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
Fixin' to Die Blues
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm lookin' funny in my eyes and I believe I'm fixin' to die
I know I was born to die but I hate to leave my children cryin'
Just as sho' as we livin', just as sho' we born to die, sho' we born to die
Just as sho' as we livin', sho' we born to die
I know I was born to die but I hate to leave my children cryin'
Your mother treated me like I was her baby child
That's why's I find it so hard to come back home to die
So many nights at the fireside, how my children's mother would cry, how my children's mother would cry
So many nights at the fireside, how my children's mother would cry
Cause I told the mother I had to say goodbye
Look over yonder, on the burying ground, on the burying ground
Look over yonder, on the burying ground
Yon' stand ten thousand, standin' still to let me down
Mother take my children back, before they let me down, before they let me down
Mother take my children back, 'fore they let me down
I don't need for them to screamin' and cryin' on the graveyard ground
In Bob Dylan's song Fixin' To Die Blues, the singer is reflecting on his impending death and the impact it will have on those he loves. He describes how he feels funny in his eyes and believes he is fixin' to die. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the singer's conviction and fear of his inevitable fate. The singer acknowledges that we are all born with the knowledge that we will one day die, but he hates the thought of leaving his children crying. He then goes on to reflect on his ex-partner's treatment of him, and how it made it difficult for him to return home to die. The song ends with a plea to his mother to take care of his children before they let him down, and a final image of the burying ground and the many who have died before him.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm lookin' funny in my eyes and I believe I'm fixin' to die, believe I'm fixin' to die
I feel like I'm going to die soon, and it's starting to show in my physical appearance.
I know I was born to die but I hate to leave my children cryin'
I understand that death is a natural part of life, but it is still difficult to leave my children behind when they will be so upset.
Just as sho' as we livin', sho' we born to die
It is a fact of life that we are all going to die eventually, just as surely as we are all born into this world.
Your mother treated me like I was her baby child
Your mother was very kind and nurturing towards me, treating me like one of her own children.
That's why's I find it so hard to come back home to die
It is difficult for me to face the idea of dying at home because I am so grateful to your mother for treating me so kindly in the past.
So many nights at the fireside, how my children's mother would cry
I remember spending countless nights at home with my family, watching my wife cry because she knew I would eventually have to say goodbye to them.
Look over yonder, on the burying ground, on the burying ground
If you look in the distance, you can see the cemetery where people are buried after they have passed away.
Yon' stand ten thousand, standin' still to let me down
The graves in the cemetery signify the many people who have died before me, making me feel like I am just another person who will be forgotten after I am gone.
Mother take my children back, 'fore they let me down
I don't want my children to see me die and be traumatized by the experience, so I am asking my mother to take them away before that can happen.
I don't need for them to screamin' and cryin' on the graveyard ground
It would be too painful for me to see my children screaming and crying at my graveside after I am gone, so I want to spare them that experience.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@viktorlinekrantz203
This album makes me feel like I've been working for 35 years at 21 years old
@davidmurray3687
First discovered this album as a student nearly 60 years ago. Loved it then, love it now
@Ad-Ac
I discovered it last year. I was listening to it while driving and it made me feel incredible. The power of his music, of his words, it's beyond comprehension
@brycenorris6888
Bob's best vocals I have ever heard period.
@christiangodoy6018
My Dad turned me on to this album in 1985 when I was 15 and I still love to sing along with every word. Thanks Pops!
@christopherreed2694
Didn't realize how much he dug the blues thats hella cool I dug him anyway so that just lifts him more in my heart 💙
@zarthus8545
Powerful stuff. Stikes a nerve.
@jackyvanhal9514
You always knew your songs well!!!
@loralee-sm5pf
حالة حب ابديه مع الاغنيه ❤❤
@Eboy420ish
Thanks for posting