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
Cold Irons Bound
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm all used up and I fee so turned-around
I went to church on Sunday and she passed by
And my love for her is taking such a long time to die
God, I'm waist deep, waist deep in the mist
It's almost like, almost like I don't exist
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Can't see over to the other side
It's such a sad thing to see beauty decay
It's sadder still to feel your heart torn away
One look at you and I'm out of control
Like the universe has swallowed me whole
I'm 20 miles out of town and Cold Irons bound
There's too many people, too many to recall
I thought some of 'em were friends of mine
I was wrong about 'em all
Well, the road is rocky and the hillside's mud
Up over my head nothing but clouds of blood
I found my own, I found my one in you
But your love just hasn't proved true
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Well the winds in Chicago have turned me to shreds
Reality has always had too many heads
Some things last longer than you think they will
Some kind of things you can never kill
It's you and you only I'm thinking about
But you can't see in, and it's hard looking out
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Well the fat's in the fire, and the water's in the tank
And the whiskey's in the jar, and the money's in the bank
I tried to love and protect you because I cared
I'm gonna remember forever the joy we've shared
Looking at you and I'm on my bended knee
You have no idea what you do to me
I'm 20 miles out of town Cold Irons bound
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
The opening lines of "Cold Irons Bound" by Bob Dylan set the tone for the rest of the song - the singer is experiencing a sense of detachment and confusion. He hears "voices" with "no one around", indicating that his own inner thoughts are becoming louder and harder to ignore. He is feeling "used up" and "turned-around," as if he's lost his sense of direction. Interestingly, Dylan wrote this song after coming out of a career slump, so it's possible that these lyrics are a reflection of his own personal experiences.
The chorus of the song mentions being "Cold Irons bound" while 20 miles out of town. The term "Cold Irons" refers to shackles or handcuffs, which suggests a feeling of being trapped or imprisoned. The singer is physically isolated from society and mentally trapped in his own thoughts. He is trapped within his own mind, and there seems to be no easy way out.
In the second verse, Dylan introduces the image of a "wall of pride" that's "high and wide" and prevents the singer from seeing over to the other side. It's an image that suggests the singer is unwilling or unable to open up and connect with others on a deeper level. The lines "It's such a sad thing to see beauty decay / It's sadder still to feel your heart torn away" reinforce the idea that the singer has experienced some form of loss or disappointment in his life. He is simply going through the motions without actually feeling anything.
Overall, "Cold Irons Bound" is a bleak and introspective song that explores feelings of detachment, confusion, and entrapment. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a narrator who is struggling to connect with the world around him and find his place in it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm beginning to hear voices and there's no one around
I am hearing imaginary voices in my head
Now I'm all used up and I fee so turned-around
I feel drained and disoriented
I went to church on Sunday and she passed by
I saw her in church on Sunday
And my love for her is taking such a long time to die
I am still struggling to let go of my love for her
God, I'm waist deep, waist deep in the mist
I feel totally lost and surrounded by confusion
It's almost like, almost like I don't exist
I feel like I am invisible
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
I am far from my destination and imprisoned in my situation
There's a wall of pride high and wide
My pride is a barrier that prevents me from seeing beyond myself
Can't see over to the other side
I am unable to see the bigger picture
It's such a sad thing to see beauty decay
It's heartbreaking to see beauty fade away
It's sadder still to feel your heart torn away
It's even more painful to experience a broken heart
One look at you and I'm out of control
I lose all restraint when I see you
Like the universe has swallowed me whole
I feel overwhelmed and insignificant
There's too many people, too many to recall
There are too many people in my past to remember
I thought some of 'em were friends of mine
I believed some of them were my friends
I was wrong about 'em all
I misjudged all of them
Well, the road is rocky and the hillside's mud
The journey is challenging and difficult
Up over my head nothing but clouds of blood
I feel surrounded by danger and violence
I found my own, I found my one in you
I thought I had found the one in you
But your love just hasn't proved true
But you have not been faithful to me
Well the winds in Chicago have turned me to shreds
The harsh conditions in Chicago have taken a toll on me
Reality has always had too many heads
Reality is complex and difficult to comprehend
Some things last longer than you think they will
Some things endure beyond our expectations
Some kind of things you can never kill
Certain things cannot be destroyed
It's you and you only I'm thinking about
I am only focused on you
But you can't see in, and it's hard looking out
But you cannot understand my perspective
Well the fat's in the fire, and the water's in the tank
The situation is heated and the resources are limited
And the whiskey's in the jar, and the money's in the bank
The distractions and temptations are readily available
I tried to love and protect you because I cared
I attempted to show you love and care for you
I'm gonna remember forever the joy we've shared
I will always cherish the happy memories we have created
Looking at you and I'm on my bended knee
I am humbled in your presence
You have no idea what you do to me
You do not realize the impact you have on me
I'm 20 miles out of town Cold Irons bound
I am still struggling in my difficult situation far from my destination
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
I am still trapped and struggling far from home
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@0otee
Great performance Drums like cold irons are felt!! Dylan accentuates this all❣️
Fierce rhythm expressing lost love misery! Well done🌺❤️🌹🌷👌 LYRICS:
Cold Irons Bound
WRITTEN BY: BOB DYLAN
I’m beginning to hear voices and there’s no one around
Well, I’m all used up and the fields have turned brown
I went to church on Sunday and she passed by
My love for her is taking such a long time to die
I’m waist deep, waist deep in the mist
It’s almost like, almost like I don’t exist
I’m twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
The walls of pride are high and wide
Can’t see over to the other side
It’s such a sad thing to see beauty decay
It’s sadder still to feel your heart torn away
One look at you and I’m out of control
Like the universe has swallowed me whole
I’m twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
There’s too many people, too many to recall
I thought some of ’m were friends of mine, I was wrong about ’m all
Well, the road is rocky and the hillside’s mud
Up over my head nothing but clouds of blood
I found my world, found my world in you
But your love just hasn’t proved true
I’m twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
Twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
Oh, the winds in Chicago have torn me to shreds
Reality has always had too many heads
Some things last longer than you think they will
There are some kind of things you can never kill
It’s you and you only I been thinking about
But you can’t see in and it’s hard lookin’ out
I’m twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
Well the fat’s in the fire and the water’s in the tank
The whiskey’s in the jar and the money’s in the bank
I tried to love and protect you because I cared
I’m gonna remember forever the joy that we shared
Looking at you and I’m on my bended knee
You have no idea what you do to me
I’m twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
Twenty miles out of town in cold irons bound
Copyright © 1997 by Special Rider Music
@mohammedebaad1685
I'm beginning to hear voices and there's no one around
Now I'm all used up and I fee so turned-around
I went to church on Sunday and she passed by
And my love for her is taking such a long time to die
God, I'm waist deep, waist deep in the mist
It's almost like, almost like I don't exist
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
There's a wall of pride high and wide
Can't see over to the other side
It's such a sad thing to see beauty decay
It's sadder still to feel your heart torn away
One look at you and I'm out of control
Like the universe has swallowed me whole
I'm 20 miles out of town and Cold Irons bound
There's too many people, too many to recall
I thought some of 'em were friends of mine
I was wrong about 'em all
Well, the road is rocky and the hillside's mud
Up over my head nothing but clouds of blood
I found my own, I found my one in you
But your love just hasn't proved true
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Well the winds in Chicago have turned me to shreds
Reality has always had too many heads
Some things last longer than you think they will
Some kind of things you can never kill
It's you and you only I'm thinking about
But you can't see in, and it's hard looking out
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Well the fat's in the fire, and the water's in the tank
And the whiskey's in the jar, and the money's in the bank
I tried to love and protect you because I cared
I'm gonna remember forever the joy we've shared
Looking at you and I'm on my bended knee
You have no idea what you do to me
I'm 20 miles out of town Cold Irons bound
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
@Jodeanson.23
This is approximately the 40eleventh time I’ve watched this performance. The groove is still new and it’s scent is still fresh. Bless your heart Mr. Zimmerman.
@jamesm.3967
I’m at about 12. Good work.
@ronkopald
@James M. I'm about near the heat death of the cosmos on my count.
@jitsroller
And that voice is like gravel in a shoebox , I dig it.
@jean-pauldupeyron8662
https://youtu.be/j5QMGo3ISbM. just for fun....
@henrycastle1
💯% Same❤️
@rutgersonline
This is without a doubt the best version of "Cold Irons Bound," definitely superior to the studio version. It's more (in)tense and cutting, with a slightly faster tempo better suited to the song, and Dylan's vocal is passionate and fully committed. I was fortunate to see this band several times during the late 1990s and they were consistently fantastic. Campbell and Sexton on guitar are hard to top, and the same can be said of Garnier and Recili as a rhythm section. I never get tired of listening to this.
@karllieb
I question. Studio better imo. This is good but I prefer more smolder.
@peteredge-partington2520
Agreed...so much better than the original album version.....It really really rocks and really really rolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@stevenlight5006
Me too