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
Mr. Bojangles
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silver hair, ragged shirt and baggy pants, that old soft shoe
He'd jump so high, he'd jump so high, will he likely touch down ?
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was down and out
He looked to me to be the eye of age as he spoke right out
He talked of life, he talked of life, laughing slapped his leg stale
He said the name Bojangles and he danced a lick all across the cell
He grabbed his pants for a better stance, oh he jumped so high and he clicked
Up his heels
He let go laugh, he let go laugh, shook back his clothes all around
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, yeah, dance.
He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs throughtout the south
He spoke with tears of 15 years of how his dog and him but just travelled all about
Hid dog up and died, he up and died, and after 20 years he still grieves
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
He said I dance now at every chance at honky-tonks for drinks and tips
But most of the time I spend behind these county bars, 'cause I drink so bitO
He shook his head, yes he shook his head, I heard someone ask him, OpleaseO,
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, dance, Mr Bojangles, dance.
Bob Dylan's song "Mr. Bojangles" tells the story of a man he met in a New Orleans prison, who goes by the nickname Mr. Bojangles. This man is portrayed as an old, silver-haired dancer who would entertain by performing the soft shoe dance in his worn-out shoes and ragged clothes. He jumps and clicks up his heels so high that it's almost as if he will never touch the ground. He speaks of his life experiences and tells a story of how he and his dog travelled across the south, entertaining people for drinks and tips. Although his dog passed away 20 years ago, he still grieves for him to this day.
The story of Mr. Bojangles is a symbol of hope and resilience, as he continues to dance even in the face of adversity. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and sadness, as Mr. Bojangles admits to spending most of his time in county bars due to his excessive drinking. However, through it all, he still continues to dance, providing a sense of joy to those around him. The song is a beautiful portrayal of the human spirit's resilience and the power of music to uplift and inspire people.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a man Bojangles and he'd dance for you in worn out shoes
I once met a man named Bojangles who loved to dance, despite his worn-out shoes.
Silver hair, ragged shirt and baggy pants, that old soft shoe
He had silver hair and wore a ragged shirt and baggy pants while performing his signature dance move.
He'd jump so high, he'd jump so high, will he likely touch down ?
Bojangles would jump incredibly high, so much so that people wondered if he would ever come back down.
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
Bojangles, please dance for us all to see.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was down and out
I encountered Bojangles while we were both imprisoned in New Orleans, feeling hopeless and defeated.
He looked to me to be the eye of age as he spoke right out
Despite his age, Bojangles spoke with conviction and a sense of wisdom beyond his years.
He talked of life, he talked of life, laughing slapped his leg stale
Bojangles spoke about the ups and downs of life, and would often laugh heartily and slap his own leg while doing so.
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
Bojangles, please dance for us once again.
He said the name Bojangles and he danced a lick all across the cell
When someone mentioned Bojangles' name, he broke out in dance and performed a few moves even in the confines of his cell.
He grabbed his pants for a better stance, oh he jumped so high and he clicked Up his heels
During his dance, Bojangles adjusted his pants for a better footing and jumped high while clicking his heels together.
He let go laugh, he let go laugh, shook back his clothes all around
Bojangles let out a joyful laugh and shook his clothes while still dancing.
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, yeah, dance.
Bojangles, please continue dancing for our entertainment and pleasure.
He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs throughtout the south
Bojangles performed at various shows and fairs around the southern United States.
He spoke with tears of 15 years of how his dog and him but just travelled all about
Bojangles reminisced about his travels with his beloved dog over the course of 15 years, tearing up as he spoke.
Hid dog up and died, he up and died, and after 20 years he still grieves
Sadly, Bojangles' dog passed away, and even after 20 years, Bojangles still grieves deeply for his lost companion.
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
Despite his sadness, Bojangles is asked to dance once again.
He said I dance now at every chance at honky-tonks for drinks and tips
Bojangles now dances regularly at bars for small rewards like drinks and tips.
But most of the time I spend behind these county bars, 'cause I drink so bitO
Unfortunately, Bojangles also spends a lot of time in jail due to his excessive drinking.
He shook his head, yes he shook his head, I heard someone ask him, OpleaseO,
When asked about his alcoholism, Bojangles sadly shook his head.
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, dance, Mr Bojangles, dance.
Despite his problems, Bojangles is still encouraged to dance and bring joy to others with his talent and skill.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Jeff Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Camacho
I knew a man Bojangles and he'd dance for you in worn out shoes
Silver hair, ragged shirt and baggy pants, that old soft shoe
He'd jump so high, he'd jump so high, will he likely touch down ?
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was down and out
He looked to me to be the eye of age as he spoke right out
He talked of life, he talked of life, laughing slapped his leg stale
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
He said the name Bojangles and he danced a lick all across the cell
He grabbed his pants for a better stance, oh he jumped so high and he clicked
Up his heels
He let go laugh, he let go laugh, shook back his clothes all around
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, yeah, dance.
He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs throughtout the south
He spoke with tears of 15 years of how his dog and him but just travelled all about
Hid dog up and died, he up and died, and after 20 years he still grieves
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.
He said I dance now at every chance at honky-tonks for drinks and tips
But most of the time I spend behind these county bars, 'cause I drink so bit
He shook his head, yes he shook his head, I heard someone ask him, please,
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance, dance, Mr Bojangles, dance.
Robert Woodward
Lots have this as his worst album. I was looking at records in a thrift store and found this almost perfect. I'll take this please for the dollar. Bob's not so great ones are better than most of others, best ones.
Robert Woodward
@김동환 You're very welcome.
Robert Woodward
Bob Johnston did a great job of producing this record and I don't know who the engineer was but it has a nice mono sound in my opinion.
김동환
@Robert Woodward I can not thank you enough, Mr. Woodward,
Robert Woodward
@김동환 Coincidentally, I put that record on just yesterday.
김동환
One of the best!!!
Alan Andrews
Bought this album in early 70s,turned me on to this amazing singer. Thank you Bob for making the world a better place when listening to your music. Regards from the UK.
Marise T
Bob Dylan, you are making me cry in the most beautiful way. So good for the soul ❤
Ernesto Chitica
This song is so good for the soul
Lauren Smith-Poirier
I Love this rendition , and Dylan's voice is fantastic and full of intellectual emotion at the rawest level. He gives dignity to a human condition., to the very Soul.