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
Moonshiner
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For seventeen long years
I spent all my money on whiskey and beer
I go to some hollow
And set up my still
If whiskey don't kill me
Then I don't know what will
I go to some bar room
And drink with my friends
If women came to follow
And see what I spend
God bless them pretty women
I wish they was mine
They're breath is as sweet as
The dew on vine
Let me eat when I'm hungry
Let me drink when I'm dry
A dollar when I am hard up
Religion when I die
The whole world is a bottle
And life is but a dram
When the bottle gets empty
It sure ain't worth a dime
Bob Dylan’s song “Moonshiner” tells the story of a person who has spent 17 years making and drinking moonshine. The first line, “I’ve been a moonshiner for seventeen long years” introduces the listener to the character’s occupation which takes up most of their life. The second line, “I spent all my money on whiskey and beer” reveals that the character has been drinking heavily for all those years and has probably been using a large part of their income to buy alcohol.
The third and fourth lines, “I go to some hollow and set up my still, If whiskey don't kill me then I don't know what will” suggests that the character makes their own moonshine and that they are aware of the dangers of drinking it. The line “If whiskey don't kill me then I don't know what will” demonstrates that the character has been drinking to excess for so long, that the effects have begun to take their toll on their body.
The next three lines, “I go to some bar room, And drink with my friends, If women came to follow, And see what I spend” reveal that the character likes to drink in public with friends and attracts women who are interested in the amount of money they spend on drinks. The final verse “The whole world is a bottle, And life is but a dram, When the bottle gets empty, It sure ain't worth a dime” provides an understanding of how the character perceives life. They see life as temporary, and when the bottle is empty, they realize the emptiness and worthlessness of it.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a moonshiner
I have been operating a still and brewing illegal alcohol
For seventeen long years
For a long time, I have been living a life of a bootlegger
I spent all my money on whiskey and beer
I have wasted all of my earnings on alcohol and liquor
I go to some hollow
I frequent some isolated location
And set up my still
And operate my illegal brewery
If whiskey don't kill me
If my excessive drinking habits do not kill me
Then I don't know what will
I do not know what will lead to my demise
I go to some bar room
I visit various bars
And drink with my friends
And consume alcoholic drinks with my acquaintances
If women came to follow
If women express their interest in me
And see what I spend
And witness my excessive drinking or partying habits
God bless them pretty women
I appreciate the women's beauty and admire them
I wish they was mine
I desire to be with them romantically
They're breath is as sweet as
Their breath smells delightful, like the dew on vine
The dew on vine
The water droplets on vine leaves that resemble the taste of these women's breath
Let me eat when I'm hungry
Let me eat when I experience hunger
Let me drink when I'm dry
Let me drink whenever I feel thirsty
A dollar when I am hard up
Some money to support me when I struggle financially
Religion when I die
Believing in a religion and religious rituals when I die
The whole world is a bottle
The world is like a bottle, containing different people, experiences, and emotions
And life is but a dram
And life is brief and passes quickly
When the bottle gets empty
When the bottle is empty
It sure ain't worth a dime
It is of no value or use once it is empty
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAY STUART FARRAR, JEFF TWEEDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christnaaawisam4277
I've been a moonshiner,
For seventeen long years,
I've spent all my money,
On whiskey and beer,
I go to some hollow,
And sit at my still
And if whiskey dont kill me,
Then I dont know what will,
I go to some bar room,
And drink with my friends,
Where the women cant follow,
And see what I spend,
God bless them pretty women,
I wish they was mine,
Their breath is as sweet,
The dew on the vine,
Let me eat when I am hungry,
Let me drink when I am dry,
A dollar when I am hard up,
Religion when I die,
The whole world's a bottle,
And life's but a dram,
When the bottle gets empty,
It sure ain't worth a damn.
@juancamacho5746
I've been a moonshiner
For 17 long years
I've spent all my money
On whiskey and beer
I go to some hollow
And sit at my still
And if whiskey don't kill me
Then I don't know what will
🎵🎶🎵🎶
I go to some bar room
And drink with my friends
Where the women can't follow
And see what I spend
God bless them pretty women
I wish they was mine
Their breath is as sweet as
The dew on the vine
🎵🎶🎵🎶
Let me eat when I am hungry
Let me drink when I am dry
A dollar when I am hard up
Religion when I die
The whole world's a bottle
And life's but a dram
When the bottle gets empty
It sure ain't worth a damn
@BOBDYLANESPANOL
he sido un licorero
I've been a moonshiner
durante 17 largos años
For 17 long years
he gastado todo mi dinero
I've spent all my money
Sobre whisky y cerveza
On whiskey and beer
voy a un hueco
I go to some hollow
Y siéntate en mi todavía
And sit at my still
Y si el whisky no me mata
And if whiskey don't kill me
Entonces no sé qué será
Then I don't know what will
voy a un bar
I go to some bar room
Y beber con mis amigos
And drink with my friends
Donde las mujeres no pueden seguir
Where the women can't follow
Y mira lo que gasto
And see what I spend
Dios las bendiga mujeres lindas
God bless them pretty women
desearía que fueran míos
I wish they was mine
Su aliento es tan dulce como
Their breath is as sweet as
El rocío en la vid
The dew on the vine
Déjame comer cuando tenga hambre.
Let me eat when I am hungry
Déjame beber cuando esté seco
Let me drink when I am dry
Un dólar cuando estoy en apuros
A dollar when I am hard up
Religión cuando muera
Religion when I die
El mundo entero es una botella
The whole world's a bottle
Y la vida no es más que un drama
And life's but a dram
Cuando la botella se vacía
When the bottle gets empty
Seguro que no vale la pena
It sure ain't worth a damn
@Amy75652
I read a critic years ago who said that if anyone thinks Bob Dylan can’t sing, they need to listen to this record. One of my absolute favourites - it certainly is stunning.
@roncarpenter7240
I was just thinking something along those same lInes. His singing here is certainly stunning.
@bessoceros
Not only beautifully sung, but beautifully enunciated, each word as clear as the emotion expressed
@Al-mx1uo
I think Bob would have argued he wasn't too concerned with whether he could sing. He was more interested in making music.
@Amy75652
@Algernon Wells I think you’re probably right. I don’t think he was or is interested in critics’ reviews either. But I just found the comment I quoted interesting.
@gerrycurran8966
Hi. Amy. Bob i
@paularmstrong6713
I think this is one of Bobs finest vocals. It is truly amazing.
@robertcronin6603
It is for sue.... amazing 🔥
@mentalcompassno1
Most definitely
@MeHapii
It is so heartwarming to see the comments section. I feel like Bob Dylan is a way to connect people together trough that weird feeling of happy melancholia that we all feel.