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
Big River
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.
I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin' in Davenport,
Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
A freighter said she's been here
But she's gone, boy, she's gone.
I found her trail in Memphis,
But she just walked up the bluff.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.
Now, won't you paddle down by Baton Rouge,
River Queen, rollin' on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I've had enough;
Dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,cry,cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.
In Bob Dylan's song Big River, the singer expresses the depth of his pain and heartbreak caused by a woman he loves deeply. He begins the song by saying that he taught the weeping willow how to cry and showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky. His overwhelming sadness and tears for the woman he loved will, according to him, cause the Big River to flood. He then says that he'll sit right there until he dies, emphasizing the magnitude of his heartache.
The singer then describes how he met this woman accidentally in St. Paul. Her Southern drawl, which he hears every time he thinks of her, makes it clear that she's not from the same place as him. He then heard that she had gone downstream and followed her call down the Big River. In St. Louis, he is told that she has been there but has left. He eventually finds her trail in Memphis, but she moves on alone, raising a few eyebrows.
The lyrics of Big River are a poignant depiction of a love that once was, but is now gone. The singer's pain is palpable, as he vocalizes this complex emotional experience. He feels lost and alone, as he follows the trail of this woman he loves, only to be left with a heart that's heavier than he could ever imagine. The song is a beautiful portrayal of love and loss that stands the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,
I was so heartbroken that I showed a tree how to express sorrowful tears like me.
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
I felt so empty that even the sky turned dark and dismal just like me.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
My tears of despair will overflow the river and wash away everything associated with that woman.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.
I have decided to stay here, in this sorrowful place, until the end of my life.
I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
I encountered her coincidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota.
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Her Southern accent made me emotionally distraught every time I heard her speak.
Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin' in Davenport,
I heard that the woman I dreamed of was in Davenport, located Downstream from my current location.
And I followed you, Big River, when you called.
I followed the river and went to Davenport when I learned that she was there.
Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
Later, the river took me to St. Louis down the river.
A freighter said she's been here
A freighter informed me that she had been in St. Louis.
But she's gone, boy, she's gone.
She had already left St. Louis when I got there, unfortunately.
I found her trail in Memphis,
I managed to track her down and found some evidence that she had passed through Memphis.
But she just walked up the bluff.
She just left after passing through Memphis without leaving any clear clues about her destination.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.
People noticed her presence, but she left without any companions or further interaction.
Now, won't you paddle down by Baton Rouge,
I urge the River Queen to paddle down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
River Queen, rollin' on.
Call out to the River Queen to continue on downstream.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Take that woman to New Orleans, where she truly belongs.
Go on, I've had enough;
I can't take this pain anymore and I'm ready to let go.
Dump my blues down in the gulf.
Let my sorrows wash away into the Gulf of Mexico.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.
She loves the river more than she loves me, and I can never compete with that.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny R. Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sandrawadsworth5173
Awesome duo. RIP Johnny. Glad you were there for Bob!👍❤️
@alanc1491
And Bob was there for him!
@dwaynewladyka577
I have this CD. It's awesome. May Johnny Cash rest in peace. Cheers!
@monicatolipan3238
Wonderful version and vocals too!
What a great duet of singers!
@rezarjb5560
Couldn't get any better
@JetaimeElizabethmorganHi-qh6vw
Best of friends! Love to have this music,we miss you johnny,beautiful music and Bob did sing it on his recent tour❤
@joshuapriestley5307
So amazing bob covered someone else's song ! Shows his friendship with cash
@haroldsteinblatt2567
All of Self Portrait are cover songs. His debut album, all but one are covers.
@RhysPitman94
@@haroldsteinblatt2567 there's a bunch lf original material on self-potrait, however it is surrounded by it's fair share of covers too.
@JoelEverettEverett-pr6py
❤❤❤❤❤