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Bob Dylan just scored his first-ever number 1 hit: a 17-minute song about the Kennedy assassination

Bob Dylan’s new single, “Murder Most Foul” about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and its impact on America is his first to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is remarkable because it does a great job at documenting the history of the event while also portraying the raw emotional…

By

Tod Perry

Array
Array – Photo credit: via Thomas Dollinger / Twitter

Bob Dylan’s new single, “Murder Most Foul” about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and its impact on America is his first to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is remarkable because it does a great job at documenting the history of the event while also portraying the raw emotional energy surrounding the assassination.

Dylan has written songs that went to number one for other artists, Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963) and the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965). But, at the tender age of 78, this is the first in Dylan’s own name.

He reached number two on the Hot 100 twice in 1965 with “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (a.k.a “Everybody Must Get Stoned”). He hit #2 on the Adult Alternative charts in 2000 with “Things Have Changed.”





“Murder Most Foul” by Bob Dylan

1.

‘Twas a dark day in Dallas – November ’63
The day that will live on in infamy
President Kennedy was riding high
A good day to be living and a good day to die
Being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb
Say wait a minute boys, do you know who I am?
Of course we do, we know who you are
Then they blew off his head when he was still in the car
Shot down like a dog in broad daylight
‘Twas a matter of timing and the timing was right
You got unpaid debts and we’ve come to collect
We’re gon’ kill you with hatred and without any respect
We’ll mock you and shock you, we’ll grin in your face
We’ve already got someone here to take your place
The day that they blew out the brains of the king
Thousands were watching, no one saw a thing
It happened so quickly – so quick by surprise
Right there in front of everyone’s eyes

Greatest magic trick ever under the sun
Perfectly executed, skillfully done
Wolfman, oh wolfman, oh wolfman, howl
Rub a dub dub – it’s murder most foul

2.
Hush li’l children, you’ll soon understand
The Beatles are coming they’re gonna hold your hand
Slide down the bannister, go get your coat
Ferry ‘cross the Mersey and go for the throat
There’s three bums comin’ all dressed in rags
Pick up the pieces and lower the flags
I’m going to Woodstock, it’s the Aquarian Age
Then I’ll go over to Altamont and sit near the stage
Put your head out the window, let the good times roll
There’s a party going on behind the grassy knoll
Stack up the bricks and pour the cement
Don’t say Dallas don’t love you, Mr. President
Put your foot in the tank and step on the gas
Try to make it to the triple underpass
Black face singer – white face clown
Better not show your faces after the sun goes down

I’m in the red-light district like a cop on the beat
Living in a nightmare on Elm Street
When you’re down on deep Ellum put your money in your shoe
Don’t ask what your country can do for you
Cash on the barrel head, money to burn
Dealey Plaza, make a left hand turn
I’m going to the crossroads, gonna flag a ride
That’s the place where Faith, Hope and Charity died
Shoot ’em while he runs, boy, shoot ’em while you can
See if you can shoot the Invisible Man
Goodbye, Charlie, goodbye Uncle Sam
Frankly, Miss Scarlet, I don’t give a damn
What is the truth and where did it go
Ask Oswald and Ruby – they oughta know
Shut your mouth, says the wise old owl
Business is business and it’s murder most foul

3.
Tommy can you hear me, I’m the Acid Queen
I’m ridin’ in a long black Lincoln limousine
Ridin’ in the back seat, next to my wife
Heading straight on into the afterlife
I’m leaning to the left, got my head in her lap
Oh Lord, I’ve been led into some kind of a trap
We ask no quarter, no quarter do we give
We’re right down the street from the street where you live
They mutilated his body and took out his brain
What more could they do, they piled on the pain
But his soul was not there where it was supposed to be at
For the last fifty years they’ve been searching for that
Freedom, oh freedom, freedom over me
Hate to tell you, Mister, but only dead men are free
Send me some loving – tell me no lie
Throw the gun in the gutter and walk on by
Wake Up, Little Suzie, let’s go for a drive
Cross the Trinity River, let’s keep hope alive
Turn the radio on, don’t touch the dials
Parkland Hospital’s only six more miles
You got me Dizzy Miss Lizzy, you filled me with lead
That magic bullet of yours has gone to my head
I’m just a patsy like Patsy Cline
I never shot anyone from in front or behind
Got blood in my eyes, got blood in my ear
I’m never gonna make it to the New Frontier

Zapruder’s film, I’ve seen that before
Seen it thirty three times, maybe more
It’s vile and deceitful – it’s cruel and it’s mean
Ugliest thing that you ever have seen
They killed him once, they killed him twice
Killed him like a human sacrifice
The day that they killed him, someone said to me, “Son,
The age of the anti-Christ has just only begun.”
Air Force One coming in through the gate
Johnson sworn in at two thirty-eight
Let me know when you decide to throw in the towel
It is what it is and it’s murder most foul

4.
What’s New Pussycat – wha’d I say
I said the soul of a nation been torn away
It’s beginning to go down into a slow decay
And that it’s thirty-six hours past judgment day
Wolfman Jack, he’s speaking in tongues
He’s going on and on at the top of his lungs
Play me a song, Mr. Wolfman Jack
Play it for me in my long Cadillac
Play that Only The Good Die Young
Take me to the place where Tom Dooley was hung
Play St. James Infirmary in the court of King James
If you want to remember, better write down the names
Play Etta James too, play I’d Rather Go Blind
Play it for the man with the telepathic mind
Play John Lee Hooker play Scratch My Back
Play it for that strip club owner named Jack
Guitar Slim – Goin’ Down Slow
Play it for me and for Marilyn Monroe
And please, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Play it for the First Lady, she ain’t feeling that good
Play Don Henley – play Glenn Frey
Take it to the Limit and let it go by
And play it for Carl Wilson, too
Lookin’ far, far away down Gower Avenue
Play Tragedy, play Twilight Time
Take Me Back to Tulsa to the scene of the crime
Play another one and Another One Bites the Dust
Play the Old Rugged Cross and in G-d We Trust
Ride the Pink Horse down that Long, Lonesome Road
Stand there and wait for his head to explode
Play Mystery Train for Mr. Mystery
The man who fell down dead, like a rootless tree
Play it for the Reverend, play it for the Pastor
Play it for the dog that’s got no master
Play Oscar Peterson and play Stan Getz
Play Blue Sky, play Dickie Betts
Play Art Pepper, play Thelonious Monk
Charlie Parker and all that junk
All that junk and All That Jazz
Play something for The Birdman of Alcatraz
Play Buster Keaton play Harold Lloyd
Play Bugsy Siegel play Pretty Boy Floyd
Play all the numbers, play all the odds
Play Cry Me A River for the Lord of the Gods
Play number nine, play number six
Play it for Lindsey and Stevie Nicks
Play Nat King Cole, play Nature Boy
Play Down in the Boondocks for Terry Malloy
Play It Happened One Night and One Night of Sin
There’s twelve million souls that are listening in
Play the Merchant of Venice, play the merchants of death
Play Stella by Starlight for Lady Macbeth
Don’t worry Mr. President, help’s on the way
Your brothers are comin’, there’ll be hell to pay
Brothers? What brothers? What’s this about hell?
Tell ’em we’re waitin’- keep coming – we’ll get ’em as well
Love Field is where his plane touched down
But it never did get back up off of the ground
Was a hard act to follow, second to none
They killed him on the altar of the Rising Sun
Play Misty for me and that Old Devil Moon
Play Anything Goes and Memphis in June
Play Lonely at the Top and Lonely Are the Brave
Play it for Houdini spinning around in his grave
Play Jelly Roll Morton, play Lucille
Play Deep in a Dream and play Drivin’ Wheel
Play Moonlight Sonata in F sharp
And Key to the Highway by the king of the harp
Play Marchin’ Through Georgia and Dumbarton’s drum
Play Darkness and death will come when it comes
Play Love Me or Leave Me by the great Bud Powell
Play the Blood Stained Banner – play Murder Most Foul

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      “This is inspiring”

      Here are some of the top comments: 

      “Dude you are LOCKED IN 🤘”

      “Is the trigger for the kick in your mouth this is AMAZING 💪🏻

      “Hell yeah button 👉🏻”

      “For any non drummers, please know this is incredibly tight playing”

      “Pardon me sir but this is amazing !!!!”

      “Nothing stopping you!!! 🔥🔥🔥”

      “Im about to have a major spine surgery and i have a fear of losing mobility in my legs after and nor being able to drum. This gave me hope even if the worst comes to pass. This is inspiring”

      “Obsessed with rhythm”

      Avi tells Upworthy he started playing drums around age 10, “obsessed with rhythm.” When he first saw the video for Hanson’s 1997 pop hit “MMMBop” on MTV, he found himself locking in on the drummer, Zac Hanson. “Something about the power and control behind the kit pulled me in, and the fact that it was just kids playing blew my mind,” he says.

      Soon enough, he was “banging on pillows” and quickly found himself behind an actual kit. But after a spinal cord injury at age 13, he stopped playing for several years—and when he started back, he couldn’t continue with the traditional drum setup.

      “At first, that was frustrating—because muscle memory and habit are huge parts of drumming,” he recalls. “But I also realized that if I wanted to keep playing at the level I expected from myself, I’d have to rethink things instead of resisting the change. In a lot of ways, it made me more creative. I had to analyze my playing from the ground up—literally. It forced me to become more intentional, more disciplined, and more technical about how I move around the kit. What could’ve been a limitation ended up reshaping my style and making me a more thoughtful drummer.”

      “I needed to retrain my brain”

      A major breakthrough came on July 5, 2005, after glimpsing a Def Leppard show at New Jersey’s FirstEnergy Park, where he worked as a dishwasher.

      “I’ll never forget it,” he says. “On my break, I was able to watch the band perform a few songs, and I was amazed at how Rick Allen, their drummer with one arm, could play so smoothy and perfectly. I drove home that night thinking to myself, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’ Keep in mind, no YouTube or online videos were around for me to really watch him perform. So I spent the next few days [experimenting] with this pedal that I took from an electronic drum set I got for Christmas a few years earlier.”

      At first, Avi tried sticking the pedal under his arm, but it would fall right out. He tried sitting on it, but that proved too uncomfortable. After putting the device in his mouth, he found he could play simple beats.

      “It was hard, and I needed to retrain my brain that biting down is the kick drum now, not my leg,” he says. “Within a week, I was playing daily, and it never really stopped from there. I always continued to play on and off—sometimes I wouldn’t play for a year or so, and then I’d play for three years straight. As of recently I have been playing more, and it’s been a great feeling.”

      The technical side of his playing is pretty inventive: Avi bites down on the trigger every time he wants to hear a kick drum, which sends a signal to his “drum brain”—a Roland TD-3—and then into the Yamaha EAD10 drum module to create the kick sound.

      His videos have sparked a range of responses: both pro and casual musicians sharing their feedback, drummers asking technical questions, and people sharing how the videos inspired them.

      “I can tell you this: There are plenty of good people on this Earth,” Avi says. “I have really had some amazing comments and DMs from people all over the world. It’s incredible. The response has honestly been one of the most meaningful parts of sharing my videos. I’ve had everyday drummers reach out, and even a few professional players, letting me know they connected with what I’m doing. That’s something I don’t take lightly.” 

      “It’s been especially powerful hearing that something as simple as me playing and being consistent has inspired other people—whether that’s pushing through their own challenges or just picking up the sticks again,” he adds. “At the end of the day, drumming is such a tight-knit community. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing arenas or in your garage—we all understand the language of rhythm. Being able to connect with other musicians through that has been one of the biggest unexpected rewards.” 

      “I almost melted into the floor”

      So what makes the Incubus video so special? Even Avi isn’t sure, but maybe it’s due to the power of the song itself.

      “When I recorded that video, I honestly didn’t think it would do what it did,” he says with a laugh. “With everything going on in the world right now, the song has its own identity, right? Like, it starts tight. Then it gradually expands—more energy, more intensity, more space. When it hits the chorus, it feels like release. Not chaos but a release. It doesn’t say ‘I’m mad at the world.’ It’s more like ‘I’m overwhelmed, and I’m trying to understand it.’ I think people really connect with that.”

      “I could also be totally wrong,” he adds. “I don’t know what the algorithm was doing that day, but it sure reached a lot of people. It was crazy. I went from 12 Instagram followers to four thousand the next day. José Pasillas and [Incubus singer] Brandon Boyd both liked the video on Instagram, and I almost melted into the floor. I couldn’t believe it.”

      It’s one powerful moment of many for The Slightly Different Drummer, who’s inspired to keep pushing himself. 

      “I’ve been playing for over 20 years now, and what’s kept me going is that there’s always another level to reach,” he says. “Drumming isn’t just something I do—it’s part of who I am. It’s how I express myself, how I challenge myself, and honestly, how I connect with people.”

      Keep Reading →
    4. A Millennial dad ordered his Gen Alpha daughter a ‘Skip-It’ toy from the ’90s and playfully ribs her for struggling
      Comedian Anthony Rodia bought his Gen Alpha daughter the '90s toy Skip-It. – Photo credit: Instagram
      ,

      A Millennial dad ordered his Gen Alpha daughter a ‘Skip-It’ toy from the ’90s and playfully ribs her for struggling

      “It’s not that hard cuz we weren’t playing with iPads back then—we were outside!”

      Emily Shiffer

      Millennials grew up in the analog ’90s—a very different childhood than today’s plugged-in Gen Alpha.

      For Millennials who spent hours playing outside, there was one toy that bruised shins and nearly broke ankles: the Skip-It. Millennial comedian Anthony Rodia decided to introduce his Gen Alpha daughter to it.

      In a hilarious video shared with his followers on Instagram, Rodia documents his 10-year-old daughter trying her best to catch a rhythm while playing with the iconic ’90s toy. Rodia explains that he ordered one for her to test out from Amazon, and it leads to lots of laughs for them both.

      From the start, his daughter has a hard time getting into the groove. Rodia immediately starts ribbing her, playfully chirping, “What’s the matter? Our toys are a little too difficult for ya? A little harder than just being on your iPad?”

      She continues to swing the Skip-It around with no success, cracking up at the camera as her dad films and laughs. “Try to play with a toy we had when we were kids. You can’t even do a Skip-It!” he says as the Skip-It slides off her ankle and smashes into him.

      In the next clip, Rodia gives the Skip-It a try and immediately nails it. He jokes to his daughter, “It’s not that hard cuz we weren’t playing with iPads back then—we were outside! Playing with dangerous toys!”

      He shows off his Skip-It skills, folding his arms and even closing his eyes.

      Viewers respond

      In the comments, Rodia addressed viewers who thought he was being a little too tough on his daughter.

      “It’s crazy how many people are getting butt hurt that I’m breaking my daughter’s chops 😂😂😂😂 yet my 10 year old daughter is laughing about it,” he wrote. “If there was no banter in my house growing up, there was something wrong! Update: she kept trying and now mastered it 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️👍🏼.”

      Others loved the joyful interaction and the nostalgia it brought back:

      “This is just a healthy father/daughter dynamic,” one person wrote. “This is how my dad and I talk to each other. Love that man. Got plans to play videogames with him later tonight. He’s 73 years old.”

      Another wrote, “Lmao I had this and a pogo stick 😂.” And another Millennial added, “Now have her put on rollerblades and have her go down a hill at 90 mph with no pads or helmet! 🤣 how did we survive?”

      Millennials on Reddit also chimed in. “Get her a Bop-It next,” one commented. Another wrote, “This also makes me think of Razor scooters when you’d try to spin the bottom around and it’d whack you hard in your shins.”

      History of the Skip-It

      The Skip-It, as it was known in the 1990s, was actually inspired by earlier versions that launched in the 1960s. According to The Retroist, the earliest version was released by Canadian toy company Twinpak, which called it the Footsie. Another Canadian company, Reliable Toys, also had a similar version, named Skip-it (with a lowercase “i”).

      An American version, called the Jingle Jump, launched a few years later, but the Canadian design was deemed superior.

      Ultimately, the Skip-It Millennials grew to know and love was launched by Tiger Electronics in 1989 after the rights were purchased from American toy company the Paul E. Price Company. Thanks to Skip-It commercials on kids’ TV network Nickelodeon, the Skip-It craze exploded.

      In 2011, TIME magazine included the Skip-It on its list of the “All-TIME 100 Greatest Toys.”

      Clearly, the Skip-It is a beloved toy that’s still bringing smiles decades later.

      Keep Reading →
    5. Man shares how not getting a wedding invite made him end a 10-year friendship, and it struck a chord
      A man shared how not getting an wedding invite made him end an 10-year friendship. – Photo credit: @yonosoyasi5/TikTok
      ,

      Man shares how not getting a wedding invite made him end a 10-year friendship, and it struck a chord

      “I went through so much with this person that I thought I had made the cut.”

      Heather Wake

      As many are in the habit of doing, a man recently took to TikTok to “vent.” His “story time” was about his choice to end a 10-year friendship after not getting invited to said friend’s wedding. It soon became undeniably clear that he wasn’t alone in having an experience like this. 

      In the now-viral clip, the creator, @yonosoyasi5, explained that he understood that weddings are special, expensive moments, and therefore “not everyone can go.” 

      However, he admitted that “I went through so much with this person that I thought I had made the cut.”

      @yonosoyasi5

      ♬ original sound – yonosoyasi5

      This blow ultimately caused @yonosoyasi5 to accept that the friendship as he knew it had come to a close. There was no animosity, but there wasn’t any effort, either. 

       “I wish him the best. I never wish him ill. But to say that I wanna be a part of his life now, it would be very fake. I just don’t care anymore,” he said. 

      Even when confronted by a member of that shared friend group, @yonosoyasi5 was upfront about his stance, saying, “What am I gonna hang out with him for? What’s the objective of me putting energy into this friendship?”

      TikTok reacts

      The video soon got an onslaught of comments from people who had similarly heartbreaking experiences—and developed similar mindsets. 

      “One of my BEST guy friends for 8+ years did not invite me to his wedding. I introduced him to his wife. They went out because of me. I have never been more hurt in my life. I cut off the relationship …and they always try to pull me back closer…I can never pull the knife out of my back.”

      “It’s not actually the wedding invite, it’s finding out the person doesn’t see you as a close friend.”

      “Once you exclude me from important moments, I will exclude you from my entire life.”

      “I think at our age we want to get back what we put into friendships/relationships. You love with your whole heart, so to not have it reciprocated is hurtful. I feel ya.”

      “Crazy…this happened to me…20 years of growing up down the drain.” 

      Lastly, one person even said, “friendship breakups are WORSE than romantic breakups.” 

      woman, alone, grief, breakup, friendship
      Woman sitting alone on a bench overlooking the water. – Photo credit: Canva Photos

      Many experts seem to agree with this notion. Or, at the very least, that friendship loss triggers what’s known as “ambiguous grief,” which is the feeling of anguish that comes from losing someone physically while they are psychologically present (e.g., missing person, mental illness, divorce). Our stress responses are triggered, our feel-good chemicals get depleted, our sleep gets disrupted—which is all a science-based way of saying it hurts. Really bad.

      This level of ambiguous grief really depends on what the friendship personally meant to a person. In @yonosoyasi5’s case, it meant a great deal. Thankfully, there are ways to navigate these difficult transitions. 

      Coping strategies for friendship loss
      1. Allow yourself to grieve

      Even once you’ve reached acceptance and found other meaningful relationships, waves of yearning for what’s past may still creep up. Allow space for those feelings. They will pass. 

      2. Use it as a learning opportunity

      Without assigning blame, you can get curious about what might have caused the relationship to end. This way, you can set clear friendship intentions moving forward. 

      3. Engage in self-care

      Journal, meditate, reclaim old passions, exercise, and get outdoors. These things tend to help with grief of all kinds. 

      4. Appreciate the support systems you still have

      Taking stock of the good friends that remain in your life can help offset any feelings of loneliness and reinforce a sense of belonging, experts say. 

      Bottom line: cutting someone out of our lives hurts, but that pain might truly be the lesser evil in the long run. May we all have the foresight to know the difference and seek out those who do give us such grace. 

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