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
Dignity
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thin man lookin' at his last meal
Hollow man lookin' in a cottonfield
For dignity
Wise man lookin' in a blade of grass
Young man lookin' in the shadows that pass
Poor man lookin' through painted glass
Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve
Somebody said dignity was the first to leave
I went into the city, went into the town
Went into the land of the midnight sun
Searchin' high, searchin' low
Searchin' everywhere I know
Askin' the cops wherever I go
Have you seen dignity
Blind man breakin' out of a trance
Puts both his hands in the pockets of chance
Hopin' to find one circumstance
Of dignity
I went to the wedding of Mary-Lou
She said I don't want nobody see me talkin' to you
Said she could get killed if she told me what she knew
About dignity
I went down where the vultures feed
I would've got deeper, but there wasn't any need
Heard the tongues of angels and the tongues of men
Wasn't any difference to me
Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade
House on fire, debts unpaid
Gonna stand at the window, gonna ask the maid
Have you seen dignity
Drinkin' man listens to the voice he hears
In a crowded room full of covered up mirrors
Lookin' into the lost forgotten years
For dignity
Met Prince Phillip at the home of the blues
Said he'd give me information if his name wasn't used
He wanted money up front, said he was abused
By dignity
Footprints runnin' cross the silver sand
Steps goin' down into tattoo land
I met the sons of darkness and the sons of light
In the border-towns of despair
Got no place to fade, got no coat
I'm on the rollin' river in a jerkin' boat
Tryin' to read a note somebody wrote
About dignity
Sick man lookin' for the doctor's cure
Lookin' at his hands for the lines that were
And into every masterpiece of literature
For dignity
Englishman stranded in the black-heart wind
Combin' his hair back, his future looks thin
Bites the bullet and he looks within
For dignity
Someone showed me a picture and I just laughed
Dignity never been photographed
I went into the red, went into the black
Into the valley of dry bone dreams
So many roads, so much at stake
Too many dead ends, I'm at the edge of the lake
Sometimes I wonder what it's gonna take
To find dignity
The song "Dignity" by Bob Dylan seems to be a search for a quality that seems to be slipping away from humanity. The lyrics describe different types of people, from a fat man to a blind man, each searching for dignity. The song acknowledges the loss of dignity in the world, referencing a murder on New Year's Eve and a woman who fears talking to the singer. The singer searches wherever he can to find dignity, asking the police and even Prince Phillip. The song ends with an acknowledgment that there are "so many roads, so much at stake," implying that the search for dignity is ongoing.
Line by Line Meaning
Fat man lookin' in a blade of steel
A heavyset man staring into a sharp metal blade, searching for dignity.
Thin man lookin' at his last meal
A thin, starving man looking at his final meal, hoping to find dignity.
Hollow man lookin' in a cottonfield, For dignity
An empty, desolate man looking into a cotton field, searching for dignity.
Wise man lookin' in a blade of grass
A knowledgeable man staring into a single blade of grass, hoping to find dignity.
Young man lookin' in the shadows that pass
A young man looking into the fleeting shadows, in search of dignity.
Poor man lookin' through painted glass, For dignity
A destitute man peering through painted glass, seeking out dignity.
Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve
An unknown person was killed on New Year's Eve.
Somebody said dignity was the first to leave
It is rumored that dignity was the first to go in this tragedy.
I went into the city, went into the town, Went into the land of the midnight sun
Bob Dylan traveled to various locations, including a city, a town, and the Arctic lands.
Searchin' high, searchin' low, Searchin' everywhere I know
Looking in every possible place for dignity.
Askin' the cops wherever I go, Have you seen dignity
Questioning law enforcement officers if they have any information about dignity.
Blind man breakin' out of a trance
A man who is blind snaps out of a daze.
Puts both his hands in the pockets of chance
He places his hands into the pockets of an unpredictable outcome.
Hopin' to find one circumstance, Of dignity
Hoping to find a single occurrence of dignity.
I went to the wedding of Mary-Lou
Bob Dylan attended Mary-Lou's wedding.
She said I don't want nobody see me talkin' to you, Said she could get killed if she told me what she knew, About dignity
Mary-Lou did not want anyone to see her talking with Bob Dylan, as she feared for her life if she revealed what she knew about dignity.
I went down where the vultures feed
Bob Dylan went to a location where vultures typically gather to feed on dead animals.
I would've got deeper, but there wasn't any need
He would have gone further, but it was unnecessary because he had already found what he was looking for.
Heard the tongues of angels and the tongues of men, Wasn't any difference to me
He heard the speech of both celestial beings and humans, and there was no distinction for him.
Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade
A piercing, frigid wind that was as sharp as a knife.
House on fire, debts unpaid
A home ablaze with unpaid debts.
Gonna stand at the window, gonna ask the maid, Have you seen dignity
Bob Dylan will go to the maid and inquire if she has any information on dignity.
Drinkin' man listens to the voice he hears
A man who is drinking alcohol listens to the voice he hears.
In a crowded room full of covered up mirrors
The man is in a room full of concealed mirrors.
Lookin' into the lost forgotten years, For dignity
Searching for dignity as he remembers the long-forgotten years.
Met Prince Phillip at the home of the blues
Bob Dylan met Prince Phillip in a place known as the home of the blues.
Said he'd give me information if his name wasn't used, He wanted money up front, said he was abused, By dignity
Prince Phillip says he will give Bob Dylan information but wants payment upfront, citing an abusive encounter with dignity as the reason.
Footprints runnin' cross the silver sand
Footprints running on the silver sand.
Steps goin' down into tattoo land
People are walking down into a place where tattoos are common.
I met the sons of darkness and the sons of light, In the border-towns of despair
Bob Dylan encountered individuals from both good and evil sides while in the border-towns of despair.
Got no place to fade, got no coat, I'm on the rollin' river in a jerkin' boat
Bob Dylan is on a rolling river in a slender boat without a coat or a place to disappear into the background.
Tryin' to read a note somebody wrote, About dignity
Attempting to decipher a written message concerning dignity that Bob Dylan has discovered.
Sick man lookin' for the doctor's cure
Ailing man seeking the cure for his ailment.
Lookin' at his hands for the lines that were
Looking at his hands to find the signs of the past.
And into every masterpiece of literature, For dignity
In every literary masterpiece, searching for dignity.
Englishman stranded in the black-heart wind
Encountering a stranded Englishman in the middle of a heartless wind.
Combin' his hair back, his future looks thin
An Englishman is combing his hair back and looks like he has no future.
Bites the bullet and he looks within, For dignity
Despite his situation, he takes charge of his life and searches within for dignity.
Someone showed me a picture and I just laughed, Dignity never been photographed
Bob Dylan saw a picture and laughed because dignity can never be captured in a photo.
I went into the red, went into the black
Bob Dylan went through highs and lows, moments of abundance and moments of deprivation.
Into the valley of dry bone dreams
Into a barren valley of hopeless and shattered dreams.
So many roads, so much at stake
There are numerous roads to take, and much is at risk.
Too many dead ends, I'm at the edge of the lake
Too many roads led to dead ends, and Bob Dylan is now at the lake's edge.
Sometimes I wonder what it's gonna take, To find dignity
Bob Dylan is questioning what it will take to finally find the elusive concept of dignity.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lizfrancis8925
Fat man lookin' in a blade of steel
Thin man lookin' at his last meal
Hollow man lookin' in a cottonfield
For dignity
Wise man lookin' in a blade of grass
Young man lookin' in the shadows that pass
Poor man lookin' through painted glass
For dignity
Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve
Somebody said dignity was the first to leave
I went into the city, went into the town
Went into the land of the midnight sun
Searchin' high, searchin' low
Searchin' everywhere I know
Askin' the cops wherever I go
Have you seen dignity
Blind man breakin' out of a trance
Puts his both hands in the pockets of chance
Hopin' to find one circumstance
Of dignity
I went to the wedding of Mary-Lou
She said I don't want nobody see me talkin' to you
Said she could get killed if she told me what she knew
About dignity
I went down where the vultures feed
I would've got deeper, but there wasn't any need
Heard the tongues of angels and the tongues of men
Wasn't any difference to me
Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade
House on fire, debts unpaid
Gonna stand at the window, gonna ask the maid
Have you seen dignity
Drinkin' man listens to the voice he hears
In a crowded room full of covered up mirrors
Lookin' into the lost forgotten years
For dignity
Met Prince Phillip at the home of the blues
Said he'd give me information if his name wasn't used
He wanted money up front, said he was abused
By dignity
Footprints runnin' cross the silver sand
Steps goin' down into tattoo land
I met the sons of darkness and the sons of light
In the border-towns of despair
Got no place to fade, got no coat
I'm on the rollin' river in a jerkin' boat
Tryin' to read a note somebody wrote
About dignity
Sick man lookin' for the doctor's cure
Lookin' at his hands for the lines that were
And into every masterpiece of literature
For dignity
Englishman stranded in the black-heart wind
Combin' his hair back, his future looks thin
Bites the bullet and he looks within
For dignity
Someone showed me a picture and I just laughed
Dignity never been photographed
I went into the red, went into the black
Into the valley of dry bone dreams
So many roads, so much at stake
Too many dead ends, I'm at the edge of the lake
Sometimes I wonder what it's gonna take
To find dignity
@user-op7ri1hy3w
Great from the first time you hear it. The rhythym, and the lyrics of course. Among his best, deserves more attention.
@JJRivers
"Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve, Somebody said Dignity was the 1st to leave" - Happy New Years '23! This is now my favourite Dylan song
@tracy1273
Thank you
@LOVEHAS1JOYRAINS2
Mother Father of all creation is here in physical flesh ❤🎉 please phone home in these urgent moments! We love u. Luna❤🎉
@binmishr
"Dignity " is perfectly defined in a incredible song by one and only Bob Dylan. "Dignity never been photographed"
@LOVEHAS1JOYRAINS2
Mother Father of all creation is here in physical flesh ❤🎉 please phone home in these urgent moments! We love u. Luna❤🎉
@bobskeet595
An amazing song makes you look inside yourself . Such a gifted bloke . Thanks Bob for so many many songs
@chrisr3553
Makes you look inside yourself? Which end do you look in?
@bobskeet595
@Chris R your so so funny . Not
@jamesbradshaw3389
you have got that right, Saint Bob, Gods most favorite working angle on this earth