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 โfor having created new poetic expressions within the great American song traditionโ. 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
Money Honey
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I let it ring for a long, long spell
I looked through the window, I peeked through the blind,
And asked him to tell me what was on his mind.
He said, "Money, honey!
Money, honey!
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me."
I was cleaned and skinned and so hard-pressed
I called the woman that I love the best
I finally reached my baby 'bout a half past three
She said, "I'd like to know what you want with me."
I said, "Money, honey!
Money, honey!
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me."
She screamed and said, "What's wrong with you?
From this day on, our romance is through."
I said, "Tell me, baby, face to face
A-how could another man take my place?"
She said, "Money, honey!
Money, honey!
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me."
Well, I learned my lesson and now I know
The sun may shine and the wind may blow
Women may come, and the women may go,
But before I say I love 'em so,
I want-- money, honey!
Money, honey!
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me.
(If you want to get along) Well, make some money
(If you want to get along) Well, I ain't jivin' you, honey
(If you want to get along) You better give up some money
If you want to get along with me.
Bob Dylanโs โMoney Honeyโ (1961) explores the importance of money in relationships with the opening lyrics revealing that the singerโs landlord is demanding payment. The singer is distressed and conflicted between his desire for his lover and his need for money. He calls his lover, telling her he needs her, but when he confesses it is for her money, she becomes furious and the relationship ends abruptly. He then realizes the significance of money in his life and how he needs it for survival. He concludes that he will prioritize money over love from now on.
The song may reflect Dylanโs personal experiences as a struggling musician who had to rely on odd jobs to make ends meet, especially since it was written during his early career as a singer-songwriter. Dylan may have also been influenced by rock and roll legends of the time, such as Elvis Presley, who often sang about the power of money and the struggle to attain it. โMoney Honeyโ is a nostalgic song that captures the desperation and sacrifices that young musicians make in order to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
You know, the landlord rang my front door bell
I'm in a difficult financial situation and my landlord wants to collect rent.
I let it ring for a long, long spell
I'm avoiding my landlord because I can't afford to pay rent.
I looked through the window, I peeked through the blind,
I'm trying to see if my landlord is still there without letting him know I'm home.
And asked him to tell me what was on his mind.
I want to know why my landlord is bothering me when he knows I can't pay rent.
He said, "Money, honey!
My landlord is demanding money from me.
I was cleaned and skinned and so hard-pressed
I'm broke and desperate for money.
I called the woman that I love the best
I'm reaching out to someone I care about for help.
I finally reached my baby 'bout a half past three
It took me a long time to reach my loved one in the middle of the night.
She said, "I'd like to know what you want with me."
My loved one is trying to understand why I'm calling so late.
I said, "Money, honey!
I'm asking my loved one for money to help me out.
She screamed and said, "What's wrong with you?
My loved one is angry that I'm only reaching out to her for money.
From this day on, our romance is through."
My loved one is breaking up with me because I'm only interested in money.
I said, "Tell me, baby, face to face
I want to talk to my loved one in person to try to salvage our relationship.
A-how could another man take my place?"
I'm trying to convince my loved one that I still love her and don't want to be replaced.
She said, "Money, honey!
My loved one is still demanding money from me before she'll consider taking me back.
Well, I learned my lesson and now I know
I realize now that money is important in relationships and life.
The sun may shine and the wind may blow
Life goes on no matter what happens.
Women may come, and the women may go,
Relationships may start and end, but money is always important.
But before I say I love 'em so,
Before I get too involved with anyone, I need to make sure they can provide financial stability.
I want-- money, honey!
I'm emphasizing the importance of money in relationships.
(If you want to get along) Well, make some money
If you're struggling financially, you need to find a way to make money.
(If you want to get along) Well, I ain't jivin' you, honey
I'm not joking around, money is crucial.
(If you want to get along) You better give up some money
If you want to be with me, you need to contribute financially.
If you want to get along with me.
Money is essential for any relationship with me.
Lyrics ยฉ Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STONE, JESSE A.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@targarosko
good memories for me but beautiful singing Elvis ..... i have today 18 years !!!!!thanks Woolhy โฅ
@GretchenLowman
Oh Bob! I like it...a lot!
@josephohora1287
This is so interesting And entertaining! Thanks for allowing me to learn more about this wonderfully cool topic ๐
@rb6338
Great to discover unknown material by Bob! This man is really the incarnation of American music in all its dimensions 1๐!
@PeterDaltrey
Fabulous and the photo...!!!!!!
@corneliakapelinski
A new King of Rock'n'Roll is born ..by the way very cool picture..
@simonedevlin7710
Top bill, King of the Hill, Bobbie sings and hot dogs it like the late great Elvis "in his blue suede shoes".Great video clip to treasure, well beyond measure."
@amberpaigejames9054
Love it so much! Bob Dylan paying his respects, and he does it so well!
@pekibuzz
I love this slightly sloppy whay of playing and singing it! ๐ฅฐ
@nissi.k
Hey Peki ๐ ๐