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
Please Mrs. Henry
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm ready for the broom
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to my room?
I'm a good ol' boy
But I've been sniffin' too many eggs
Talkin' to too many people
Drinkin' too many kegs
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Well, I'm groanin' in a hallway
Pretty soon I'll be mad
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to your dad?
I can drink like a fish
I can crawl like a snake
I can bite like a turkey
I can slam like a drake
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Now, don't crowd me, lady
Or I'll fill up your shoe
I'm a sweet bourbon daddy
An' tonight I am blue
I'm a thousand years old
And I'm a generous bomb
I'm t-boned and punctured
But I'm known to be calm
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Now, I'm startin' to drain
My stool's gonna squeak
If I walk too much farther
My crane's gonna leak
Look, Missus Henry
There's only so much I can do
Why don't you look my way
An' pump me a few?
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
"Please Mrs. Henry" is a comical and drunken plea from the perspective of a man, perhaps Bob Dylan himself, who is asking for the titular Mrs. Henry's help. The song begins with the singer admitting he's already had two beers and is ready to be taken back to his room. He explains that he has been talking to too many people, drinking too much, and sniffing too many eggs. He begs Mrs. Henry to take him to his room, claiming that he's a good old boy who has hit rock bottom.
As the song progresses, the singer's desperation becomes more apparent. He suggests that Mrs. Henry take him to her father's house, showing a willingness to go anywhere to escape his current situation. He brags about his ability to drink and crawl like an animal, and then begs Mrs. Henry to help him out once again.
The lyrics themselves are almost stream-of-consciousness, with the singer's thoughts and requests flowing together in a drunken haze. The song is humorous, but it also reveals the singer's desperation and loneliness. He's down on his knees and has no money, and his only comfort seems to be alcohol.
Overall, "Please Mrs. Henry" is a complex song that reveals a lot about its narrator and the time period in which it was written. It's both funny and deeply sad, and it showcases Bob Dylan's ability to write songs that are both catchy and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I've already had two beers
I am drunk and ready for more
I'm ready for the broom
I am ready to clean up or be taken away
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to my room?
Please take me to a place where I can rest and recover
I'm a good ol' boy
But I've been sniffin' too many eggs
Talkin' to too many people
Drinkin' too many kegs
I am a likable person, but I have been engaging in risky behavior such as drug use, excessive socializing, and heavy drinking
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
I am desperate and broke
Well, I'm groanin' in a hallway
Pretty soon I'll be mad
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to your dad?
I am lost and frustrated, and I need someone to guide me
I can drink like a fish
I can crawl like a snake
I can bite like a turkey
I can slam like a drake
I am boasting about my ability to consume alcohol and move in strange ways
Now, don't crowd me, lady
Or I'll fill up your shoe
I'm a sweet bourbon daddy
An' tonight I am blue
Do not bother me, or I will cause trouble. Although I am normally charming, tonight I am feeling sad
I'm a thousand years old
And I'm a generous bomb
I'm t-boned and punctured
But I'm known to be calm
I am old and experienced, but still capable of destruction. Despite my injuries, I remain composed
Now, I'm startin' to drain
My stool's gonna squeak
If I walk too much farther
My crane's gonna leak
I am experiencing physical discomfort, and my body is not functioning properly
Look, Missus Henry
There's only so much I can do
Why don't you look my way
An' pump me a few?
I am asking for help from Missus Henry, and hoping she can offer me a drink or some relief
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Please, please, help me out of this desperate situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christnaaawisam4277
Well, I've already had two beers
I'm ready for the broom
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to my room?
I'm a good ol' boy
But I've been sniffin' too many eggs
Talkin' to too many people
Drinkin' too many kegs
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Well, I'm groanin' in a hallway
Pretty soon I'll be mad
Please, Missus Henry, won't you
Take me to your dad?
I can drink like a fish
I can crawl like a snake
I can bite like a turkey
I can slam like a drake
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Now, don't crowd me, lady
Or I'll fill up your shoe
I'm a sweet bourbon daddy
An' tonight I am blue
I'm a thousand years old
And I'm a generous bomb
I'm t-boned and punctured
But I'm known to be calm
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
Now, I'm startin' to drain
My stool's gonna squeak
If I walk too much farther
My crane's gonna leak
Look, Missus Henry
There's only so much I can do
Why don't you look my way
An' pump me a few?
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
Please, Missus Henry, Missus Henry, please
I'm down on my knees
An' I ain't got a dime
@bollykecks
I think, I need a drink now...better make that two. A toast to one of the best days in YouTube history!
@dudleygillham5318
How great is this man? I feel privileged his music is around during my lifetime.
@dudleygillham5318
I cannot believe it’s taken me 45 years to appreciate Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes album. Where have I been?
@doncar9
Jail?
@richardsiciliano7117
Just be happy you got here, buddy. Sadly, many never will.
@karenscigliano9787
When I was a teenager 15-16?, I used to play this album and my baby brother who was 10 years younger used to laugh and giggle with delight whenever this song came on🥹❤️
@robbkushner
A perfect example of the spirit of the Basement Tapes. I’ve always loved this one! 😎
@rondonthelegend
Timeless classic beautiful what more can I say
@GilliePryor1Artist
Adorable
@stoneworx09
you guy that loaded this ,,are the best //.thank you so much