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
I'll Keep It With Mine
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But how long, babe, can you search for what is not lost?
Everybody will help you
Some people are very kind
But if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
If I say I'm not loving you not for what you are
But for what you're not
Everybody will help you
Discover what you set out to find
But if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
The train leaves at half past ten
But it'll be back in the same old spot again
The conductor
He's still stuck on the line
And if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
In Bob Dylan's song "I'll Keep It with Mine," the lyrics seem to convey a deep understanding of human nature and our desire to search for things that may not even be lost in the first place. The first stanza suggests that the singer is aware of the turmoil that the other person is going through as they desperately search for something they feel they have lost. However, the singer points out that the thing they seek may not have been lost in the first place and that ultimately, he is willing to help them but wonders how long they will search for something that is not lost.
The second stanza of the song is a bit more philosophical in nature. The singer conveys that sometimes love isn't just about loving someone for who they are but also for who they are not. He points out that he may not love the other person for what they are, but rather for what they are not. This could be interpreted in many ways, but one could assume that the singer is suggesting that sometimes it's the things that a person lacks, or hasn't experienced, that we find most attractive about them.
The final stanza seems to return to the theme of time and the cyclical nature of life. The train leaves at half past ten, but it will be back in the same old spot again. This line suggests that life goes on and that it is futile to worry about things that are out of our control. Ultimately, the singer is willing to help save the other person time by taking the burden of their search upon himself. He tells them to "come on, give it to me, I'll keep it with mine."
Line by Line Meaning
You will search, babe, at any cost
You will try to find what you have lost no matter the cost
But how long, babe, can you search for what is not lost?
You can keep searching for something that you never lost, but how long will it take?
Everybody will help you
Many people will help you in your search
Some people are very kind
Some of these helpful people are very kind
But if I can save you any time
If I can save you any time during this search
Come on, give it to me
Just give me the opportunity to help you
I'll keep it with mine
I will always remember and cherish this moment of helping you
I can't help it if you might think I am odd
I know you may find me strange
If I say I'm not loving you not for what you are
I love you not for who you are
But for what you're not
But for who you are not
Discover what you set out to find
You will eventually find what you were looking for
The train leaves at half past ten
The train will depart at ten thirty
But it'll be back in the same old spot again
But it will return to its original spot again
The conductor
The train conductor
He's still stuck on the line
The conductor is still unable to move the train
And if I can save you any time
If I can help you at all
Come on, give it to me
Please allow me to help you
I'll keep it with mine
I will always remember this time I helped you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lauvshahi1439
You will search, babe, at any cost
But how long, babe, can you search for what is not lost?
Everybody will help you
Some people are very kind
But if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
I can't help it if you might think I am odd
If I say I'm not loving you not for what you are
But for what you're not
Everybody will help you
Discover what you set out to find
But if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
The train leaves at half past ten
But it'll be back in the same old spot again
The conductor
He's still stuck on the line
And if I can save you any time
Come on, give it to me
I'll keep it with mine
@jeffreyhillmeyer3391
I love the instrumentation and that light percussion on this song. It almost is like a music box but somehow in a different sort of archaic manner. It is so unique and powerfully simple and nothing like anything for it's time. It's like walking down the street in your childhood on an Autumn day with the sunlight filtering through the golden leaves that aches to ponder what Winter will bring. God Bless Bob Dylan and his host of musicians. Just to witness this sort of genius is a pleasure.
@nissi.k
Beautiful impressions!🙌
@RouesMusic
I agree. This version has haunted me for years.
@genadomangue9759
I totally understand what you are saying
@stealthsadhu306
Yes! If you're not tripping you might as well be.
@jeffpowersvideo4621
The percussion sounds like just his foot tapping while playing the tack piano
@thomasgarza9304
I'm so glad Bob Dylan leaves the comments open on his music. I also feel truly blessed to share this life with one of the greatest musicians in world history. I seen you in Toledo in 2007 and it changed my young life. I stood in the crowd and seen a man who wasted zero talent that was given to him. I had read books about this musician before of course, and knew all about the public hardships he went through, but to see him on stage, knowing everything he has done and will continue to do, is beyond words. Glory to Christ for the talent that is Bob Dylan.
@shanegreenslade7017
This is one of those songs that still give me goosebumps. How can you really thank someone for creating such high quality for so many decades? Thank you Mister D.
@mickcave169
Dylan's songs are some of my best friends.. I've known them that long.
@nissi.k
This is a wonderful arrangement and Bob is like a beautiful loving bird singing from the tree branches! Love it!♥️🥰