Mozambique (song)
| "Mozambique" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Oh, Sister" |
"Mozambique" is a song written by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy that was originally released on Dylan's 1976 album Desire. It was also released as a single and reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Background
At the time of the song's release, the titular country of Mozambique had just emerged from a ten-year insurgency war against Portugal which led to Mozambique's independence.[1][2] Mozambique had gained independence on June 25, 1975, only about a month before the song was recorded.[3] As a result, some supporters wanted to see the song as lending support to the newly independent country.[1] However, the lyrics of the song don't support such an interpretation, being slight and treating the country as merely a place for a romantic getaway in the sun, apart from a fleeting reference to "people living free".[1] This amused some of Dylan's fans, who did understand the satire.[2]
Analysis
The melody received more praise than the lyrics. Robert Shelton describes the tune as "playful."[4] Authors Oliver Trager and John Nogowski both describe the melody as "great" and particularly praise the violin playing of Scarlet Rivera.[1][5]
Author Oliver Trager describes "Mozambique" as "a light love song with lighter political overtones."[1] Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls it "effervescent" and "Dylan at his breeziest."[6] Paul Williams considers "Mozambique" to be one of several songs on Desire with "wonderful, inventive, pleasure-giving" music which nonetheless fails to reach the intensity and unity of the other songs because the lyrics are "a little too vague, too clever" and "too distanced."[7] Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin considers the song to be a "ditty dredged up from the bottom of the barrel," "ghastly" and "the weakest song on Desire."[2][8]
"Mozambique" was also released as a single as a follow up to the Top 40 hit "Hurricane" and it reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100.[9] Heylin suggests that Dylan may have released it as a single over songs fans might have preferred—particularly "Sara"—to spite fans who criticized the song for its slight lyrics trivializing the conflict in Mozambique.[2] The song also appeared on the compilation album Masterpieces.[10] A live performance was included in the television special Hard Rain but not on the associated album.[1][7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Trager, O. (2004). Keys to the Rain. Billboard Books. p. 436. ISBN 0823079740.
- ^ a b c d Heylin, C. (2010). Still on the Road. Chicago Review Press. p. 83. ISBN 9781556528446.
- ^ "Independence Day". officeholidays.com. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
- ^ Shelton, R. (1986). No Direction Home. Da Capo Press. p. 466. ISBN 0306807823.
- ^ Nogowski, J. (2008). Bob Dylan: A Descriptive, Critical Discography and Filmography (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 75. ISBN 9780786435180.
- ^ Erlewine, S.T. "Desire". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
- ^ a b Williams, P. (1994). Bob Dylan Performing Artist: 1974-1986. Omnibus Press. pp. 45, 47, 88. ISBN 0711935556.
- ^ Heylin, C. (1995). Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions 1960-1994. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 113. ISBN 0312150679.
- ^ "Desire Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
- ^ "Mozambique". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
