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 Takes a Lot to Laugh It Takes a Train to Cry
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I been up all night leanin' on the windowsill
Well, if I die on top of the hill
And if I don't make it, you know my baby will
Don't the moon look good, mama, shinin' through the trees
Don't the brakemen look good, mama, flaggin' down the "Double-E"
Don't the sun look good goin' down over the sea
Now, the wintertime is comin', the windows are filled with frost
I went to tell everybody but I could not get across
Well, I want to be your lover, baby, I don't want to be your boss
Don't say I never warned you when your train gets lost
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry are filled with vivid imagery and clever wordplay, making it a favorite among fans of his work. At its core, the song seems to be about a traveler on a train who is searching for something elusive, perhaps even love or meaning in life. The opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer singing about riding a mail train and being unable to find a satisfying thrill. This sentiment is echoed in the following verse, where the singer confesses to having stayed up all night, yearning for something that seems just out of reach.
The chorus provides some relief from the melancholy verses, with the singer marveling at the beauty of the natural world around him. He mentions the moon shining through the trees, the brakemen flagging down the "Double-E" (likely a reference to a specific train), and the sun setting over the sea. But even in the midst of this beauty, the singer's thoughts turn to his lover, whom he describes as looking fine when she's coming after him.
The final verse brings the song full circle, with the singer lamenting that he cannot get his message across to everyone because of the frost on the windows. He then declares that he wants to be his lover's equal, not her boss, and warns her that if she gets lost on her train journey, he did try to warn her. Overall, It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry is a moody, introspective piece that showcases Bob Dylan's talent for painting evocative pictures with his lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I ride on a mail train, baby, can't buy a thrill
I'm living life recklessly and looking for excitement, even if it's dangerous.
Well, I been up all night leanin' on the windowsill
I'm so restless that I can't sleep and instead stay up gazing out the window.
Well, if I die on top of the hill
I'm willing to take risks and face the consequences of my actions, even if it results in my demise.
And if I don't make it, you know my baby will
I'm confident that even if something happens to me, my lover will still pursue a life of adventure and thrill-seeking.
Don't the moon look good, mama, shinin' through the trees
The simple things in life, such as the beauty of the moon and trees, bring joy and happiness.
Don't the brakemen look good, mama, flaggin' down the "Double-E"
Even the hard-working brakemen on the train look good because they are doing something meaningful and purposeful.
Don't the sun look good goin' down over the sea
Watching the sunset over the sea is a breathtaking and awe-inspiring sight.
But don't my gal look fine when she's comin' after me
Even with all the beauty in the world, my lover is still the most captivating and attractive thing in my life.
Now, the wintertime is comin', the windows are filled with frost
The cold, harsh winter is approaching and life will become more difficult and less enjoyable.
I went to tell everybody but I could not get across
I have something important to say, but no one seems to be listening or understanding me.
Well, I want to be your lover, baby, I don't want to be your boss
I want to have a relationship with you built on mutual love and respect, not one where I control you.
Don't say I never warned you when your train gets lost
I may seem like a reckless adventurer, but I'm still looking out for you and don't want you to get hurt.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@caerbannoghare4744
Well, I ride on a mailtrain, baby
Can't buy a thrill
Well, I've been up all night, baby
Leanin' on the windowsill
Well, if I die
On top of the hill
And if I don't make it
You know my baby will
Don't the moon look good, mama
Shinin' through the trees?
Don't the brakeman look good, mama
Flagging down the "Double E?"
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Don't my gal look fine
When she's comin' after me?
Now the wintertime is coming
The windows are filled with frost
I went to tell everybody
But I could not get across
Well, I wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
Don't say I never warned you
When your train gets lost
@davesouthwick970
I'm 61 now, & still trying to fathom how such a young man wrought such elemental, timeless blues out of his (sub)consciousness. And to this day, with or without pharmaceutical assistance, I find more textured layers of meaning informing the lyrics. We will never know his like again, & I will be listening to Bob Dylan until my dying day.
@PatrickHenry-pz1pd
He was on meth during this time, but still, all of this coming out of such a young man at the time amazes me
@garethgravell1596
Think you mean "wrote"
@garethgravell1596
No you are right😚
@johnconway6976
You're truly on Highway 61 😉
@jeffreyrwilliams9345
I'm 67, Bob, Like Simon and Garfunkle are of the Tribes, as such, i consider them Minor Prophets sharing great truths. A Blessing
@robertwheeler3862
One of the coolest songs ever.
@jeffreyjablowicz1200
Yes
@achalbedi6846
yes, robert, one of the coolest, hands down. right along side blue sky, by alman brothers😎. the thing about dylan? he found a way, in himself, transforms melancholy to a powerful stream of some other kind of feeling. a quiet booster. to move on, go deeper, find more. of course, he'd laugh if he saw this, his rasping laugh of five decades ago😎. the dude. none other. every song way you there😎.
@achalbedi6846
and the boost on this one, gets you rollin.. on down the road, on a freight train😎 or that jet plane in the rain😎