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
Délia
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West,
When she returned, little Delia gone to rest.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' looking high, Curtis' looking low,
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
High up on the housetops, high as I can see,
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Men in Atlanta, tryin' to pass for white,
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis said to the judge, "What might be my fine?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' in the jail house, drinking from an old tin cup,
Delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
"Delia" is a traditional folk song that has been covered by many artists, including Bob Dylan. The song tells the story of a woman named Delia, who was a gambling addict and ultimately met a tragic end at the hands of her lover Curtis.
The first two stanzas set the scene by introducing Delia as a gambler who put all her money on the line. It then becomes clear that Delia has died, possibly as a result of her gambling addiction or something more sinister, as her father and mother are mourning her loss. The chorus that repeats throughout the song is "All the friends I ever had are gone," emphasizing the loneliness and isolation that the singer feels in the aftermath of Delia's death.
The narrative then focuses on Curtis, who seems to be the one responsible for Delia's demise. He is described as frantically searching for something or someone and is ultimately revealed to have shot Delia with a "cruel forty-four." This tragedy has resulted in the singer feeling the need to watch out for herself from a high rooftop, in case Curtis or other "rounders" come looking for her.
The final stanzas reveal that Curtis has been arrested and sentenced to 99 years in jail. The song concludes with the singer lamenting that Delia never loved her but instead chose to love the "rounders" who ultimately caused her demise.
Line by Line Meaning
Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around,
Delia was a girl who loved to gamble and she did so wherever she went.
Delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
Delia was a gambler who took big risks with her money.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
The singer has lost all of their friends, likely due to Delia's actions.
Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West,
Delia's mother went on a trip to the West.
When she returned, little Delia gone to rest.
When Delia's mother returned, Delia was dead.
Delia's daddy weeped, Delia's momma moaned,
Delia's father and mother were extremely upset over her death.
Wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
The singer suggests that it would have been less painful for Delia's family if she had died at home.
Curtis' looking high, Curtis' looking low,
Curtis is searching for something, possibly Delia or someone else.
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
Curtis killed Delia with a gunshot from a .44 caliber firearm.
High up on the housetops, high as I can see,
The artist is on a rooftop, likely trying to avoid trouble or looking out for danger.
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
The singer is searching for a group of people, possibly to protect themselves.
Men in Atlanta, tryin' to pass for white,
There are men in Atlanta pretending to be white, possibly for safety or to avoid discrimination.
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
Delia is buried in a graveyard and is no longer visible or present.
Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
A judge is asking Curtis what the commotion is all about.
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
Curtis blames trouble on a group of people who are trying to exclude him from something.
Curtis said to the judge, "What might be my fine?"
Curtis is asking the judge what his punishment might be for his actions.
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
The judge tells Curtis he will be punished severely, likely for life.
Curtis' in the jail house, drinking from an old tin cup,
Curtis has been imprisoned and is drinking from a tin cup.
Delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
Delia is dead and will not be coming back to life.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
The artist is questioning how Delia could have lived her life the way she did.
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
Delia was more interested in her gambling and a group of people than she was in the artist.
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
Delia's interest was in the group of people she associated with and not the artist, leaving them with no time for a relationship or affection.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL, BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Seaweed Hero
Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around,
Delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West,
When she returned, little Delia gone to rest.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia's daddy weeped, Delia's momma moaned,
Wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' looking high, Curtis' looking low,
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
High up on the housetops, high as I can see,
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Men in Atlanta, tryin' to pass for white,
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis said to the judge, "What might be my fine?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' in the jail house, drinking from an old tin cup,
Delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Copyright ©1993 Special Rider Music
bobdylan.com/songs/delia
Dustin McGill
I love this album been listening to it for a couple years now it’s great stuff thank you Bob it has gotten me through a few rough patches
Susanne Bass
No one can deny that Bob is an absolute genius and a blessing for all
Bob dylan Zimmerman
Hello dear thanks for your love and support
Tony Off
Maybe one of the most beautiful fusion of Folk and Blues music...
yama penny
🙏👍💜
Chaz A.
The world is going wrong... then as now. It's a great song about a sad and true story. God bless you, Bob.
Stephen Clague
I feel like the luckiest man alive. After being stuck on dylans 60 and early 70's masterpieces I am starting getting into his 80's 90's and 00 stuff. Gonna be a beautiful adventure
Liam Quinn
Yes it is.
Carol Levola
@Stephen Clague I hear that about the first twenty years of Dylan material... Loud and clear brother. But for sure you will certainly find the gems, peppering the years between where those monumentals end, and up until now. But man, would I ever like to just erase all of that sixties and seventies material, clean off of my memory. Just so I could once again experience discovering and hearing it all, for the first times, all over again... Let's face it, we'll always remain in love and devoted to those old albums, but they'll never blow our minds and kick our asses again quite like they did when we first began getting to know them... Oh and btw, if you like the "world gone wrong" album you should definitely check out "good as I've been to you". If of course you haven't yet already dug into it. It could easily just be called a Part 2 to this here album. Same idea and delivery/performance as WGW, with him again just playing guitar and singing a whole other list of his old favorites.
Peace brother.
hamid massoudi
ديليا .. أجمل ما غنى بوب في الاحزان ... one guitar , one voice, bt it s deeper and go on simply to the heart