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
It Ain't Me Babe
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leave at your own chosen speed
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who's never weak but always strong
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe
I will only let you down
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you an' more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go melt back in the night
Everything inside is made of stone
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call
A lover for your life an' nothing more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" present a clear message of rejection in a love relationship. The singer tells his lover to "go away from my window" and "leave at your own chosen speed" because he is not the kind of person she is looking for. She wants someone who is always strong and will protect and defend her, but the singer admits that he is not such a person. He is not someone who opens every door or promises never to part. In fact, he will only let her down.
The second stanza repeats the same message. The woman wants someone who will close his eyes and heart for her and will even die for her, but again, the singer admits he is not that person. He will only disappoint her. The last stanza is perhaps the most heartbreaking. The singer tells the woman to "go melt back in the night" because there is nothing inside him that moves. She wants someone who will pick her up every time she falls and will come to her every time she calls, but the singer cannot be that lover for her. He is not what she is looking for.
Line by Line Meaning
Go 'way from my window
Please leave my vicinity
Leave at your own chosen speed
Depart at your convenience
I'm not the one you want, babe
I am not the person you desire or require
I'm not the one you need
You do not require my presence or assistance
You say you're lookin' for someone
You claim to be searching for a person
Who's never weak but always strong
Who is constantly unwavering and dependable
To protect you an' defend you
To safeguard you and offer protection
Whether you are right or wrong
Regardless of the correctness of your decision
Someone to open each and every door
Someone to provide endless opportunities
But it ain't me, babe
I am not the person you seek
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
Absolutely not, I am not what you desire
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
You are not in search of me as a companion
Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Please be careful at the edge and do not take any risks
Go lightly on the ground
Be cautious and move forward with care
I will only let you down
I will not be able to fulfill your expectations
You say you're lookin' for someone
You claim to be searching for a person
Who will promise never to part
Who will guarantee to never leave your side
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone who will overlook your flaws and protect you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will not easily give their love to others
Someone who will die for you an' more
Someone who will go above and beyond, even if it means giving up their life for you
But it ain't me, babe
I am not the person you seek
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
Not me, I am not the one
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
I am not the desired companion you seek
Go melt back in the night
Disappear quietly into the night
Everything inside is made of stone
My emotions and feelings are rigid and inexpressive
There's nothing in here moving
Nothing within me is changing or evolving
An' anyway I'm not alone
Despite my seemingly solitary existence, I am actually not alone
You say you're looking for someone
You claim to be searching for a person
Who'll pick you up each time you fall
Who will be there to help you get back up whenever you stumble
To gather flowers constantly
To offer never-ending love and affection
An' to come each time you call
To always be available when you need assistance
A lover for your life an' nothing more
A lifelong partner and nothing else
But it ain't me, babe
I am not suitable for the role you require
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
Definitely not me, I am not the one
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
You are searching for someone other than myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arwenburgmans966
Go 'way from my window
Leave at your own chosen speed
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe
I will only let you down
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you an' more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go melt back into the night, babe
Everything inside is made of stone
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call
A lover for your life an' nothing more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
@samuelmalenfant-turgeon8166
Beatles: "She loves you YEAH, YEAH YEAH!
Dylan: "NO, NO, NO it ain't me!
@tieukhavu8832
Lol
@deanmcgee2787
Hahaha
@imannonymous7707
Well if you want an example of dylan doing beatles in his own contrary style...fourth time around the live version ... its his twist on norwegian wood same but different.....and lol btw...funny comment
@jonchic2002
Dylan knows how the real world is...
@nilservik7964
Beatles : "you've got to hide your love away"
Dylan : "I want you "
@josephmeyers3597
How can one person write so many great songs this man is a genius with endless talent
@gden6912
dylan
@jrgb9945
Grant Cameron knows.
@martyncrowley4174
Came at a cost