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
Copper Kettle
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fill it with new made corn mash and never more you'll toil
You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright
Watch them just a-filling in the pale moonlight.
Build you a fire with hickory, hickory, ash and oak
Don't use no green or rotten wood, they'll get you by the smoke
You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright
My daddy he made whiskey, my granddaddy he did too
We ain't paid no whiskey tax since 1792
You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright
Watch them just a-filling in the pale moonlight.
Bob Dylan’s song “Copper Kettle” is a folksy and poetic tribute to the art of moonshining, and a nod to a bygone era of rebellion against the government's liquor tax. The song’s lyrics are a step by step instructional guide to crafting the perfect batch of moonshine, starting with obtaining a copper kettle and coil to capture the distillation, and filling it with fresh, new-made corn mash. Dylan’s words carry an almost mystical reverence for the process, emphasizing the beauty of the pale moonlight and the juniper and hickory trees that surrounded a moonshiner’s secluded hideaway.
Beyond the practical elements of brewing illicit whiskey, Dylan imbues “Copper Kettle” with a sense of tradition, of fathers and grandfathers passing down their expertise in a craft that has been handed down through generations. The song is also a subtle reference to the long history of resistance to alcohol taxation in the United States, harkening back to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 and the broader sentiments of self-reliance and small government that have shaped America’s cultural identity.
Overall, Dylan’s “Copper Kettle” offers a window into a fascinating piece of American culture and history, capturing both the practical and emotional elements of moonshining and the rebellious spirit that fueled it.
Line by Line Meaning
Get you a copper kettle, get you a copper coil
Acquire a copper kettle and coil for the purpose of making moonshine
Fill it with new made corn mash and never more you'll toil
Fill the copper kettle with fresh corn mash and avoid the need for hard work in the future
You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright
Relax by the juniper tree on a pleasant evening, taking in the full moon's illumination
Watch them just a-filling in the pale moonlight.
Observe those who are filling their own copper kettles in the faint light of the moon
Build you a fire with hickory, hickory, ash and oak
Use only hickory, ash, and oak wood to build a fire for the purpose of heating the copper kettle
Don't use no green or rotten wood, they'll get you by the smoke
Avoid using unseasoned or spoiled wood, which will generate excessive smoke and draw negative attention
My daddy he made whiskey, my granddaddy he did too
My ancestors have been involved in the production of illegal whiskey for multiple generations
We ain't paid no whiskey tax since 1792
Our family has been evading the whiskey tax for over a century
You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright
Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere while observing the process of making moonshine under the luminosity of the full moon
Watch them just a-filling in the pale moonlight.
Watch the activity of filling the copper kettles with fresh corn mash under the weak illumination of the moon
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: FRANK A BEDDOE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Monica Tolipan
What a wonderful song, Blues in a pale moonligth! Certainly another masterpiece.
Rob Mcgarry
No idea what he was really trying to do with Self Portrait, but this song is gorgeous.
natallia f
@El Locotron no filler
ken elkins
He was interpreting songs on which he went to school. It was part of a deep dive into the American songbook. With tunes like Minstrel Boy on Self Portrait, he proved to be a major part of that great American songbook. Not to mention during the Nashville/Basement Tapes/New Morning/Planet Waves period, Dylan was more psychedelic than the Beatles, Grateful Dead and 13th Floor Elevators combined.
Dylan Thompson
Revisiting his roots for inspiration
bizzy rizzy
He was finding himself and doing what he wanted during this time
Robert Fisch
@J.C I was joking. It's humor
DuneAquaViva
I love this tune a masterpiece..
J.C
A very special song
Bruce Morrison
And so do I. One of my all-time favorite Dylan songs !