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 Am a Lonesome Hobo
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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Without family or friends
Where another man's life might begin
That's exactly where mine ends
I have tried my hand at bribery
Blackmail and deceit
And I've served time for everything
'Cept beggin' on the street
Well, once I was rather prosperous
There was nothing I did lack
I had fourteen-karat gold in my mouth
And silk upon my back
But I did not trust my brother
I carried him to blame
Which led me to my fatal doom
To wander off in shame
Kind ladies and kind gentlemen
Soon I will be gone
But let me just warn you all
Before I do pass on
Stay free from petty jealousies
Live by no man's code
And hold your judgment for yourself
Lest you wind up on this road
Bob Dylan's song I Am a Lonesome Hobo is a poignant ballad about a hobo who has lost everything and is now alone in the world. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is at the end of his rope and has nothing left to live for. He has tried everything from bribery to deceit but has still ended up alone and destitute on the streets. The song is a warning to others to live their lives free from petty jealousies, to not be bound by society's codes, and to avoid judging others lest they end up in the same situation.
The lyrics are characterized by Dylan's unique and emotive voice, accompanied by his acoustic guitar. The simple melodies and chords bring a sense of somberness to the song, which is often cited as one of Dylan's most underrated works. The lyrics are also somewhat autobiographical, as Dylan himself has always had a fascination with hobo culture and has often spoken of feeling like a "lonesome hobo" himself.
The song was recorded for Dylan's 1967 album "John Wesley Harding", which was a departure from his earlier work and a return to his folk roots. "I Am a Lonesome Hobo" was one of the album's more somber tracks, and is often cited as one of the best examples of Dylan's storytelling abilities. It has also been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Johnny Cash and Cat Power.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a lonesome hobo
I am alone and wandering with no direction or purpose in life.
Without family or friends
I have no close relationships with others to provide me with support or companionship.
Where another man's life might begin
At a point where someone might find hope or new opportunities, my life seems to only reach an end.
That's exactly where mine ends
My life has been one of despair and hopelessness, with no chance of a new start.
I have tried my hand at bribery
I have attempted to offer money or other inducements in exchange for favors or advantageous treatment.
Blackmail and deceit
I have also resorted to blackmailing and lying to get what I want.
And I've served time for everything
I have been caught and punished for my illegal actions.
'Cept beggin' on the street
The only thing I have not done to survive is beg for money on the streets.
Well, once I was rather prosperous
At one point in my life, I had wealth and success.
There was nothing I did lack
I had everything I needed to be comfortable and happy at that time.
I had fourteen-karat gold in my mouth
I had expensive dental work done that included putting gold in my teeth.
And silk upon my back
I wore high-quality and expensive clothing made from fine silk fabric.
But I did not trust my brother
My distrust and suspicion of my brother caused me to act selfishly and hurt him.
I carried him to blame
I refused to take responsibility for the harm I caused to my brother and instead blamed him for my actions.
Which led me to my fatal doom
My lack of trust and inability to take responsibility for my actions eventually led to my downfall.
To wander off in shame
I left my successful life behind in order to escape the shame and guilt I felt for my past actions.
Kind ladies and kind gentlemen
A polite way of addressing people and getting their attention.
Soon I will be gone
I will not be around for much longer.
But let me just warn you all
Before I go, I want to give you all a piece of advice.
Stay free from petty jealousies
Don't waste your time and energy on small-minded and petty thoughts or feelings of envy towards others.
Live by no man's code
Don't be constrained by someone else's expectations or rules for your life.
And hold your judgment for yourself
Don't judge others harshly, but instead focus on improving yourself and your own actions.
Lest you wind up on this road
If you aren't careful, you might end up like me, alone and wandering without direction or purpose.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind