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
Shenandoah
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look away, you rollin' river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Now the Missouri is a mighty river
Look away, you rollin' river
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Well, a white man loved an Indian maiden
Look away, you rollin' river
With notions his canoe was laden
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Look away, you rollin' river
It was for her I'd cross the water
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
For seven years I courted Sally
Look away, you rollin' river
Seven more years I longed to have her
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Well, it's fare-thee-well, my dear,
I'm bound to leave you
Look away, you rollin' river
Shenandoah, I will not deceive you
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
The song Shenandoah, recorded by Bob Dylan, has a long and storied history, with no definitive version existing due to its origins in the oral tradition. The song tells the story of a man who longs to hear the Shenandoah River, near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The man is in love with a woman who is the daughter of a Native American chief. He seeks to cross the Missouri River to be with her, despite its dangers, and eventually parts ways with her.
The Shenandoah River has long been a symbol of natural beauty and freedom, and the song evokes a sense of longing for the open road and for lost love. The rolling river represents the vast expanse of the United States, and also serves as a metaphor for the journey that the singer takes, leaving behind his home and his beloved. The focus on the Native American and white cultures and their interaction is a common theme throughout American folk songs.
The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Dylan himself, and is a staple of the American folk repertoire. Its origins are murky, with various versions existing throughout the country, but its enduring popularity is a testament to its universal themes of love, loss, and the power of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
The singer has an intense desire to hear the sound of the Shenandoah river
Look away, you rollin' river
The singer acknowledges the movement of the river away from him
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
The singer repeats his desire to hear the river, emphasizing its importance to him
Look away, we're bound away
The singer and his companions are moving away from the river
Across the wide Missouri.
They are crossing the Missouri River
Now the Missouri is a mighty river
The singer acknowledges the strength and size of the Missouri river
Indians camp along her border
The singer mentions that Native Americans camp alongside the Missouri river
Well, a white man loved an Indian maiden
The singer recounts a love story between a white man and a Native American woman
With notions his canoe was laden
The man had certain ideas or intentions when he was in his canoe
Shenandoah, I love your daughter
The singer expresses his love for the woman from the earlier story
It was for her I'd cross the water
The singer would do anything for this woman, including crossing a river
For seven years I courted Sally
The singer courted a woman named Sally for seven years
Seven more years I longed to have her
After the initial seven years, the singer continued to desire Sally for another seven years
Well, it's fare-thee-well, my dear, I'm bound to leave you
The singer is saying goodbye to someone he cares about and will be departing from them
Shenandoah, I will not deceive you
The singer is promising to be honest with the river and perhaps himself
Look away, we're bound away
The singer and his companions are once again moving away from the river
Across the wide Missouri.
They are still crossing the Missouri River
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HAL SHAPER, N TRADITIONAL (PD)
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind