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
Knockin' On Heavens Door
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Ooh, ooh
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" describe a feeling of impending death and a sense of surrender. The singer is asking his mother to take his badge, which he can no longer use, indicating that he may be a law enforcement officer. He also asks his mother to put his guns in the ground because he can no longer use them, and he feels that a long black cloud is coming down, a metaphor for death. The chorus, which is repeated throughout the song, emphasizes the singer's sense of inevitability and his acceptance of his fate.
Some interpretations of the lyrics suggest that Dylan was inspired by the death of a friend, and that the song is a reflection on mortality and the search for meaning. The themes of death, surrender, and acceptance are recurrent in Dylan's songwriting, and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is considered one of his most powerful and poignant works. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, and it has become a popular anthem for those facing the end of life or other forms of loss.
Overall, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a poignant expression of the human condition and our relationship with mortality. The song's power lies in its simplicity and universal appeal, as it speaks to the shared experience of loss and acceptance that we all must face at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama, take this badge off of me
I am tired of living my life as an outlaw and want to leave my past behind me.
I can't use it anymore
I am no longer willing to engage in the actions that this badge has symbolized for me in the past.
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
My life is coming to an end and I can't see my way forward anymore.
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
I am approaching death and feel that I am at the doorstep of the afterlife.
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I want to leave behind my violent ways and pursue a more peaceful existence.
I can't shoot them anymore
I am no longer interested in resorting to violence as a solution to my problems.
That long black cloud is comin' down
Death is approaching and my time on this earth is coming to a close.
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
I am approaching death and feel that I am at the doorstep of the afterlife.
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the idea that the artist is approaching death and is ready to accept whatever comes next.
Ooh, ooh
This repeated refrain is a mournful vocalization that emphasizes the sadness and uncertainty of the artist's situation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sashadeshchynsky919
Lyrics
Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
@charroddle8719
Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
@michaelj8647
Finally , the original song !! thanks Bob Dylan
@dwaynewladyka577
Bob Dylan.
@maximoo9861
Agreed!!! What's with all the fake versions on you tube
@leventtrolley9135
Yeah, I swear FINALLY…
@michaelmg7850
@@maximoo9861 on Youtube? I could not even find original on google dude
@tylerdenaro639
I have this song on iPod
@rachelavitea6509
If this song isn't playing at my funeral then I'm not going
@danielliam4927
Best comment EVER 😂
@massimobut4197
Great!!!
@kayvancooten4657
👍🏽😂🤣❤🎶