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
Sally Sue Brown
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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Ain't nobody but Sally Sue Brown
All you boys better run for cover
If you don't a-want to be a hearted broken lover.
See her in that very tight skirt
Got what it takes
Just to make yo hurt
Prefer to treat her nasty and low down lies.
Makes no difference where she's been
I'm go in south and doin' them things again
Bake in a hot tub, down the line
I'd rather see you ruin this a-heart of mine.
I'll go see them come down my way
Like a fool you're gonna hear me say:
"I'll lay at your bed Sally Sue Brown
Please let me love you, baby
Don't put me down."
Makes no difference where she's been
I'm go in south and doin' them things again
Bake in a hot tub, down the line
I'd rather see you ruin this a-heart of mine.
I'll go see them come down my way
Like a foo you're gonna hear me say:
"I'll lay at your bed Sally Sue Brown
Please let me love you, baby
Don't put me down."
In Bob Dylan's song Sally Sue Brown, the singer is warning all the boys in town to stay away from Sally Sue Brown, who has just returned. He says that she has a way of making men hurt and that she prefers to be treated with "nasty and low down lies." Despite this warning, the singer admits that he is drawn to Sally Sue Brown and that he would rather see her "ruin his heart" than to be without her.
The song is an exploration of the dark side of desire and the ways in which it can lead individuals down a destructive path. It also speaks to the idea that sometimes people are drawn to others who are not good for them, almost as if they are addicted to the pain and drama that comes along with such relationships.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of desire and the ways in which it can cloud our judgment and lead us down a path of self-destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Look who's back in town
Sally Sue Brown has returned to town
Ain't nobody but Sally Sue Brown
The person who has returned is Sally Sue Brown
All you boys better run for cover
Men should beware and hide from her presence
If you don't a-want to be a hearted broken lover.
Otherwise, you risk being heartbroken.
See her in that very tight skirt
Her attire consists of a tight skirt
Got what it takes
She has what it takes
Just to make yo hurt
To cause emotional pain
Don't you see by those big bright eyes
Her eyes are large and bright
Prefer to treat her nasty and low down lies.
She prefers to be treated poorly and lied to
Makes no difference where she's been
Where she has been before is irrelevant
I'm go in south and doin' them things again
The singer is going to the South to repeat past experiences
Bake in a hot tub, down the line
The singer would rather suffer heartbreak than see Sally Sue Brown happy and uncaring.
I'd rather see you ruin this a-heart of mine.
Singer would rather have his heart broken.
I'll go see them come down my way
The singer plans to intercept Sally Sue Brown
Like a fool you're gonna hear me say:
Despite the risk of being called foolish, the singer will still express his feelings.
"I'll lay at your bed Sally Sue Brown
The singer would like to be intimate with Sally Sue Brown
Please let me love you, baby
The singer asks for affection
Don't put me down."
The singer asks not to be rejected.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ARTHUR ALEXANDER, EARL MONTGOMERY, TOM H STAFFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind