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
My Wife's Home Town
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just came here to hear the drop of cymbaline
There ain't no way you can put me down
I just wanna say that hell's my wife's home town
Well, there's reasons for that, and reasons for this
I can't think of any just now, but I know they exist
I'm sittin in the sun 'till my skin turns brown
Home town
Home town
She can make you steal, make you rob
Give you the hives, make you lose your job
Make things bad, she can make things worse
She got stuff more potent than a gypsy curse
One of these days I'll end up on the run
I'm pretty sure she'll make me kill someone
I'm going inside, roll the shutters down
I just wanna say that hell's my wife's home town
Well, there's plenty to remember, plenty to forget
I still can remember the day we met
I lost my reasons a-long ago
My love for her is all I know
State gone broke, the county's dry
Don't be lookin' at me with that evil eye
Keep on walking, don't be hanging around
I'm tellin you again that hell's my wife's home town
Home town
Home town
In My Wife's Home Town, Bob Dylan sings about the town where his wife grew up and the negative experiences he has had there. He starts off by saying he didn't come to the town to deal with anything, he just wanted to hear the drop of "Cymbaline", likely referring to the Pink Floyd song of the same name. He goes on to say that there is no way to put him down, but that he must state that hell is his wife's home town. Although he can't think of any reasons for this right now, he knows they exist.
Dylan then describes the power his wife's hometown has over people, saying she can make you steal, rob, and lose your job, and that she has potent stuff more powerful than a gypsy curse. He even hints at the idea that his wife's influence may cause him to kill someone and he feels like he is on the run. Dylan seems to be stuck in this town and is trying to deal with the negative effects it has had on his life. Finally, he warns people to keep their distance and not hang around, repeating that his wife's hometown is hell.
Interestingly, some interpret the song to be about race relations in America, as Dylan's wife at the time was from the South and struggled with the prejudices of the time. The song has also been interpreted as a commentary on the power dynamic within Dylan's marriage, suggesting that Dylan feels powerless and manipulated by his wife.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I didn't come here to deal with a doggone thing
I came here with no specific intention or agenda.
I just came here to hear the drop of cymbaline
I came here to listen to the sound of cymbals fading away.
There ain't no way you can put me down
I cannot be brought down or discouraged.
I just wanna say that hell's my wife's home town
I am not fond of my wife's hometown and it reminds me of hell.
Well, there's reasons for that, and reasons for this
There are reasons why I dislike my wife's hometown, but I cannot recall them at the moment.
I can't think of any just now, but I know they exist
Although I cannot remember them at present, I am aware that there are reasons why I feel this way.
I'm sittin in the sun 'till my skin turns brown
I am sitting in the sun to get a tan and enjoy the warm weather.
She can make you steal, make you rob
My wife has the power to influence people to commit theft or robbery.
Give you the hives, make you lose your job
My wife has the potential to cause stress and anxiety that could lead to losing a job.
Make things bad, she can make things worse
My wife is capable of turning a bad situation into an even worse one.
She got stuff more potent than a gypsy curse
My wife has a powerful ability to affect people's lives beyond what any gypsy curse could do.
One of these days I'll end up on the run
I fear that I will end up in trouble with the law due to my wife's influence.
I'm pretty sure she'll make me kill someone
I am certain that at some point, my wife will cause me to commit murder.
I'm going inside, roll the shutters down
I am going inside and closing the shutters as a way to protect myself from my wife's influence.
Well, there's plenty to remember, plenty to forget
There are many things that I remember and many that I wish to forget.
I still can remember the day we met
Despite everything, I have not forgotten the day that I met my wife.
I lost my reasons a-long ago
I have lost my reasons for being with my wife a long time ago.
My love for her is all I know
Despite everything that has happened, my love for my wife is the only thing that remains.
State gone broke, the county's dry
The state is broke and the county is in a drought.
Don't be lookin' at me with that evil eye
Do not give me a glare or look at me suspiciously.
Keep on walking, don't be hanging around
Please continue walking and do not linger or remain in this location.
I'm tellin you again that hell's my wife's home town
To reiterate, my wife's hometown is like hell on earth for me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB DYLAN, ROBERT HUNTER, WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alerciosimbine411
One of my favorite Dylan's albums, so underrated.
@Anna-loves-you
Love his raw voice on this, perfect blues vibe
@user-ss3do6sd2y
This song so funny 😂
@user-ss3do6sd2y
Almost sounds like Louie Armstrong 😊
@helenbostock2350
Without love and respect thier nothing left for me
@helenbostock2350
You don't think others town aren't like that
@helenbostock2350
You never made me blush
@helenbostock2350
Rich people married rich people. Poor family married in to poor family and then usually get divorce. They don't mind thier husband or wife cheating on them and they stay married because of money intressed. Your feed and water are you going well thanks for everything bit of music you ever produce
@michaelmiller2397
Bob said Sara liked this. Hear him laugh at the end?
@helenbostock2350
Views hell or heaven. I know where I live to be. Heaven