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
Lonesome Town
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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And they call it lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
You can buy a dream or two to last you all through the years
And the only price you pay is a heartful of tears
Goin' down to lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
Goin' down to lonesome town to cry my troubles away
In the town of broken hearts the streets are paved with regret
There's a place where lovers go to cry their troubles away
And they call it lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
You can buy a dream or two to last you all through the years
And the only price you pay is a heartful of tears
Goin' down to lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
Goin' down to lonesome town to cry my troubles away
In the town of broken hearts the streets are paved with regret
Maybe down in lonesome town I can learn to forget
Bob Dylan's song Lonesome Town is a heartbreaking and melancholic expression of the pain and loneliness that come with a broken heart. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a place where people go to cry their troubles away, a place where broken hearts stay, and a place where the only comfort one can find is the ability to forget. Dylan uses vivid imagery to describe this place, painting a picture of a town where the streets are paved with regret, and dreams are bought with tears.
The song speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak, a feeling that has been felt by countless individuals throughout history. Dylan's lyrics capture the depth of pain one feels when their heart is shattered, and the desperate longing people have for a place or a way to forget their pain. The raw emotion conveyed in the lyrics is further intensified by the country and blues-inspired instrumentation, featuring a soft acoustic guitar, harmonica, and mournful vocals that perfectly complement the lyrics' somber tone.
In summary, Lonesome Town is a beautifully poignant expression of the pain and isolation one feels after the loss of a love. It captures a universal experience through Dylan's evocative lyrics and emotive performance, making it a timeless classic that speaks to the human soul.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place where lovers go to cry their troubles away
There exists a location where lovers visit to express their emotional pain through tears
And they call it lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
This location is referred to as lonesome town, where those with shattered hearts remain
You can buy a dream or two to last you all through the years
In lonesome town, one has the opportunity to purchase hopes and aspirations to accompany them for many years
And the only price you pay is a heartful of tears
However, the only fee for these dreams is a heavy heart filled with sorrowful tears
Goin' down to lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
I am traveling to lonesome town, where those who are heartbroken reside
Goin' down to lonesome town to cry my troubles away
My intention is to go to lonesome town to release my problems through sobbing
In the town of broken hearts the streets are paved with regret
Within lonesome town, regret pervades the streets due to many past heartbreaks
Maybe down in lonesome town I can learn to forget
Perhaps in lonesome town, I could find a way to let go of my memories and move on from my heartache
There's a place where lovers go to cry their troubles away
There exists a location where lovers visit to express their emotional pain through tears
And they call it lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay
This location is referred to as lonesome town, where those with shattered hearts remain
You can buy a dream or two to last you all through the years
In lonesome town, one has the opportunity to purchase hopes and aspirations to accompany them for many years
And the only price you pay is a heartful of tears
However, the only fee for these dreams is a heavy heart filled with sorrowful tears
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KNIGHT, BAKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind