Stock in Law goes up

So everyone knows Bob Dylan is a lyrical sage.  Of course, no human on God's green earth can understand everything his says.  But we shouldn't feel incompetent.  According to Dylan, "you can't expect to know the meaning to every word in every song. Because you can't know what was going through the artists' head at the time."  Thanks for the bone Bob.  

While some of Bob Dylan's words will forever float meaninglessly above our heads, a few of his more discernible lyrics have caught the attention of an unlikely audience: Judges.  As a law student, this excites me.  Even stiff, dull Judges can dig Dylan.  Yes.  And according to Alex Long, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, Dylan is the most cited popular artist in legal opinions, having been cited over 100 times.  Apparently, Judges are substituting meaningful, relevant lyrics for binding legal precedent.  Long has written an entire law review article tracing the use of quotes from the likes of Bob Dylan to, yes, the Wu Tang Clan.  Word.  And you know the judiciary's head honcho had to get in on the action:  John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, has cited Bob Dylan, too. 

My chosen field suddenly seems a little bit cooler.