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
Sign on the Window
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sign on the door said "no company allowed,"
Sign on the street says "why' don't own me"
Sign on the porch says "three's a crowd"
Sign on the porch says three's a crowd"
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
Brighton girls are like the moon,
Brighton girls are like the moon"
Looks like a-nothing but rain
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
Hope that it don't sleet
Build me a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife, catch rainbow trout
Have a bunch of kids who call me "pa"
That must be what it's all about,
That must be what it's all about
The opening lines of Bob Dylan's song 'Sign on the Window' suggest a sense of loneliness and isolation, with the sign on the window "lonely" and the door prohibiting "company" to come in. Dylan's song paints a picture of a person who is seeking solitude but perhaps also searching for a sense of belonging. The line "sign on the street says why don't own me" suggests a desire for independence and freedom, yet the "sign on the porch" saying "three's a crowd" implies that there is a conflict between being alone and the need for companionship.
The second verse speaks of a couple going to California and changing their minds. Here, Dylan refers to his best friend's warning about Brighton girls, saying they are "like the moon" - unpredictable, ever-changing, and with a certain magnetism. This could be a metaphor for the transience and ephemeral nature of romantic relationships.
The song's final lines suggest a longing for a more simple and tranquil life - "build me a cabin in Utah," "marry me a wife," and "have a bunch of kids who call me 'pa'" are all markers of a life that is slow, anchored in nature and family, and not caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city. Overall, 'Sign on the Window' is a song about the push and pull between the freedom of solitude and the need for human connection, and the desire for a simpler, quieter life away from the fast-paced and tumultuous nature of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sign on the window says "lonely,"
The writer is feeling lonely, and this sign is a way for anyone who sees it to know that he is not welcoming company at the time
Sign on the door said "no company allowed,"
This sign serves to reinforce the fact that the writer wants to be alone, and that anyone who sees it should respect his wishes
Sign on the street says "why' don't own me"
The writer feels that he has no attachment to this location, and that there is nothing keeping him around
Sign on the porch says "three's a crowd"
The writer is reinforcing his desire to be alone, and that even having two people around would be too much for him at the moment
Her and her boyfriend went to California
The writer knows a couple who have moved to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
The couple has changed their attitude or behavior in some way since moving to California
My best friend said, "now didn' I warn ya
The writer's best friend had warned him about the Brighton girls, but it seems he did not listen
Brighton girls are like the moon,
Brighton girls are fickle, phasing in and out of affection and attention like the phases of the moon
Looks like a-nothing but rain
The weather forecast calls for only rain, and no other types of precipitation
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
The writer predicts that Main Street will be soaked from the rain
Hope that it don't sleet
The writer hopes that the weather does not change and precipitation does not turn into sleet
Build me a cabin in Utah
The writer dreams of building a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife, catch rainbow trout
The writer hopes to get married and have an idyllic life in Utah, spending time fishing and relaxing
Have a bunch of kids who call me "pa"
The writer imagines having a large family in this idyllic setting, and being called 'pa' by his kids
That must be what it's all about,
The writer believes that this is his ultimate dream, and what life is really all about
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juancamacho5746
Sign on the window says "lonely"
Sign on the door said "no company allowed"
Sign on the street says "you don't own me"
Sign on the porch says "three's a crowd"
Sign on the porch says "three's a crowd"
🎵🎶
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
My best friend said, "now didn' I warn ya
Brighton girls are like the moon,
Brighton girls are like the moon"
Looks like a-nothing but rain
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
Hope that it don't sleet
🎵🎶
Build me a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife, catch rainbow trout
Have a bunch of kids who call me "pa"
That must be what it's all about,
That must be what it's all about
@James-rq4rq
Sign on the window says “Lonely”
Sign on the door said “No company allowed”
Sign on the street says “Y’ don’t own me”
Sign on a porch says “three’s a crowd”
Sign on a porch says “three’s a crowd”
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
My best friend said, “Now didn't I warn you?
Brighton girls are like the moon
Brighton girls are like the moon”
Looks like a-nothing but rain
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
Hope that it don’t sleet
Build me a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife, catch rainbow trout
Have a bunch of kids who call me “Pa”
That must be what it’s all about
That must be what it’s all about
@subashchinnasamy2872
Sign on the window says "lonely, "
Sign on the door said "no company allowed, "
Sign on the street says "why' don't own me"
Sign on the porch says "three's a crowd"
Sign on the porch says three's a crowd"
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
My best friend said, "now didn' I warn ya
Brighton girls are like the moon,
Brighton girls are like the moon"
Looks like a-nothing but rain
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
Hope that it don't sleet
Build me a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife, catch rainbow trout
Have a bunch of kids who call me "pa"
That must be what it's all about,
That must be what it's all about
@Alan-mj2jx
This is my favourite....today....amazing how many favourite Bob Dylan songs I have., he really is INCREDIBLE...!
@thomasdungl8493
Such a great song ... makes me sadly thinking about my younger days ... thank you so much for sharing!!!
@thomasfisher5742
hey Thomas i think that's why were all here lol ..stay well fella
@sentimentalsouls
F.R.I.E.N.D.S brought me to this song. And I am really glad that I searched for it
@baudinierehugo1937
WTF me too
@NoNameEst1992
Ive always been a huge fan of friends I watched all the each episode over and over again as a kid, then hadn't seen it in years, as an older guy I got into dylan heavily and became a massive fan so I was absolutely thrilled when I went back to binge watch friends recently and hear this song playing on one of the episodes. My favourite program and my favourite artist rolled into one very enjoyable moment.
@crabobaron
The one where Rachel has a baby
@bigbabyben2000
Same here
@RageGamer15
Same
@mariadaconceicaofigueira8816
Musica linda, sou sua fã. Não me canso de ouvi-lo.