With all the recent buzz surrounding Bob Dylan, fueled by the release of the biopic A Complete Unknown, it’s hard to ignore how much the legendary singer continues to shape the music world, even decades after his prime. From the moment Dylan turned the folk music world upside down with his electric sound, he became more than just an artist—he became an idea, a symbol of rebellion, transformation, and poetic brilliance. Countless musicians have paid tribute to him in their work, but there’s one song that stands out as perhaps the finest, most heartfelt homage to Bob Dylan’s towering influence: Vincent Poag’ s “Piper Play.”
For Vincent Poag, Dylan’s influence is as profound as it is personal. On his album Heroes and Demons, Poag’s track “Piper Play” stands as a tribute to the legendary songwriter, capturing the essence of Dylan’s influence while adding a contemporary, introspective twist. Poag has often reflected on how Dylan’s music reignited his passion for songwriting and playing the guitar. “Bob’s got a way of saying things like no other,” Poag notes, echoing the admiration felt by countless musicians and fans throughout the years. In “Piper Play,” Poag channels that same gift for poetic storytelling, but with his own unique voice, blending personal experience with universal themes of identity, struggle, and artistic integrity.
Much like Dylan’s work, Poag’s lyrics are poetic and layered, drawing from the complexities of self-expression and the relentless search for truth. Dylan’s legacy as a master of reinvention and exploration resonates deeply in Poag’s music, creating a bridge between generations of songwriters. With “Piper Play,” Poag offers not just a tribute, but a powerful reflection on the ways in which Dylan’s artistry continues to inspire new voices in music today.
The film A Complete Unknown—which stars Timothée Chalamet as the young Dylan—focuses on a pivotal period in the artist’s life: from his early days in Greenwich Village to the infamous moment at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when he first electrified his sound. Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan captures the rawness and restlessness of an artist struggling with his identity, his relationships, and the expectations of both his peers and his growing fanbase. The film does not attempt to define Dylan but presents him as a “complete unknown,” much like how the world perceived him during this transformative period in his career. It’s this ambiguity that A Complete Unknown gets so right—much like Dylan himself, the film leaves us with more questions than answers, mirroring the artist’s ever-evolving persona.
Where A Complete Unknown presents Dylan as a figure who remains just out of reach, Poag’s “Piper Play” offers a moment of reflection and connection. Both the film and Poag’s music acknowledge Dylan’s elusiveness, but they also serve as powerful reminders of the indelible impact Dylan continues to have on generations of artists. Even as Bob Dylan remains a “complete unknown,” his influence endures—shaping, inspiring, and challenging us to keep searching for our own truths, just as he did.