Dylan started his musical odyssey in 1959 when he began playing in Dinkytown, Minneapolis while attending the University of Minnesota. Shortly after starting to play he changed his stage name to Bob Dylan, after being influenced by the poetry of Dylan Thomas before legally changing his name in 1962.
Much of his best known work is from the 1960s, when he became an informal documentarian and reluctant figurehead of American unrest, promoted by Joan Baez. Some of his songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'", became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements, with Joan Baez and Dylan singing together at the March on Washington in 1963. However he later became disenchanted with the civil liberty protest scene, feeling that he had been used by them.
His album Bringing It All Back Home marked a move away from the folk scene and a move towards rock and roll and Dylan began to consciously distance himself from his early association with civil rights. He also started to become irritated when being interviewed, often given facetious or irreverent answers to questions. Bringing It All Back Home was a controversial album as it the first on which he played electric guitar. This was seen by some of his fans as a betrayal of this folk roots, with some saying that it obscured his meaningful and poetic lyrics.
The second half of the 1960s was marked by a string of well received releases, with his song "Like a Rolling Stone", released in July of 1965, later being named "The Greatest Song of All Time" by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004, placing #1 in a list of 500 titles. It also marked the formation of Dylan's backing band The Hawks (who would later call themselves simply The Band). Dylan embarked on a world tour of Australia and Europe in 1966, during which he seemed to be under a lot of strain and pressure by both his fans, the music press and his own promoters. Dylan himself admitted that he began taking drugs seriously whilst on this tour, and found it immensely hard work. On returning to New York he crashed his motorbike, sustaining serious injuries in the process, and went into a period of withdrawal while he recuperated. During the late 1960s, Dylan again changed stylistic tradition, moving away from the psychedelic culture of the time. It was then that he recorded All Along the Watchtower, perhaps more famously recorded by Jimi Hendrix.
The 1970s were a period during which Dylan was more sporadic in his output, releasing some poorly received LPs. He rarely appeared in person until 1974, when he began touring again with his backing band The Band. He also wrote one of his most extensively covered songs, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, as well as what is now recognised as one of his best albums Blood On The Tracks. Towards the end of the 1970s, Dylan discovered Christ, and released some albums of gospel music. He started to talk to the crowd about his faith during his performances, and wouldn't play any of his early work, which alienated some of his previous fans.
Dylan today still remains an influential and popular artist; despite a period of little note between 1980-2000, his 2006 album Modern Times reached the US chart at #1, as did his 2009 album Together Through Life, in the US, Britain, France and several other countries. His 2012 album Tempest was also critically acclaimed. Since 1988, Dylan has been on the so-called Never Ending Tour, during which his performances have provoked controversy, with some critics claiming that his lyrics have become incomprehensible, an experience which is not helped by his tendency to change his set-list and vocals almost every performance.
Bob Dylan's strong influence over the past few years is becoming even more prominent amongst a growing group of younger emerging artists such as George Ellias and Devendra Banhart. Dylan's early lyrics incorporated politics, social commentary, philosophy and literary influences, defying existing pop music conventions and appealing widely to the counterculture of the time. While expanding and personalizing musical styles, Dylan has shown steadfast devotion to traditions of American song, from folk and country/blues to rock and roll and rockabilly, to Gaelic balladry, even jazz, swing and Broadway.
Dylan performs with the guitar, keyboard and harmonica. Backed by a changing lineup of musicians, he has toured steadily since the late 1980s. He has also recently performed alongside other iconic artists, such as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty and Eric Clapton. Although his contributions as a performer and recording artist have been central to his career, his songwriting is generally held as his highest accomplishment.
Nobel Prize for Literature (2016) - On October 13, 2016, Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. The prestigious award has been given annually since 1901 and previous Nobel Laureates for Literature include Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. Here is the speech written by Dylan, although unable to attend:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/10/arts/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-acceptance-speech.html?_r=0
06 Had A Dream About You Baby #5
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It may be some place, baby, you say you where
I had a dream about you, baby
A dream about you, baby
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
You got the crazy rhythm when you walk
You make me nervous when you start to talk
A dream about you, baby
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
Standin' on the highway, you flag me down
Said, take me, daddy to the nearest town
I had a dream about you, baby
Had a dream about you, baby
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
The join is jumpin' it's really somethin'
The beat is pumpin', my heart is thumpin'
Spent my money on you honey
My limbs are shakin', my heart is breakin'
You kiss me, baby, in the coffee shop
You made me so bad, you gotta stop
I had a dream about you, baby
Had a dream about you, baby
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
The join in jumpin' it's really somethin'
The beat is pumpin', my heart is thumpin'
Spent my money on you honey
My limbs are shakin', my heart is breakin'
You had a white rag wrapped around your head
Wearing a long dress fire engine red
I had a dream about you, baby
Had a dream about you, baby
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Had A Dream About You Baby #5" express a yearning and nostalgia for a past lover. The singer recounts a dream where the object of their affection, referred to as "baby," comes rolling across their mind. Despite not being sure of where they may be, the singer just wants to see them. The dream seems to evoke a sense of recklessness and excitement, with lyrics about the "crazy rhythm" of baby's walk and the adrenaline rush they get from baby's words.
The second part of the dream takes place on a highway where Baby flags down the singer to take them to the nearest town. The scene then shifts to a jumping joint or club where the beat is pumping and the singer's heart is thumping. They spend their money on Baby, but their limbs are shaking and their heart is breaking, showcasing the mixed emotions they feel about this reunion. The dream ends with Baby wearing a long red dress and a white rag wrapped around their head, leaving a lasting impression on the singer's mind.
Overall, the dream seems to symbolize the tenuous nature of memory and the longing for a past love, even if that person may not be physically present. Bob Dylan captures the raw emotions of love and heartbreak, perfectly conveying them through his poetic lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I got to see you, baby, I don't care
I really want to see you, and nothing else matters.
It may be some place, baby, you say you where
Wherever you want to meet, I'm okay with it.
I had a dream about you, baby
I had a dream about you, and it was on my mind.
A dream about you, baby
It was a dream that involved you and no one else.
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
You were on my mind all night long.
You got the crazy rhythm when you walk
Your movements are unpredictable and exciting.
You make me nervous when you start to talk
You have a power over me that makes me uneasy.
Standin' on the highway, you flag me down
You stopped me in my tracks and got my attention.
Said, take me, daddy to the nearest town
You asked me to take you somewhere and I obeyed.
The join is jumpin' it's really somethin'
There's a party going on and it's amazing.
The beat is pumpin', my heart is thumpin'
The music is exciting and I'm feeling it deeply.
Spent my money on you honey
I spent all my money on you because you're worth it.
My limbs are shakin', my heart is breakin'
The intensity of my emotions is overwhelming and I feel physically affected.
You kiss me, baby, in the coffee shop
You surprised me with a kiss while we were in public.
You made me so bad, you gotta stop
You have the power to make me lose control, and it's dangerous.
You had a white rag wrapped around your head
You were wearing something unusual as a head wrap.
Wearing a long dress fire engine red
You were wearing a striking red dress that caught my attention.
I had a dream about you, baby
You were on my mind, even in my dreams.
Had a dream about you, baby
It was only about you, no one else.
Late last night you come a-rollin' across my mind.
You were still on my mind, even in my dreams, all night long.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, AUDIAM, INC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelbodnar1424
I was 16 when I bought this single. Now I'm pushing 72. Man what the hell happened?!
@leo32190
You lived the wonder that is life.
@Damita-ye2yl
@@leo32190 I was about to type a similar comment -hopefully you lived a very wonderful life.😉
@NieveAndrea
I used to listen to this when I was 16 too, but that was in 2004. I was remembering my past life, I was particularly nostalgic about it during my teenage years.
@valerienorman849
you have lived the up's and downs of life, thanks be to God if you don't believe it will get better again for awhile. enjoy whatever you have.❤
@josephmeiler5318
Me too what the hell
@MerkinMuffly
I'm still waiting for the day a marching band comes down the road playing this.
@terencemcbride9090
but who would play the piano ??? and who would push the piano and the player
@thebathuman
@@terencemcbride9090 Nobody who was stoned, that's for sure...
@vannjunkin8041
Live in New Orleans.. eventually it will happen.. :) promise