‘Bob Dylan is my father’ - and why Sam Sussman is convinced it’s true. episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 5, 2025 · 27 MIN

‘Bob Dylan is my father’ - and why Sam Sussman is convinced it’s true.

from Word In Your Ear

Sam Sussman’s mother Fran had a year-long love affair with Dylan when he was working on Blood on the Tracks – she’s mentioned in Tangled Up In Blue – and they met again in 1990. What she told him about that relationship is mapped out in the book he’s just written, Boy From the North Country, along with the firm belief that he’s Dylan’s son. Imagine how that must feel. This extraordinary conversation takes a number of turns and these are among them … … Norman Raeben’s art class where Dylan was trying break his creative block and met the 20-year old Fran Sussman   … details of their 12-month affair and how it ended: “he gave me love songs but not love” … the verses of Tangled Up In Blue that relate to Fran and the philosophy, art and poetry woven into his songs at the time … Dylan’s other women in 1974 … being told by a teacher that he looked like Dylan and how he’s played up that connection ever since … how it feels to think you might have numerous Dylan siblings - and how many there might be(!) … the kind of people Sam meets in his book-signing queues ... and why his mother wouldn’t confirm who his father was. Order copies of Boy From The North Country here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/boy-from-the-north-country/sam-sussman/9781804711286Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourearHelp us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Sussman’s mother Fran had a year-long love affair with Dylan when he was working on Blood on the Tracks – she’s mentioned in Tangled Up In Blue – and they met again in 1990. What she told him about that relationship is mapped out in the book he’s just written, Boy From the North Country, along with the firm belief that he’s Dylan’s son. Imagine how that must feel. This extraordinary conversation takes a number of turns and these are among them … … Norman Raeben’s art class where Dylan was trying break his creative block and met the 20-year old Fran Sussman   … details of their 12-month affair and how it ended: “he gave me love songs but not love” … the verses of Tangled Up In Blue that relate to Fran and the philosophy, art and poetry woven into his songs at the time … Dylan’s other women in 1974 … being told by a teacher that he looked like Dylan and how he’s played up that connection ever since … how it feels to think you might have numerous Dylan siblings - and how many there might be(!) … the kind of people Sam meets in his book-signing queues ... and why his mother wouldn’t confirm who his father was. Order copies of Boy From The North Country here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/boy-from-the-north-country/sam-sussman/9781804711286Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourearHelp us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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‘Bob Dylan is my father’ - and why Sam Sussman is convinced it’s true.

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How long is this episode of Word In Your Ear?

This episode is 27 minutes long.

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This episode was published on November 5, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Sam Sussman’s mother Fran had a year-long love affair with Dylan when he was working on Blood on the Tracks – she’s mentioned in Tangled Up In Blue – and they met again in 1990. What she told him about that relationship is mapped out in the book...

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