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
Blue Moon
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
Blue moon!
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
The song Blue Moon is a classic hit by Bob Dylan, released in 1970. The song starts with a lonely man standing alone under the blue moon. The moon, being a symbol of love and longing, triggers an emotion in him, leaving him alone and empty-hearted. He prays for someone to fill his heart with love and longs for the one he could care for. The arrival of the woman in his life brings about a change from the sadness he once felt, to a sense of fulfillment, represented by the moon turning to gold.
The song blue moon is an anthem for lovers who are seeking the right partner. It portrays the longing of a lonely heart and the desire to be with someone special. The line “Blue moon, you saw me standing alone” expresses his vulnerability and helplessness: he is lost without a partner to share his life with. The moon, a recurring theme in many songs, represents the man's soul, always searching for something or someone to complete him.
There are different interpretations of the song's lyrics, but one thing is clear – Blue Moon is a timeless classic with a universal theme of love and longing. The song has been covered by various artists and continues to captivate listeners decades after its release.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue moon you saw me standing alone
I was all by myself when you appeared, blue moon.
Without a dream in my heart
I had no aspirations in life at that moment.
Without a love of my own
I didn't have anyone to love or be loved by.
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You understood the reason for my presence, blue moon.
You heard me saying a prayer for
You listened to me as I offered a prayer for.
Someone I really could care for
I was seeking someone who really matters to me.
And then there suddenly appeared before me
Suddenly, someone showed up in front of me.
The only one my arms will ever hold
This person is the one I will hold close forever.
I heard somebody whisper "Please adore me"
I overheard somebody saying 'Please love me'.
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
When I looked again, everything was perfect and promising.
Blue moon!
Blue moon, you made everything possible!
Now I'm no longer alone
I'm not alone anymore.
Without a dream in my heart
I don't lack aspirations anymore.
Without a love of my own
I found someone whom I love and who loves me back.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickstocks3576
Blue moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayet for someone I really could care for
And suddenly there appeared before me the only one my arms could ever hold
I heard someone whisper, “Please, adore me”
Abs when I looked my moon had turned to gold
Blue moon, now I’m no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own
Without a love of my own
@corneliakapelinski
How beautiful Bob always does what nobody expects, and he does it gorgeous !!!!Contains multitude..
@DwightBeach-ie5wd
Got that right buddy
@lynntempleton9640
This is shockingly good.
@mikebreen9980
One of my favourite albums. what do critics know!
@christopherseaborn4084
Done as only Bob Dylan could do it and it’s brilliant. A perfect and novel rendition of this timeless classic.
@susannebass1883
❤I absolutely Love You, Bob Dylan ❤❤❤
@sheilaseeber2007
Ok. Look out, girl!!! Bob Dylan is MY Man!!!Has been since 1969!!!!!! Blessings!! 🙏 🥰 🌹
@antonioperezgomez4089
I have listened this song 10.000 times and i have alwais like it.great Richard Rogers and Bob Dylan.
@mikebreen9980
Always loved Bob covering other writers songs
@wolfgangtuch
Wonderful Version.