
You can tell the book is truly "hot off the press." It even has a riddle from "I Contain Multitudes."
What did the florist say in response to the customers complaint about the wounded flowers?
A: The flowers are dying like all things do
You can find links to Daniel Botkin's Riddles for Fans of Bob Dylan as well as prints of his paintings at DanielBotkin.com.
Related Links
Interview with Artist Daniel Botkin, Winner of the 2012 Dylan Days Art Competition
Like Dylan, Artist Daniel Botkin Reconfigures American Classics
Daniel Botkin's Gallery of Dylan-Themed Art
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