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
House of Gold
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For wealth and what it will buy
Don't they know on the judgment day
That their gold and silver will melt away
I'd rather be in a deep, dark grave
And know that my poor soul was saved
Than to live in this world in a house of gold
Jesus said ,come on to me
I'll break sin's chains and set you free
I'll carry you to a home on high
Where you'll never, never die
What good is gold and silver, too
When your heart's not good and true
Sinner hear me when I say
Fall down on your knees and pray
Jesus died there on the cross
So this world would not be lost
Sinner hear now what I say
For someday you ll have to pay
What good is gold and silver too
If your heart's not good and true
Sinner, hear me when I say
Fall down on your knees and pray
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "House of Gold" address the theme of the worthlessness of material possessions compared to the spiritual values and the importance of leading a virtuous life. The first two verses depict people's obsession with wealth that makes them indulge in stealing, cheating, and lying. However, the ultimate fate of their riches is a reminder that everything material is ephemeral, and nothing can save them on the judgment day. The third verse presents an alternative choice, where the singer seeks solace in a "deep, dark grave" that signifies the impermanence of life and the eternity of the afterlife with God.
The fourth verse refers to the Christian belief that Jesus offers redemption and salvation to those who repent and turn to Him. The singer urges the sinners to heed the call of Jesus and abandon their futile pursuits of wealth and luxury that do not provide any true happiness or peace. The final verse stresses that the worldly possessions of gold and silver are insignificant unless one has a genuine heart and leads a righteous life that pleases God. The message is that true wealth lies in spiritual values, and material possessions are only temporary.
Line by Line Meaning
People steal, they cheat and lie
People engage in illegal and immoral activities to get more money.
For wealth and what it will buy
People do these things because they believe having more money can buy them happiness and comfort.
Don't they know on the judgment day
People seem to forget that they will be held accountable for their actions on the day of reckoning.
That their gold and silver will melt away
Material possessions including their wealth will not save them from judgment.
I'd rather be in a deep, dark grave
The artist would prefer to be dead and buried than to compromise their faith for the sake of wealth.
And know that my poor soul was saved
The singer values their soul being saved more than living a life of wealth without purpose.
Than to live in this world in a house of gold
The singer would rather not be wealthy but keep their faith intact.
And deny my God and doom my soul
The artist would rather not compromise their faith, which may doom their soul to eternal damnation.
Jesus said ,come on to me
Jesus invites people to follow Him and receive eternal life.
I'll break sin's chains and set you free
Jesus has the power to break the chains of sin and set people free from its hold.
I'll carry you to a home on high
Jesus will take people to heaven, a place where there is no death, sin, or pain.
Where you'll never, never die
In heaven, people will live forever without experiencing death.
What good is gold and silver, too
Material possessions are worthless if one's heart is not pure.
When your heart's not good and true
A person's character and actions are more valuable than their wealth.
Sinner hear me when I say
The singer exhorts sinners to listen to the message.
Fall down on your knees and pray
The artist urges sinners to repent and seek forgiveness from God.
Jesus died there on the cross
Jesus was crucified on the cross as a sacrifice for people's sins.
So this world would not be lost
Jesus' death and resurrection save believers from eternal damnation.
For someday, you'll have to pay
Those who reject Jesus will face judgment and the consequences of their actions.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAMS, SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind