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
Most of the Time
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm clear focused all around
Most of the time
I can keep both feet on the ground
I can follow the path
I can read the signs
Stay right with it
When the road unwinds
I stumble upon
I don't even notice
She's gone
Most of the time
Most of the time
It's well understood
Most of the time
I wouldn't change it if I could
I can't make it all match up
I can hold my own
I can deal with the situation
Right down to the bone
I can survive,
And I can endure
And I don't even think
About her
Most of the time
Most of the time
My head is on straight
Most of the time
I'm strong enough not to hate
I don't build up illusion
'till it makes me sick
I ain't afraid of confusion
No matter how thick
I can smile in the face
Of mankind
Don't even remember
What her lips felt like on mine
Most of the time
Most of the time
She ain't even in my mind
I wouldn't know her if I saw her
She's that far behind
Most of the time
I can't even be sure
If she was ever with me
Or if I was ever with her
Most of the time
I'm halfway content
Most of the time
I know exactly where it all went
I don't cheat on myself
I don't run and hide
Hide from the feelings
That are buried inside
I don't compromise
And I don't pretend
I don't even care
If I ever see her again
Most of the time
The lyrics to Bob Dylan’s “Most of the Time” are a contemplation of the singer’s emotional detachment and the power of time to dull the piercing pain of heartbreak. The song conveys a sense of conflict between the singer’s rational mind and his unresolved emotions. He is mostly at peace with his life and has moved on, but sometimes the vague memory of the past creeps in, and he finds himself struggling to reconcile his past and present selves.
The singer describes a sense of clarity and focus in his life – he can read signs, follow his path, handle what comes his way. He acknowledges that he can deal with confusion and illusion without building up a false narrative in his head. He doesn’t shy away from vulnerability, but rather embraces it, recognizing that his feelings are a part of him that he cannot ignore. However, he also admits that he is still affected by his past, and sometimes the memory of the person he used to love comes back to him.
The song is ultimately an exploration of how people move on and deal with heartbreak – how time can heal and help us forget, but also how the past can never be fully erased. The singer acknowledges that he is stronger than he was before but also knows that he can never entirely forget the love that he has lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Most of the time
Though not always true, generally speaking
I'm clear focused all around
My thoughts are organized and concise
I can keep both feet on the ground
I can stay grounded and level-headed
I can follow the path
I can stay on track and follow my goals
I can read the signs
I can anticipate the future, and respond to it accordingly
Stay right with it
I can persevere, and take on any challenge
When the road unwinds
Even when things don't go according to plan
I can handle whatever
I can meet any challenge, and come out of it stronger
I stumble upon
Even when problems arise unexpectedly
I don't even notice
I am able to remain calm and focused, even when faced with a difficult situation
She's gone
I am not preoccupied by a past relationship
It's well understood
It's generally accepted or known
I wouldn't change it if I could
I am at peace with the way things are, and have no desire to change them
I can't make it all match up
Life doesn't always fit neatly into my expectations
I can hold my own
I am capable of handling difficult situations on my own
I can deal with the situation
I can confront any challenge head on and persevere through it
Right down to the bone
Even when faced with a particularly difficult task
I can survive
I can make it through any tough situation
And I can endure
I can handle any hardship that comes my way
And I don't even think
I am strong enough not to dwell on a past relationship
About her
A past relationship doesn't occupy my mind
My head is on straight
I am thinking clearly
I'm strong enough not to hate
I am mature enough to avoid dwelling on negative feelings
I don't build up illusion
I avoid building a false sense of hope that is not grounded in reality
'till it makes me sick
Until the reality of the situation sets in, making me ill
I ain't afraid of confusion
I am not intimidated by ambiguity and uncertainty in life
No matter how thick
Even in the face of challenging situations
I can smile in the face
I am emotionally resilient
Of mankind
Even when encountering people I don't know or don't relate to
Don't even remember
My memories of a past relationship are not strong
What her lips felt like on mine
I am not preoccupied by past physical sensations
She ain't even in my mind
A past relationship does not consume my thoughts
I wouldn't know her if I saw her
I have moved on from a past relationship, and do not dwell on it
Most of the time I can't even be sure
Most of the time, I'm uncertain if a past relationship ever really mattered
If she was ever with me
I wonder if a past relationship was ever real
Or if I was ever with her
If a past relationship was based on reality or illusions
I'm halfway content
I am satisfied with where I am in life, but not completely
I know exactly where it all went
I have a clear understanding of my life and my past experiences
I don't cheat on myself
I stay true to my values and principles
I don't run and hide
I do not avoid situations, I confront them head on
Hide from the feelings
Avoid feeling emotions that may be uncomfortable or difficult
That are buried inside
Feelings or emotions that are suppressed, but not dealt with
I don't compromise
I stick to my principles and do not compromise them
And I don't pretend
I don't act in a way that is not genuine
I don't even care
Not concerned with the outcome of a past relationship
If I ever see her again
Whether or not I see a former partner again will not impact my life greatly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Camacho
Most of the time
I'm clear focused all around
Most of the time
I can keep both feet on the ground
I can follow the path
I can read the signs
Stay right with it
When the road unwinds
I can handle whatever
I stumble upon
I don't even notice
She's gone
Most of the time
🎸🎸
Most of the time
It's well understood
Most of the time
I wouldn't change it if i could
I can't make it all match up
I can hold my own
I can deal with the situation
Right down to the bone
I can survive
And i can endure
And i don't even think
About her
Most of the time
🎸🎸
Most of the time
My head is on straight
Most of the time
I'm strong enough not to hate
I don't build up illusion
'Till it makes me sick
I ain't afraid of confusion
No matter how thick
I can smile in the face
Of mankind
Don't even remember
What her lips felt like on mine
Most of the time
🎸🎸
Most of the time
She ain't even in my mind
I wouldn't know her if i saw her
She's that far behind
Most of the time
I can't even be sure
If she was ever with me
Or I was ever with her
Most of the time
I'm halfway content
Most of the time
I know exactly where it all went
I don't cheat on myself
I don't run and hide
Hide from the feelings
That are buried inside
I don't compromise
And i don't pretend
I don't even care
If i ever see her again
Most of the time
Chérie Elizabeth
This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. A true masterpiece from Bob Dylan.
Troy McDonald
I' have to agree with you ...
John Stadler
Yet another from ole Bobby D
William Brown
Glorious 80th Birthday you helped light my way, thanks.
Matthew Thomas
You are correct
jfq722
Fair to say
Colleen Parmenter
3 years ago, this song would leave me in a sobbing heap on the floor. It still hits me in the heart, but I must be healing from my divorce. This song helped me with that.
Amy Barrett
Know exactly how you feel. It helped me too, still does.
mrmojo11111
It's doing just that to me tonight. I hope to someday reach a place of peace with the changes being forced upon me.
Cathy Decker
I just heard this song for the frist time.l guess I was out in left field.but I love it.