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
Ballad Of A Thin Man (Live Ve
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God
Am I here all alone?"
But something is happening
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone
And something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To all give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations
You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known
But something is happening here
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan"
And you know something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "Now"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
And you know something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones
'Cause something is happening
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
The Ballad of a Thin Man is a song that embodies the feeling of lostness or a sense of discomfort one might feel when trying to make sense of what's going on around them. Dylan’s lyrics are full of hidden meanings and symbolism which can be interpreted in various ways, but one message that's quite clear is the animosity towards those that view the world through a narrow lens. The singer, Mr. Jones, appears to be someone unable to grasp what is happening around him. He tries hard to understand the world but is unable to. The song proceeds with bizarre imagery and situations such as the naked man, the sword swallower, and the one-eyed midget that appear to be chaotic and have no logical explanation.
The odd characters that Mr. Jones encounters are symbolic of people’s narrow-minded views and their inability to understand that which is different from them. Mr. Jones’ confusion and uneasiness may also stem from the fact that he is blind to the changes happening around him. As some people begin to question systems, norms, and conventional ways of thinking, Mr. Jones is portrayed as someone resistant to change, rather conservative in his views, and unable to keep up with the times. This song, therefore, is a representation of people's struggle with societal changes and the inability to keep up with them.
Line by Line Meaning
You walk into the room
You enter a situation
With your pencil in your hand
Ready to take note of things
You see somebody naked
You observe someone in a vulnerable state
And you say, "Who is that man?"
Questioning identity
You try so hard
You put in effort
But you don't understand
Without comprehension
Just what you'll say
Words are unclear
When you get home
Reflecting back on the experience
Because something is happening here
Sensing a shift in the atmosphere
But you don't know what it is
Unable to grasp the change
Do you, Mister Jones?
Asking the question directed at the individual
You raise up your head
Looking around for clarity
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
Inquiring about the location of the situation
And somebody points to you and says
Someone directs attention to you
"It's his"
Claiming ownership of the experience
And you say, "What's mine?"
Asking about personal investment in the experience
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
Confusion about the specifics of the situation
And you say, "Oh my God
Exclamatory realization
Am I here all alone?"
Feeling isolated in the experience
You hand in your ticket
Following protocol for the situation
And you go watch the geek
Observing someone outside of the norm
Who immediately walks up to you
Approaching you directly
When he hears you speak
Reacting to your presence
And says, "How does it feel
Questioning your emotions
To be such a freak?"
Pointing out your differences
And you say, "Impossible"
Disagreeing with the assumption
As he hands you a bone
Giving you something unexpected
You have many contacts
Having resources at your disposal
Among the lumberjacks
Identifying with a specific group of people
To get you facts
Knowing where to find information
When someone attacks your imagination
When someone challenges your creativity
But nobody has any respect
Feeling a lack of appreciation
Anyway they already expect you
Preconceptions about your actions
To all give a check
To donate money
To tax-deductible charity organizations
Giving to a specific type of cause
You've been with the professors
Interacting with intellectual individuals
And they've all liked your looks
Receiving positive feedback
With great lawyers you have
Working with experts in their field
Discussed lepers and crooks
Talking about taboo subjects
You've been through all of
Exhaustive knowledge of a specific topic
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
Expertise in a specific subset of literature
You're very well read
Having an extensive knowledge base
It's well known
Something that is commonly understood
Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
Encountering someone with a unique talent
And then he kneels
Performing a subservient gesture
He crosses himself
Demonstrating a religious belief
And then he clicks his high heels
Animating his performance
And without further notice
Unexpectedly continuing with his act
He asks you how it feels
Asking for your reaction
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Returning his prop
Thanks for the loan"
Grateful for the use of your throat
And you know something is happening
Aware that the situation is significant
But you don't know what it is
Unable to fully understand
Do you, Mister Jones?
Question directed at the individual
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Observing someone with a physical anomaly
Shouting the word "Now"
Making a loud and sudden noise
And you say, "For what reason?"
Curious about the outburst
And he says, "How?"
Responding in a nonsensical way
And you say, "What does this mean?"
Asking for clarification
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Insulting and accusing you of something
Give me some milk
Demanding something of you
Or else go home"
Requiring a certain response to his demands
And you know something is happening
Continuing to feel the weight of the experience
But you don't know what it is
Still unable to fully comprehend
Do you, Mister Jones?
Reiterating the question at the individual
Well, you walk into the room
Starting the experience over again
Like a camel and then you frown
Entering the space with a negative attitude
You put your eyes in your pocket
Avoiding observation
And your nose on the ground
Acting subservient
There ought to be a law
Expressing a desire for order
Against you comin' around
Disapproving of your presence
You should be made
Requiring action to be taken
To wear earphones
A solution to the problem at hand
'Cause something is happening
Sensing the significant experience again
And you don't know what it is
Still feeling unsure
Do you, Mister Jones?
Posing the question to the individual one last time
Contributed by Samuel N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ulpana
@@gforce4063 "Folkies" being a very small sub-set of IDENTITY MOVEMENTS. How else to explain the perceived charisma of rank State of NY Democratic Political party Machine Heir turned Hack Icon of a family that got rich after emigrating from war-torn Germany to outer Queens on Long Island by milking PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT CONSTRUCTION then turned CONSERVATIVE Christian Evangelical GOP theocrats who believed in SHRINKING BIG GOVERNMENT and GREED IS GOOD;
Da Trumpster?!?! A national political candidate that only the depths of big D Democratic Leadership Council institutional corruption of decades of Wage Stag-Nation and Food Stamp Nation wealth concentration to the ever smaller group of oligarchs where our Post WW II national wealth has been siphoned into the bank secrecy off-shore accounts or South Dakota money-laundering accounts of our Oligarchs In Chief and their Wealth Management and Portfolio wizards of Neo-Liberal\Neo-Con Zombie E-CON waste via Financialization, Privatization and Wealth Concentration.
Nothing else will matter as da UndaWoyld keeps rising above ground and grabbing what ain't setting off the Geiger counters....
Bobby D.'s alter ego and boho buddy Bob Neuwirth made this one major label collaboration with founding Velvet Underground experimentalist John Cale. Give it a listen in sequence, recall it was recorded with outtakes of other collaborators all in 1993 and then read today's newspapers.....
All tracks with outtakes in sequence posted here as LAST DAY ON EARTH album...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdfxCweZ9RI&list=PLbvCxvsoXL5LM9MNps40c1QyLAJ1XEVYX&index=4
Bob Neuwirth/John Cale - Who's in Charge (from album Last Day on Earth)
2,257 views Oct 17, 2012 Visit: http://bobneuwirth.com/
"Who's In Charge?"
Tio Mitchito\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers
Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of Atonement Seekers)
Media Discussion List\Looksee
@duugro
Wow I need a rest after that
@benjimcdonald4522
Yah know somethings happening but your not really what it is do you mr. Piggy hahahaha what's up man
@dixonpinfold2582
When you hear that single note 0:28 you know you're in for it.
Very similar to the first guitar note, nine years later, on Wish You Were Here.
@Patrick96322
@@benjimcdonald4522 a little passive-agressive perhaps !?
@Patrick96322
@@dixonpinfold2582 you mean that B note ?
@captainu.s.a.7980
He's worried about what he's going to tell his family when he gets home.Shit,he's already home.looking at the naked dude in his living room...
@ferociousgumby
No one ever says this, but Dylan must have a phenomenal memory to retain all those long, long, convoluted lyrics by heart and give them back in concert. He still does this well into his '70s.
@hashamulhaq111
Yep . I’d give £1000 to Anyone who can sing the whole of ‘sad eyed lady of the low lands’ without reading the lyrics
@connerdearing
Coming from someone who plays and sings it is pretty impressive. Ny memory is absolute shit but somehow when I just speak the words come out right so maybe that’s how he felt too. When you practice them a couple times I think it becomes muscle memory but it’s different for everyone
@kierannee528
From what I've read and know about Bob Dylan, I wouldn't class it as "memory" in the traditional sense of the word. He says (and I believe him) that by the time he comes to write a song out for the first time he already knows it all in his head. When answering your very query he said that the lyrics are visual to him, so I guess he doesn't have to track through them line by line like the rest of us. I think what puts him above all other songwriters and poets etc is that his poetry is born out of performance, listening and playing in turn. Perfectly matching the written poetry of the beats to the rhythms of folk and blues music surely stands as one of music's great moments. Maybe the closest thing the 20th century had to Homer