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
Bye and Bye
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm breathin' a lover's sigh
Well, I'm sittin' on my watch so I can be on time
I'm singin' love's praises with sugar-coated rhyme
Bye and bye
On you I'm casting my eye
I'm paintin' the town
Well, I know who I can depend on
I know who to trust
I'm watchin' the roads, I'm studying the dust
I'm paintin' the town
Making my last go-round
Well, I'm scufflin' and I'm shufflin'
And I'm walkin' on briars
I'm not even acquainted with my
Own desires
I'm rollin' slow
I'm doing all I know
I'm tellin' myself
I found true happiness
That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed
I'm rollin' slow, goin' where the wild roses grow
Well the future
For me is already a thing of the past
You were my first love
And you will be my last
Papa gone mad, mamma, she's feeling sad
Mamma, she's feeling sad
Well, I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more
I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war
Gonna make you see just how loyal and true a man can be
The opening lines of Bob Dylan's song Bye and Bye express the plea of a lover for the attention of his beloved. The singer sings of his affection for the person he desires, stating that he is "casting [his] eye" on them. He presents himself as focused on winning their heart, "sitting on [his] watch" to ensure he is on time and "singing love's praises" with "sugar-coated rhyme." The chorus "Bye and bye" represents the central theme of the song, with the singer awaiting the future when he hopes to have won the love of his life.
As the song progresses, the focus moves towards a more general outlook on life. The singer speaks of "painting the town" and "swinging [his] partner around," indicating a carefree attitude. However, he is also aware of the need for trust and reliability, "knowing who [he] can depend on," and "watching the roads." The singer acknowledges his struggles, "scufflin'," "shufflin'," and "walkin' on briars," and admits his own lack of insight into his desires. The central idea of the song is summed up in the final verse, in which the singer seeks to establish himself as a ruler through "civil war" and "baptizes" his love interest in "fire" in a bid for their loyalty.
The song Bye and Bye is characteristic of Dylan's unique style and poetic lyricism. It is a reflection on love, the passage of time, and human nature, portrayed with Dylan's characteristic wit and insightfulness.
Line by Line Meaning
Bye and bye
Soon enough
I'm breathin' a lover's sigh
I feel in love
Well, I'm sittin' on my watch so I can be on time
I don't want to be late to a date with my lover
I'm singin' love's praises with sugar-coated rhyme
I'm saying sweet things to my lover
On you I'm casting my eye
I have my eyes on you
I'm paintin' the town
I'm going out and having fun
Swinging my partner around
I'm dancing with my lover
Well, I know who I can depend on
I know who I can trust
I know who to trust
I have someone to rely on
I'm watchin' the roads, I'm studying the dust
I'm paying attention to the world around me
Making my last go-round
This is my final time doing this
Well, I'm scufflin' and I'm shufflin'
I'm struggling
I'm not even acquainted with my own desires
I don't even know what I want
I'm rollin' slow
I'm taking it easy
I'm doing all I know
I'm doing what I can
I'm tellin' myself I found true happiness
I'm convincing myself that I'm happy
That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed
I still have a dream that no one has taken from me
Goin' where the wild roses grow
Going where the adventure is
Well the future for me is already a thing of the past
I don't see a future for myself
You were my first love, and you will be my last
I will always love you
Papa gone mad, mamma, she's feeling sad
My father is crazy and my mother is sad
Well, I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more
I'm going to purify you
I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war
I'm going to take control through violence
Gonna make you see just how loyal and true a man can be
I will prove my loyalty and devotion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bryankeisling132
Lyrics:
Bye and bye, I'm breathin' a lover's sigh
I'm sittin' on my watch so I can be on time
I'm singin' love's praises with sugar-coated rhyme
Bye and bye, on you I'm casting my eye
I'm paintin' the town—swinging my partner around
I know who I can depend on, I know who to trust
I'm watchin' the roads, I'm studying the dust
I'm paintin' the town making my last go-round
Well, I'm scufflin' and I'm shufflin' and I'm walkin' on briars
I'm not even acquainted with my own desires
I'm rollin' slow—I'm doing all I know
I'm tellin' myself I found true happiness
That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed
I'm rollin' slow, goin' where the wild roses grow
Well, the future for me is already a thing of the past
You were my first love and you will be my last
Papa gone mad, mamma, she's feeling sad
I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more
I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war
Gonna make you see just how loyal and true a man can be
@juancamacho5746
Bye and bye
I'm breathin' a lover's sigh
Well, I'm sittin' on my watch so I can be on time
I'm singin' love's praises with sugar-coated rhyme
Bye and bye
On you I'm casting my eye
I'm paintin' the town
Swinging my partner around
Well, I know who I can depend on
I know who to trust
I'm watchin' the roads, I'm studying the dust
I'm paintin' the town
Making my last go-round
Well, I'm scufflin' and I'm shufflin'
And I'm walkin' on briars
I'm not even acquainted with my
Own desires
I'm rollin' slow
I'm doing all I know
I'm tellin' myself
I found true happiness
That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed
I'm rollin' slow, goin' where the wild roses grow
🎵🎶🎵🎶
Well the future
For me is already a thing of the past
You were my first love
And you will be my last
Papa gone mad, mamma, she's feeling sad
Mamma, she's feeling sad
Well, I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more
I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war
Gonna make you see just how loyal and true a man can be
@ecollins
I'm rollin’ slow,
goin’ where the wild red roses grow
🌹 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
@stephenvallely1422
A gem almost hidden out of sight.
@jimpalmer2981
Something about this song is hypnotic.
@zachhiggins1668
Super vibe
@marakaretsos5204
Super!!! Belle Chanson !!!! 🎵⭐️
@mariamartin94
It's hard, really hard...but if I had to pick a favorite album, this would have to be it♥️
@sandrawadsworth5173
Keep on rolling along Bob... you're doing just fine 👍😎💛
@bryankeisling132
Lyrics:
Bye and bye, I'm breathin' a lover's sigh
I'm sittin' on my watch so I can be on time
I'm singin' love's praises with sugar-coated rhyme
Bye and bye, on you I'm casting my eye
I'm paintin' the town—swinging my partner around
I know who I can depend on, I know who to trust
I'm watchin' the roads, I'm studying the dust
I'm paintin' the town making my last go-round
Well, I'm scufflin' and I'm shufflin' and I'm walkin' on briars
I'm not even acquainted with my own desires
I'm rollin' slow—I'm doing all I know
I'm tellin' myself I found true happiness
That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed
I'm rollin' slow, goin' where the wild roses grow
Well, the future for me is already a thing of the past
You were my first love and you will be my last
Papa gone mad, mamma, she's feeling sad
I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more
I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war
Gonna make you see just how loyal and true a man can be
@sherrievavrichek9604
Hey Bob-“Old blue eyes” must be smiling down from heaven and snapping his fingers. I think he always liked you and maybe even identified with you—only in part because you have blue eyes, too. I imagine the feeling was mutual. Great song, great arrangement—the “standards” will always thrive as long as you are writing new ones.
Stay well, Bob. The best is yet to come! Sherrie V
@JorgeLMarquezsM
Gran letra! Gran canción!