Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota… Read Full Bio ↴Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota, United States) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career spanning more than 60 years.
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

Endless Highway
Bob Dylan Lyrics

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Take a silver dollar and put it in your pocket
Never let it slip away
Always be a man, not a boy gone astray
When ya get half crazy from the August heat
Or on a frozen, rotted road
With no one to complain to about your achin' feet

You're gonna walk that endless highway

Walk that highway till you die
All you children goin' my way
Better tell your home-life sweet goodbye

When I see a detour up ahead
Well, I leave it far behind
Who knows what you're apt to find there
With the cost of livin', and the price of dyin'
Well it look like to me this time I won't be buyin'

You're gonna walk that endless highway
Walk that highway till you die
All you children goin' my way
Better tell your home-life sweet goodbye

When they get a scapegoat by the throat
It's hard labor and cold beans
If ya get away real quick
You'll be eatin' from the poison peanut machine
Well, I sing by night, wander by day
I'm on the road and it looks like I'm here to stay

You're gonna walk that endless highway, endless highway
Walk that highway till you die

All you children goin' my way, goin' my way
Better tell your home-life sweet goodbye

Overall Meaning

In Bob Dylan's song "Endless Highway", he sings about the life of a traveler, offering advice to always hold onto a silver dollar and to never let it slip away. Dylan tells his audience to be a "man" and to not be lost or uncertain, to walk the endless highway until you die. He describes a difficult journey, with the August heat, frozen roads, and achy feet, but insists that the road must be traveled. Dylan's message is that you'll find what you're looking for on the road, and that there's no need to be afraid of the unknown, or to take detours. He sings about the cost of living and the price of dying, suggesting that perhaps it's better to not buy in, to leave what's ahead of you behind. Dylan sings about being a wanderer, a traveler, on the endless highway, implying that this is where he belongs and will stay.

The meaning of "Endless Highway" is likely derived from Dylan’s many travels and experiences as a touring musician, as he has often spoken about his desire to keep moving and exploring. The song explores the joys and hardships of this lifestyle and emphasizes the importance of embracing the unknown, finding one's own way in the world, and staying true to one's path even in the face of adversity. It captures the spirit of the American frontier, the open road and a life lived without a permanent home, exploring the vast and endlessly varied landscape of the United States.

Endless HighwayBob Dylan Lyrics

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Endless Highway
Bob Dylan Lyrics