The Real Reason Why David Bowie Thought Bob Dylan Hated Him

Thanks to his mysterious and closed-off disposition, Bob Dylan usually doesn’t come across as an approachable person. That might be an outlandish and speculative assumption, but the late great David Bowie once attested to that claim. As a matter of fact, he spent quite some time believing that Dylan hated his guts.

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David Bowie and Bob Dylan are two all-time greats, so they obviously ran in the same circles and attended the same parties. Despite their similar status, Bowie apparently botched a first impression when he met up with Dylan in the mid-1970s in New York City.

David Bowie Misunderstood Bob Dylan’s Dull Demeanor

In a 1976 interview with Playboy magazine, Bowie recollected the time he met up with Bob Dylan in New York City. He prefaced the story by stating that the pair didn’t “have a lot to talk about.”

“We’re not great friends,” Bowie said. “Actually, I think he hates me.”

That’s quite the introduction to a story, to say the least. Regardless, Bowie’s comment was and still is a mere hunch. Neither Dylan nor Bowie ever confirmed this to be true, but Bowie seemingly had some innate feeling that Dylan was not his biggest fan.

“I was in a very, sort of … verbose frame of mind,” Bowie continued. “And I just talked at him for hours and hours, and whether I amused him or scared him or repulsed him, I really don’t know. I didn’t wait for any answers. I just went on and on about everything. And then I said good night. He never phoned me.”

It seems this interaction lived in Bowie’s head rent-free for quite a while, as after the fact he was curious to know what Dylan thought of him.

“I’d just like to know what the young chap thought of me,” Bowie said. “I was quite convinced that what I had to say was important, which I seem to feel all the time.”

Well, given that David Bowie tragically passed away in 2016, and Bob Dylan is radio silent regarding these matters, it’s fair to assume that the answer will never be given. However, in 1971, Bowie actually wrote a song for Dylan titled “Song For Bob Dylan”. Whether this was written before or after their interaction is unclear. Regardless, it seems Dylan had quite the presence in David Bowie’s head.

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