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
Catch the Wind
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be in the warm heart of your loving mind.
To feel you all around me,
And to take your hand along the sand,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
When sundown pales the sky,
I want to hide a while behind your smile,
For me to love you now, would be the sweetest thing,
T'would make me sing,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
When rain has hung the leaves with tears,
I want you near, to kill my fears,
To help me to leave all my blues behind.
Standing in your heart is where I want to be
And long to be,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Catch the Wind" express longing and uncertainty as the singer yearns for the love and warmth of another person. The opening lines convey a sense of isolation and instability, with the singer seeking refuge in the warmth of the other person's mind. He wants to be enveloped by their love and to feel their presence all around him, but he acknowledges that capturing that feeling may be as elusive as trying to catch the wind.
The second verse continues this theme of searching for comfort and security, with the singer wanting to hide behind the other person's smile and find reassurance in their gaze. The idea of loving the other person is presented as a source of happiness and fulfillment, but the singer recognizes that it may be an impossibility. The refrain of "I may as well try and catch the wind" reinforces the idea that the singer's desires may be unattainable or fleeting, much like the wind that cannot be grasped or held onto.
Overall, the lyrics of "Catch the Wind" explore themes of vulnerability, longing, and the elusive nature of love. Through the metaphor of the wind, the song conveys the idea that some things in life are beyond our control or grasp, despite how much we may desire them.
Line by Line Meaning
In the chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty,
During times of doubt and confusion
I want to be in the warm heart of your loving mind.
I feel safe and welcomed in your loving thoughts
To feel you all around me,
To experience your presence completely
And to take your hand along the sand,
To walk hand in hand with you on the beach
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
But it seems impossible for me to have what I desire
When sundown pales the sky,
At dusk when the sky loses its brightness
I want to hide a while behind your smile,
I want to take refuge and find comfort in your smile
And everywhere I look your eyes I find.
I see love in your eyes wherever I look
For me to love you now, would be the sweetest thing,
Loving you at this moment would bring me great joy
T'would make me sing,
It would lift my spirits and make me want to sing
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
But it seems impossible for me to have what I desire
When rain has hung the leaves with tears,
During a melancholy time when the leaves are bowed down by the rain
I want you near, to kill my fears,
I need you close to me to help alleviate my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind.
To assist me in forgetting all my troubles
Standing in your heart is where I want to be
I desire to be in your heart, where it's safe and warm
And long to be,
I yearn to be there
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
But it seems impossible for me to have what I desire
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeffreybarkin3177
Condolences...
However, it seems immortalizing your Tragic Loss this way will make it Harder to move on after such pain...
Might be different if you had a Relationship with the lost birth; so this seems like a "Harsh Reminder".
Thank you for considering my views on such a Personal SENSITIVE ISSUE...
Felt Down and Saddened by your connection and compelled to respond, considering that DONOVAN wrote Such a Masterpiece Song. Thank you again...
@lisaowens5070
Catch The Wind
Donovan
In the chilly hours and minutes
Of uncertainty, I want to be
In the warm hold of your loving mind
To feel you all around me
And to take your hand, along the sand
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind
When sundown pales the sky
I want to hide a while, behind your smile
And everywhere I'd look, your eyes I'd find
For me to love you now
Would be the sweetest thing
That would make me sing
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind
When rain has hung the leaves with tears
I want you near, to kill my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind
For standin' in your heart
Is where I want to be, and I long to be
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind
@itisonlyadream
I'm now over 80 and nearing the end of this journey. I've arranged to be cremated and have my ashes scattered at sunset from a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody I've known or loved in this life is still alive. Nobody I've known or loved will be there for the scattering of my ashes, but my last request is to have this song played as my ashes are scattered to the wind. Nobody I've known will be there to hear the song, only people who are paid to be there will hear it. But this is my last wish, and t'would be the sweetest thing to know this beautiful song will be playing. I should add, that I'm in excellent health, and I don't expect to check out anytime soon. I'm just saying how I'd like to have my ashes disposed of when the time finally comes.
@1spiritdancer
As Beauty is beauty whether it is understood and seen by others or not, so shall you be!<3
@1spiritdancer
I want peeps singing this with song lyrics when I go #itisonlyadream https://youtu.be/rCb4U3XeOHc
@lacasadinuvole
This song fits into our lives perfectly, as I'm also sure you'll stay on this earth for many years to come Peace.
@mathmusic1490
'......T'wood make me sing.' I'm comin' down the road behind ya'. Peace.
@joeyg9334
bless you.
@JohnC-ic4js
Donovan helped me find my way back from Vietnam.
@brendatanner1259
No one ever really tells you how fast life will pass you by. Hearing the first songs you loved, reminds you that deep in your heart and soul, you are still the person you used to be. After mostly a lifetime of tragedy and pain, I hear this song and it reminds me, I am still the beautiful little soul I was then.
@mrsbermuda1
indeed you are dear Brenda xxx
@wendyqallab6906
You said everything I feel when I hear this song Thank you.