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
Shooting Star
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I thought of you
You were trying to break into another world
A world I never knew
I always kind of wondered
If you ever made it through
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me
If I was still the same
If I ever became what you wanted me to be
Did I miss the mark or over-step the line
That only you could see?
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me
Listen to the engine, listen to the bell
As the last fire truck from hell
Goes rolling by, all good people are praying,
It's the last temptation
The last account
The last time you might hear the sermon on the mount
The last radio is playing
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away
Tomorrow will be another day
Guess it's too late to say the things to you
That you needed to hear me say
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away
The lyrics of Bob Dylan’s Shooting Star are highly introspective and filled with nostalgia. The song begins with Dylan observing a shooting star and thinking of someone who was trying to break into another world, possibly indicating someone who was seeking something beyond the mundane, as Dylan has been known to do in his career. Dylan then wonders if this person ever succeeded and made it into that world he never knew. The use of the shooting star as symbolism represents the fleeting nature of life and the missed opportunities that may never be regained.
The song then turns more personal as Dylan reflects on himself and pondering his worthiness in the eyes of this person he hopes to impress. He questions himself if he missed the mark or overstepped the line that only they could see, indicating that he may have fallen short of someone’s expectations. In the third verse, Dylan incorporates more of his storytelling style, inspired by his early folk music career, providing us with vivid imagery of a fire truck from hell and the last temptation. The mention of the sermon on the mount adds another layer of symbolism, connecting the song to the larger themes of Christianity and faith that Dylan has long been fascinated with.
In the last verse, the shooting star has slipped away, and tomorrow will bring another day, indicating the impermanence of everything beautiful and fleeting. Dylan regrets not being able to say the things that he needed to say to this person, and in the end, all that remains is that shooting star that he thought of throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Seen a shooting star tonight
The singer saw a shooting star in the sky.
And I thought of you
The singer thinks of someone they knew when they saw the shooting star.
You were trying to break into another world
The person the singer is thinking of was trying to enter a new world, possibly a different way of life or mindset.
A world I never knew
The artist was not familiar with the world the person they are thinking of was trying to enter.
I always kind of wondered
The artist has had thoughts and questions about the person they are thinking of.
If you ever made it through
The singer wonders if the person they are thinking of successfully entered the new world they were trying to break into.
And I thought of you
Again, the singer thinks of the person they are reminiscing about.
And I thought of me
The artist turns their thoughts inward, thinking about themselves.
If I was still the same
The artist questions whether or not they have changed since the time they knew the person they are thinking of.
If I ever became what you wanted me to be
The artist wonders if they met the expectations of the person they are thinking of.
Did I miss the mark or over-step the line
The singer questions whether they did too little or too much in their efforts to meet the expectations of the person they are thinking of.
That only you could see?
The expectations the artist is referring to were specific to the person they are thinking of, and not necessarily obvious to others.
Listen to the engine, listen to the bell
The singer may be metaphorically urging the listener to pay attention to the sounds of life.
As the last fire truck from hell
The singer may be referencing a potentially chaotic or disastrous event, such as a house fire.
Goes rolling by, all good people are praying,
The singer may be implying that in times of crisis, everyone comes together to offer support and hope for good outcomes.
It's the last temptation
The artist may be referring to a final temptation or obstacle before peace or recovery is achieved.
The last account
The artist may be referencing the idea of final judgment or consequences for actions taken in life.
The last time you might hear the sermon on the mount
The singer may be suggesting that this event or crisis is significant enough to also mark the last time someone will hear religious sermons or messages.
The last radio is playing
This line may be a continuation of the idea of this event or crisis marking the end of things.
Seen a shooting star tonight
The artist saw another shooting star in the sky.
Slip away
This phrase suggests something disappearing or passing out of sight.
Tomorrow will be another day
The artist acknowledges that new opportunities and experiences await in the future.
Guess it's too late to say the things to you
The singer now acknowledges that they missed the opportunity to say certain things to the person they were thinking of earlier.
That you needed to hear me say
The artist believes that there were certain things the person they were thinking of needed to hear from them.
Seen a shooting star tonight
Another reference to seeing a shooting star.
Slip away
This phrase is repeated to indicate things passing or disappearing out of sight once again.
Lyrics © BOB DYLAN MUSIC CO
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bryankeisling132
Lyrics:
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you
You're tryin' to break into another world
A world I never knew
I always kinda wondered
If you ever made it through
Seen a shootin' star tonight
And I thought of you
Seen a shootin' star tonight
And I thought of me
If I was still the same
If I ever became
What you wanted me to be
Did I miss the mark
Overstep the line
That only you could see
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me
Listen for the engine
Listen for the bell
As the last fire-truck from hell
Goes rollin' by
All good people are prayin'
It's the last temptation
The last account
Last time you might hear
The sermon on the mount
Last Radio is playin'
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away
Tomorrow will be
Another day
Guess it's too late to say the things to you
You needed to hear me say
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away
@Phaedrus5015
Oh Mercy is an underappreciated Dylan album. I think it is one of his best.
@phildavison9100
It'll be played at my funeral in Scotland, when I slip away.. God bless you, Bob. Thank you for everything. I'm grateful you were with me since I was a teenager.
@cadlac55
Me Tae mate,we were lucky to have shared the planet with him 🏴🎩🏴🎩
@dannycostello1978
I'm with you. But I hope you have many years left pal. x
@barryspeight6109
I think about my deceased father when I hear this song.
@kimgordon3695
@@barryspeight6109 #THIS
@MalcDavison
I'm with you Phil.....I'm going for 'Every grain of sand' at mine......At 73 I'm guessing it ain't gonna be that long either...lol
@patriciathewisher2315
Done a morning of crying. About my Dad mainly. He loved the skies over here
@pranishghimire4488
Finally it's released, waited for this done for so long.
@lj7169
One of my favorite Dylan songs, glad to see the original version finally on youtube