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
Goin' to Acapulco
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She never does me wrong
She puts it to me plain as day
And gives it to me for a song
It's a wicked life but what the hell
But what that hell, oh everybody's got to eat
And I'm just the same as anyone else
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see fat gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now, whenever I get up
And I can't find what I need
I just make it down to Rose Marie's
And get something quick to eat
It's not a bad way to make a living
And I ain't complainin' none
But I can blow my plump, and break my rump
And then go home and have my fun
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now, if someone offers me a joke
I just say no thanks
I try to tell it like it is
And keep away from pranks
And every time you know when the well breaks down
I just go pump on it some
Rose Marie, she likes to go to big places
And just set there waitin' for me to come
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
The song "Goin' to Acapulco" by Bob Dylan and The Band is about a man who frequents a woman named Rose Marie's establishment for his basic needs. Rose Marie is likely a prostitute as the singer alludes to her giving him what he needs for a song, indicating that he pays her for her services. Despite the apparent wickedness of the lifestyle, the singer justifies it by saying everyone needs to eat and that he's just like everyone else when it comes to scratching for his meat. He then sings about his plans to go to Acapulco to have some fun, implying that he's taking a break from his day-to-day life.
The singer seems content with his way of life and doesn't complain, even though he remarks that he can blow his plump and break his rump. His nonchalant attitude towards his circumstances is exemplified when he says that whenever he can't find what he needs, he goes down to Rose Marie's and gets something quick to eat. He also seems to have a strict moral code, as he refuses to partake in jokes and tries to tell it like it is. Finally, he mentions that Rose Marie likes to go to big places and wait for him to come, implying that the two have a special connection or relationship beyond their transactional one.
In summary, "Goin' to Acapulco" paints a picture of a man living a questionable lifestyle but justifying it by saying that everyone needs to eat. He seems content with his way of life and is taking a break from it to go to Acapulco and have some fun. The song is open to interpretation, but many believe it's a commentary on the commodification of sexuality and relationships in modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going down to Rose Marie's
I'm heading to the place where I can get what I need quickly.
She never does me wrong
Whenever I visit Rose Marie's place, I get what I want without any issues.
She puts it to me plain as day
Rose Marie tells me what I need to know or do in a clear and straightforward manner.
And gives it to me for a song
I get what I need easily and without having to pay much for it.
It's a wicked life but what the hell
Life can be tough, but I try not to worry about it.
But what that hell, oh everybody's got to eat
Despite life's challenges, everyone needs to eat to survive.
And I'm just the same as anyone else
I'm no different from anyone else when it comes to needing to eat and survive.
When it comes to scratchin' for my meat
I'll do what it takes to survive and make sure I don't go hungry.
Goin' to Acapulco
I'm off to Acapulco for a fun-filled adventure.
Goin' on the run
I'm going to leave everything behind and just focus on having a good time.
Goin' down to see fat gut
I'm on my way to see someone I know in Acapulco.
Goin' to have some fun
I'm excited about the adventure and ready to enjoy myself.
Yeah
Now, whenever I get up
Whenever I wake up and need something,
And I can't find what I need
If I don't have what I need,
I just make it down to Rose Marie's
I'll head to Rose Marie's place to get what I need quickly.
And get something quick to eat
I'll grab something to eat so I can keep going.
It's not a bad way to make a living
Getting what I need easily and without spending much is a good way to make a living.
And I ain't complainin' none
I'm not complaining about the way I'm doing things.
But I can blow my plump, and break my rump
I can work hard if I need to and use up my resources to survive.
And then go home and have my fun
But I also make sure to enjoy myself and have fun when I'm not working hard.
Now, if someone offers me a joke
If someone tries to make me laugh with a joke,
I just say no thanks
I'll politely decline because I just want to focus on getting what I need done.
I try to tell it like it is
I prefer to be honest and straightforward in my interactions with others.
And keep away from pranks
I don't get involved in playing tricks or pranks because it's not helpful.
And every time you know when the well breaks down
Whenever something goes wrong or doesn't work properly,
I just go pump on it some
I'll try to fix it myself and get it working again.
Rose Marie, she likes to go to big places
Rose Marie enjoys going to fancy or important places.
And just set there waitin' for me to come
She'll wait for me to come along so we can go together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@caerbannoghare4744
I'm going down to Rose Marie's
She never does me wrong
She puts it to me plain as day
And gives it to me for a song
It's a wicked life, but what the hell
Everybody's got to eat
And I'm just the same as anyone else
When it comes to scratching for my meat
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now, whenever I get up
And can't find what I need
I just make it down to Rose Marie's
And get something quick to eat
It's not a bad way to make a living
And I ain't complainin' none
Oh, I can pull my plum, and drink my rum
And then go on home and have my fun
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now if someone offers me a joke
I just say, "No thanks"
I try to tell it like it is
And keep away from pranks
Now every time you know when the well breaks down
I just go pump on it some
Rose Marie, she likes to go to big places
And just set there waitin' for me to come
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
@juancamacho5746
I'm going down to Rose Marie's
She never does me wrong
She puts it to me plain as day
And gives it to me for a song
It's a wicked life, but what the hell
Everybody's got to eat
And I'm just the same as anyone else
When it comes to scratching for my meat
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now, whenever I get up
And can't find what I need
I just make it down to Rose Marie's
And get something quick to eat
It's not a bad way to make a living
And I ain't complainin' none
Oh, I can pull my plum, and drink my rum
And then go on home and have my fun
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
Now if someone offers me a joke
I just say, "No thanks"
I try to tell it like it is
And keep away from pranks
Now every time you know when the well breaks down
I just go pump on it some
Rose Marie, she likes to go to big places
And just set there waitin' for me to come
Goin' to Acapulco
Goin' on the run
Goin' down to see soft gut
Goin' to have some fun
Yeah
Goin' to have some fun
@CipherSerpico
For as long as I live:
I will gladly debate anyone who says that Dylan is not one of the Greatest Vocalists of All Time.
@mikefelix6338
My Morning Jacket + Calexico cover version of this in “I’m Not There” absolutely floored me. One of the few (or many) times someone takes a Dylan song to new heights
@cactussticker2815
such a special song for us bums who cudda been somebody
@Furry67
Robbie's guitar work is outstanding.
@blueschewy2558
As is Garth's organ accoutrement.
@ervbefelnareik7604
And the harmonies, one of Dylans best vocals imo
@karenscigliano9787
My 3 sentiments, exactly.
@doncahooti
I'll tell him you said so.
@TheStrangeAeon
He and Hendrix were very similar with those crazy rhythms. You can hear it in this track. If you told someone Jimi played the track for Bob to someone who didn't know you could definitely fool them.
@jamesproffitt4868
Such a mysterious sound on this. It is music remembered from some dream surely.