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
Cat's in the Well
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The cat's in the well, the wolf is looking down.
He got his big bushy tail dragging all over the ground.
The cat's in the well, the gentle lady is asleep.
Cat's in the well, the gentle lady is asleep.
She ain't hearing a thing, the silence is a-stickin' her deep.
The cat's in the well and grief is showing its face
The world's being slaughtered and it's such a bloody disgrace.
The cat's in the well, the horse is going bumpety bump.
The cat's in the well, and the horse is going bumpety bump.
Back alley Sally is doing the American jump.
[Bridge #2:]
The cat's in the well, and pappa is reading the news.
His hair is falling out and all of his daughters need shoes.
The cat's in the well and the barn is full of bull
The cat's in the well and the barn is full of bull
The night is so long and the table is oh, so full
[Bridge #3:]
The cat's in the well and the servant is at the door.
The drinks are ready and the dogs are going to war.
The cat's in the well, the leaves are starting to fall
The cat's in the well, leaves are starting to fall
Goodnight, my love, may the lord have mercy on us all.
Bob Dylan’s song “Cat’s in the Well” is a gloomy reflection on the state of the world. In the song, the cat represents something bad or evil that has happened, and the other characters in the song are dealing with the aftermath. The wolf in the first verse can be seen as a predator, watching over the situation, and the gentle lady is asleep, meaning she is ignoring the world's problems. In the following verse, the horse is frantic, and Back Alley Sally is doing the “American jump,” possibly a dance which suggests carelessness and lack of sensitivity to the situation.
The bridge sections of the song comment on the world's state, with lyrics such as “The world's being slaughtered, and it’s such a bloody disgrace.” The song’s final verses are particularly bleak, with the barn full of bull indicating that there is no room for anything new or good in the world. The leaves falling in the last verse could represent a loss of hope, with the final words “Goodnight, my love, may the lord have mercy on us all” possibly suggesting that there is no hope for human intervention, and only divine intervention can save the world.
Line by Line Meaning
The cat's in the well, the wolf is looking down.
The situation is dire, with a powerful predator watching over and waiting to attack.
He got his big bushy tail dragging all over the ground.
The wolf is confident and in control, with no opposition in sight.
The cat's in the well, the gentle lady is asleep.
Despite the danger, some are oblivious and unable or unwilling to acknowledge it.
She ain't hearing a thing, the silence is a-stickin' her deep.
The consequences of inaction and complacency are lurking beneath the surface, waiting to emerge.
The cat's in the well and grief is showing its face
The tragedy and injustice of the situation are becoming increasingly apparent.
The world's being slaughtered and it's such a bloody disgrace.
The state of the world is devastating and shameful, with untold suffering and loss.
The cat's in the well, the horse is going bumpety bump.
Even in the face of danger, life goes on and people continue to pursue their own interests.
Back alley Sally is doing the American jump.
People are indulging in distractions and escapism, oblivious or indifferent to the greater problems around them.
The cat's in the well, and pappa is reading the news.
The media is reporting on the situation, but it may be too little, too late to make a real difference.
His hair is falling out and all of his daughters need shoes.
The urgency and pressure of the situation are taking a toll on people, even as they try to maintain some sense of normalcy.
The cat's in the well and the barn is full of bull
Deception and false information are prevalent, making it difficult to discern the truth or take effective action.
The night is so long and the table is oh, so full.
The magnitude of the problem is overwhelming, and solutions seem scarce or ineffective.
The cat's in the well and the servant is at the door.
The danger is imminent and cannot be ignored, even by those with little power or influence.
The drinks are ready and the dogs are going to war.
People are preparing for conflict and confrontation, but it may only lead to more chaos and suffering.
The cat's in the well, the leaves are starting to fall
The situation is deteriorating and becoming increasingly urgent.
Goodnight, my love, may the lord have mercy on us all.
The future is uncertain and the consequences of inaction or missteps could be devastating, but perhaps hope remains for some sort of salvation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind