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
Caribbean Wind
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the city of seven hills near the place of the cross
I was playing a show in Miami in the theater of divine comedy
Told about Jesus, told about the rain
She told me about the jungle where her brothers were slain
By the man who had been dyin', who disappeared so mysteriously
Was she a child or a woman, did we go too far?
Through a hole in the wall to where the long arm of the law cannot not reach
Could I been used and played as a pawn?
It certainly was possible as the gay night wore on
Where men bathed in perfume and practiced the hoax of free speech
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
Sea breeze blowin', there's a hellhound loose
Redeemed men, who have escaped from the noose
Preaching faith and salvation, waiting for the night to arrive
He was well connected, but her heart was a snare
And she had left him to die in there
He was goin' down slow, just barely staying alive
The cry of the peacock, flies buzz my head
Ceiling fan broken, there's a heat in my bed
Street band playing "Nearer My God to Thee"
We met at the station where the mission bells ring
She said, "I know what you're thinking, but there ain't a thing
You can do about it, so let us just agree to agree"
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
Atlantic City by the cold grey sea
Hear a voice crying, "Daddy," I always think it's for me
But it's only the silence in the buttermilk hills that call
Every new messenger brings evil report
'Bout armies on the march and time that is short
And famines and earthquakes and train wrecks and the tearin' down of the wall
Did you ever have a dream, that you couldn't explain?
Ever meet your accusers, face to face in the rain?
She had chrome brown eyes that I won't forget as long as she's gone
I see the screws breakin' loose, see the devil pounding on tin
I see a house in the country being torn apart from within
I can hear my ancestors calling from the land far beyond
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
Caribbean Wind is a song by Bob Dylan that was recorded for his album, Shot of Love in 1981. This song is characterized by its slow, haunting melody that blends perfectly with Dylan's raw and emotional vocals. The song discusses the themes of love, faith, and political oppression. The lyrics begin with references to the Bible and the story of Adam and Eve. The phrase "Rose of Sharon" is taken from the Old Testament's Song of Solomon. The song then explores the issues of political oppression and personal relationships, diving into the complex and conflicting emotions of two people caught in a dangerous and uncertain world.
The lyrics of the song are packed with allusions and metaphorical references. The line "I was playing a show in Miami in the theater of divine comedy" is a reference to Dante's Divine Comedy, suggesting that the world is a stage of the divine play. The song talks about a mysterious woman, who may be both a child and a woman, and hints at a forbidden and dangerous relationship between the singer and the woman. The Caribbean Wind of the title is used as a metaphor for unbridled desire and the destructive forces that can arise when we give in to our passions.
Overall, Caribbean Wind is a song that has a sense of raw emotion and a clear message. The song talks about the dangers of unbridled passion and the importance of faith and spirituality in navigating life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
She was the rose of Sharon from paradise lost
She was a beautiful and innocent woman who resembled the rose of Sharon in the book of "Paradise Lost"
From the city of seven hills near the place of the cross
She was from Rome, a city that is referred to as the city of seven hills and near the place where Jesus was crucified
I was playing a show in Miami in the theater of divine comedy
I was performing in a theater in Miami, which felt like a divine comedy, with all the strange happenings around me
Told about Jesus, told about the rain
I talked about Jesus, and also talked about natural calamities like rain
She told me about the jungle where her brothers were slain
She shared her story of how her brothers were killed in a jungle
By the man who had been dyin', who disappeared so mysteriously
The killers were led by a man who was already dying, and after the incident, he disappeared without a trace, adding more mystery to the situation
Was she a child or a woman, did we go too far?
I'm unsure if she was a grown woman or a child, and if we had gone too far with our relationship
Were we sniper bait, did we follow a star?
I wonder if we were being targeted by snipers, or if we were following some star or force that led us to where we shouldn't have been
Through a hole in the wall to where the long arm of the law cannot not reach
We went through a hole in the wall to a place where the law couldn't reach, possibly to hide or evade law enforcement
Could I been used and played as a pawn?
I think I might have been used and manipulated as a pawn in someone else's game
It certainly was possible as the gay night wore on
As the night went on, I considered the possibility more and more, especially in the context of the wild and outrageous atmosphere around us
Where men bathed in perfume and practiced the hoax of free speech
The place we were in was filled with men who enjoyed perfume and pretended to believe in free speech, but it was unclear if they actually did or if it was all a facade
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
The winds from the Caribbean islands still blow from Nassau in the Bahamas to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
The winds only fuel people's desires, making everything more intense
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
There are ships sailing far away, representing freedom and liberation, on the strong and powerful waves of the ocean
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
These ships are bringing everything closer to the fire, to the point where they might be consumed and destroyed by the flames of desire
Sea breeze blowin', there's a hellhound loose
As the sea breeze blows, there's a sense of danger and uneasiness, like a vicious dog running wild
Redeemed men, who have escaped from the noose
Some men who have escaped from dire situations find themselves in a state of redemption, feeling as if they have a second chance in life
Preaching faith and salvation, waiting for the night to arrive
These men are spreading the message of faith and salvation, and waiting for something to happen, possibly the night to fall, before they can move forward
He was well connected, but her heart was a snare
A man was powerful due to his connections, but he fell into the trap of falling for a woman who had a dangerous heart
And she had left him to die in there
The woman left him in a place where he was sure to come to harm
He was goin' down slow, just barely staying alive
He was gradually and painfully dying, and it seemed like he was barely holding on to life
The cry of the peacock, flies buzz my head
There are loud and disturbing sounds around me, like the call of a peacock, and the constant buzzing of flies near my head
Ceiling fan broken, there's a heat in my bed
The ceiling fan is malfunctioning, and there's a sense of discomfort, even heat, in my bed
Street band playing "Nearer My God to Thee"
There's a band playing the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" in the street
We met at the station where the mission bells ring
We first met at a train station where the mission bells could be heard ringing in the distance
She said, "I know what you're thinking, but there ain't a thing
She understands my thoughts, but there's nothing that can be done about the situation
You can do about it, so let us just agree to agree"
We should just acknowledge that we can't change the circumstances and come to an agreement about how to move forward
Atlantic City by the cold grey sea
We're in Atlantic City, which is located near the cold and grey ocean
Hear a voice crying, "Daddy," I always think it's for me
I hear a voice that says "Daddy," and I always think it's directed at me, even if it's not
But it's only the silence in the buttermilk hills that call
It's just the silence of the countryside that I'm hearing
Every new messenger brings evil report
Every piece of news that comes from someone new seems to be bad or negative
'Bout armies on the march and time that is short
They bring news of armies that are preparing for battle and of time that is running out
And famines and earthquakes and train wrecks and the tearin' down of the wall
The news also includes natural disasters like famines and earthquakes, accidents like train wrecks, and the tearing down of walls that divide people
Did you ever have a dream, that you couldn't explain?
Have you ever had a dream that was so confusing or perplexing that you couldn't make sense of it?
Ever meet your accusers, face to face in the rain?
Have you ever confronted the people who accused you of something, while it was pouring rain outside?
She had chrome brown eyes that I won't forget as long as she's gone
She had striking brown eyes that will always be memorable to me, even though she's no longer with me
I see the screws breakin' loose, see the devil pounding on tin
I can see things falling apart, like screws coming loose, and I feel like the devil is causing chaos and destruction
I see a house in the country being torn apart from within
I see a home in the countryside that is being destroyed, and it seems like the source of the damage is from within
I can hear my ancestors calling from the land far beyond
I feel like I can hear the voices of my ancestors, who are calling to me from the distant past
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
The winds from Nassau in the Bahamas continue to blow all the way to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
The winds are only making people's desires even more intense and heated
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
The ships of freedom continue to sail on the strong and free waves of the ocean
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
These ships are bringing everything closer to the point of destruction by the flames of desire
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johan Sterk
There are a set of different takes and lyrics of this song. I believe these are correct:
She was the rose of Sharon from paradise lost
From the city of seven hills near the place of the cross.
I was playin’ a show in Miami in the theater of divine comedy.
Told about Jesus, told about the rain
She told me ’bout the jungle where her brothers were slain
By the man who invented iron and disappeared so mysteriously.
Was she a child or an angel? Did we go too far?
Were we sniper bait did we follow a star
Through the hole in the wall to where the long arm of the law cannot reach?
Could I have been used and played as a pawn?
It certainly was possible as the gay night wore on
When men bathed in perfume and practiced the hoax of free speech.
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on ’em iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that’s near to me nearer to the fire.
Sea breeze blowin’, there’s a hellhound loose
Redeemed men who have escaped from the noose
Preaching faith and salvation, waitin’ on the night to arrive.
He was well connected but her heart was a snare
And she had left him to die in there
He was goin’ down slow, just barely stayin’ alive.
The cry of the peacock, flies buzz in my head
Ceiling fan broken, there’s a heat in my bed
Street band playing “Nearer My God to Thee.”
We met at the station where the mission bells ring
She said, “I know what you’re thinkin’, but there ain’t a thing
You can do about it, so let us just agree to agree.”
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fannin’ the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on ’em iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that’s near to me nearer to the fire.
Atlantic City by the cold grey sea
Hear a voice crying “Daddy”, I always think it’s for me,
But it’s only the silence in the buttermilk hills that call.
Every new messenger brings in evil report
‘Bout armies on the march and time that is short
An’ famines and earthquakes and train wrecks and the tearin’ down of the walls.
Did you ever have a dream that you couldn’t explain?
Did you ever meet your accusers face to face in the rain?
She had chrome brown eyes that I won’t forget as long as she’s gone.
I see the screws breakin’ loose, see the devil poundin’ on tin
I see a house in the country bein’ torn from within.
I can hear my ancestors callin’ from the land far beyond.
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fannin’ the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on ’em iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that’s near to me nearer to the fire.
비정한세상
"Caribbean Wind"
She was the rose of Sharon from paradise lost
From the city of seven hills near the place of the cross
I was playing a show in Miami in the theater of divine comedy
Told about Jesus, told about the rain
She told me about the jungle where her brothers were slain
By a man who danced on the roof of the embassy
Was she a child or a woman, I can't say which
From one to another she could easily switch
We went into the wall to where the long arm of the law could not reach
Could I been used and played as a pawn?
It certainly was possible as the gay night wore on
Where men bathed in perfume and celebrated free speech
And them Caribbean winds still blow from Nassau to Mexico
Fanning the flames in the furnace of desire
And them distant ships of liberty on them iron waves so bold and free
Bringing everything that's near to me nearer to the fire
She looked into my soul through the clothes that I wore
She said, "We got a mutual friend over by the door
And you know he's got our best interest in mind"
He was well connected but her heart was a snare
And she had left him to die in there
There were payments due and he was a little behind
The cry of the peacock, flies buzz my head
Ceiling fan broken, there's a heat in my bed
Street band playing "Nearer My God to Thee"
We met at the steeple where the mission bells ring
She said, "I know what you're thinking, but there ain't a thing
You can do about it, so let us just agree to agree"
Atlantic City by the cold grey sea
I hear a voice crying, "Daddy," I always think it's for me
But it's only the silence in the buttermilk hills that call
Every new messenger brings evil report
'Bout armies on the march and time that is short
And famines and earthquakes and hatred written upon walls
Would I have married her? I don't know, I suppose
She had bells in her braids and they hung to her toes
But I kept hearing my name and had to be movin' on
I saw screws break loose, saw the devil pound tin
I saw a house in the country being torn from within
I heard my ancestors calling from the land far beyond
Elston Gunnn
Nothing short of a masterpiece. All four main versions creating a new world of theme, but grounded the in the same eternal well.
Kathie Clifton
Yes! Just amazing!
Jack Wendigo
Even "Tangled Up in Blue" yields to this song as the most radically amorphous track in the Dylan catalogue - each of the scarce few recordings of this song offer up a completely new perspective. I never get tired of turning each one over, hunting for each little twist of feeling in either words or delivery.
Philip McMahon
Yep,what you said ;)
serge
He said that he didn't put this on an album because he didn't feel that it was finished -
which for me is Ironic cause in all our history the only time anything is - in my was when a man nailed to a Cross said it is finished - I'm sitting in South Fla.in front of a Coffee/Convenience that originates from my small Southern New England State -
I met a Woman down here from Cali to/Hawaii it's been several months since she's been gone and the Spirit put a few things together while I was having coffee and the unfinished sound of this song came to mind so I came back to have a listen - the keys in this song are from heaven
Thomas Dungl
Thank you for your words ... for me it's almost the same! Have a nice day!
Ralph Davis
@George Coventry and some damned good rock'n roll
George Coventry
Same here. It's fascinating.
Gary Smith
What a fantastic song with beautiful lyrics 😍❤💕 love Bob dylan and I will until the end of my life .
Matt Giles
I so agree!!!!