Daring comparison of Elvis Costello: Parallel between Taylor Swift and Bob Dylan

This comparison of Elvis Costello (70) will probably have fans of both fan camps rubbing their eyes in amazement. The British music great even compared the songwriting style of Taylor Swift (34) with that of US legend Bob Dylan (83). “Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt,” Costello expressed the opinion that Dylan and Swift had the same ability to “speak to people” with their lyrics.

He explains his thought process by saying that Swift likes to use personal experiences such as breakups to create emotional songs. She always does this in a way that a large number of listeners can identify with. Dylan did this similarly with many of his successful songs, using his own experiences to convey a larger message. “One moment it seems to be very raw personal emotions, the next moment it’s clear [fiktive] Inventions. That keeps you guessing and that’s what makes things so interesting.”

This is an observation he has made with many current artists, Costello continued. Swift is simply “the most successful one you can quote.” This ability is so noticeable to the 70-year-old because he himself supposedly lacks it: “I’ve always been known for not wanting to just say: ‘Here’s my diary. Let’s make music out of it.'”

If – unlike Dylan and Swift – you don’t have a talent for making personal experiences suitable for the masses, you could be in for a debacle, Costello muses. For example, the heart sometimes breaks “in an instant. But the effects can be very distressing and kind of boring. So if you just recite them in real time, they’re not necessarily fascinating to other people.”