In his first television interview in 19 years, singer Bob Dylan has played down the significance of his songs, saying: "They weren't sermons."
Bob Dylan said he never wanted to be a prophet or a saviour
He said: "If you examine the songs I don't believe you're going to find anything in there that says that I'm a
spokesman for anybody or anything."
The 63-year-old star told CBS show 60 Minutes he was an uncomfortable icon.
"I never wanted to be a prophet or a saviour. Elvis maybe. I could see myself becoming him. But prophet? No."
He added: "It was like being in an Edgar Allan Poe story and you're just not that person everybody thinks you are, though they call you that all the time."
Dylan played down the fact that his 1965 song Like A Rolling Stone was recently named the greatest rock 'n' roll song of all time by US music magazine Rolling Stone.
"Oh, maybe this week (it's number one). But you know, the list, they change names quite frequently, really. I don't pay much attention to that," he said in the US interview to be broadcast on Sunday.
A scornful ode to a spoiled woman's reversal of fortune, Like A Rolling Stone was Dylan's biggest UK hit, establishing him as a mainstream artist.
His other hit singles include Times They Are A-Changin' and Subterranean Homesick Blues.