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 Walk the Line
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you never see a show
Friends drop by to pick you up
And you hardly ever go
It seems your head is in the clouds above
You've got the ways of a woman in love
In the hopes that I might see
The guy who's got you in a spin
I wish that guy was me
I don't know why it's you I'm dreamin' of
You've got the ways of a woman in love
Many is the night
I've stayed awake and cried
Now you'll never know how much
You've hurt my foolish pride
I recall your kisses
The times I held you tight
Now when I come to see you
You're sittin' in the light
Missing all the things that we dreamed of
You've got the ways of a woman in love
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "I Walk the Line" portray a sense of unrequited love, longing and heartbreak. The opening stanza illustrates the changes in the persona's love interest who has withdrawn from the activities they used to do together. The following lines describe how her behaviour appears different and out of character, indicating that she has fallen in love with someone else. The persona reveals that he often walks past her house in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the guy she's in love with, expressing his wish to be in his place. The second stanza features the persona's reflections on their relationship. He expresses his despair and admits his vulnerability, revealing that he has suffered sleepless nights and cried alone. He then nostalgically reminisces about the kisses and embraces they once shared, implying that their current relationship has lost its spark. The lyrics conclude with the persona acknowledging his fear of losing her to this guy while hoping for her return.
Line by Line Meaning
You've cut out your dancing
You no longer go out and have fun dancing anymore.
And you never see a show
You have stopped going to entertainment events and live shows.
Friends drop by to pick you up
Your friends come to your house to try and get you out.
And you hardly ever go
You rarely leave your house.
It seems your head is in the clouds above
You have a lot on your mind and you are not present.
You've got the ways of a woman in love
Your behavior is similar to someone who is infatuated.
I walk by your house at night
I try to catch a glimpse of you when I pass by your house at night.
In the hopes that I might see
I wish to see the guy who has captured your attention.
The guy who's got you in a spin
The person who has you feeling flustered and giddy.
I wish that guy was me
I want to be the person who has captured your heart.
I don't know why it's you I'm dreamin' of
I'm not sure why I keep thinking about you.
Many is the night
There have been many occasions.
I've stayed awake and cried
I have cried myself to sleep.
Now you'll never know how much
You will never understand how deeply you have hurt me.
You've hurt my foolish pride
You have damaged my ego and self-respect.
I recall your kisses
I remember the moments we shared, including our intimate moments.
The times I held you tight
The moments when I embraced you affectionately.
Now when I come to see you
Whenever I come to visit you now.
You're sittin' in the light
You are in the full view, meaning you are not hiding anything.
Missing all the things that we dreamed of
I miss the plans and ambitions we shared together.
You've got the ways of a woman in love
Your actions and behavior often suggest that you are someone deeply in love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Johnny Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juancamacho5746
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
She ain't feelin' well
When she's better only time will tell
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
🎵🎶🎵🎶
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
And rolls and flows and rolls and flows
Through the holes in the pockets in my clothes
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I see the morning light
I see the morning light
Well it's not because
I'm an early riser
I didn't go to sleep last night
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
🎵🎶🎵🎶
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
An' I ain't a-gonna lose
I believe I got the walkin' blues
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
@YoungDylan_oficial
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
She ain't feelin' well
When she's better only time will tell
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
And rolls and flows and rolls and flows
Through the holes in the pockets in my clothes
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I see the morning light
I see the morning light
Well it's not because
I'm an early riser
I didn't go to sleep last night
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
An' I ain't a-gonna lose
I believe I got the walkin' blues
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
@simondewit6119
One of his simplest songs and one of his absolute best
@dylanthompson8511
Songs like this is why I love him so much.
@rosescott9299
Beautiful
Simply beautiful
@LastMoonboy
Thank god for Bob Dylan
@cstoll451
Brilliant! Genius! Great cover of this by Sierra Ferrell ...well worth a watch!
@Earlydoors272
That’s a damn good song right there.
@bradleylaford1526
You ain't just Whistling Dixie! His early recordings are full of inspiration. He was coaching himself simultaneously...
@sam6816
the official bootleg series? I remember the passport picture. one of the first songs I was able to play in this style, thank you bob!
@stephenvallely4361
Such a great visionary in the early days of his career.
@juancamacho5746
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
I got a heavy-headed gal
She ain't feelin' well
When she's better only time will tell
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
🎵🎶🎵🎶
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
My money comes and goes
And rolls and flows and rolls and flows
Through the holes in the pockets in my clothes
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
I see the morning light
I see the morning light
Well it's not because
I'm an early riser
I didn't go to sleep last night
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.
🎵🎶🎵🎶
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
I got my walkin' shoes
An' I ain't a-gonna lose
I believe I got the walkin' blues
Well, I'm walkin' down the line,
I'm walkin' down the line
An' I'm walkin' down the line.
My feet'll be a-flyin'
To tell about my troubled mind.