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
Something's Burning Baby
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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Something is the matter, baby, there's smoke in your hair
Are you still my friend, baby, show me a sign
Is the love in your heart for me turning blind?
You've been avoiding the main streets for a long, long while
The truth I'm seeking is in your missing smile
What's your position, baby, what's going on?
I know everything about this place, or so it seems
But am I no longer a part of your plans or your dreams?
Well, it is so obvious that something has changed
What's happening, baby, to make you act so strange?
Something is burning, baby, here's what I say
Even the bloodhounds of London couldn't find you today
I see the shadow of a man, baby, making you blue
Who is he, baby, and what's he to you?
We've reached the edge of the road, baby, where the pasture begins
Where the charity is supposed to cover up a multitude of sins
But where do you live, baby, and where is the light?
Why are your eyes just staring off into the night?
I can feel it, in the night, in the night, in the night when I think of you
I can feel it in the light, in the light, in the light and it's got to be true
You can't live by bread alone, you won't be satisfied
You can't roll away the stone if your hands are tied.
Got to start someplace, baby, can you explain?
Please don't fade away on me, baby, like the midnight train
Answer me, baby, a casual look will do
Just what in the world has come over you?
I can feel it in the wind, in the wind, in the wind and it's upside down
I can feel it in the dust as I get off the bus on the outskirts of town
I've had the Mexico City blues since the last hairpin curve
I don't want to see you bleed, I know what you need and it ain't what you deserve.
Something is burning, baby, something's in flames
There's a man going 'round calling names
Ring when you're ready, baby, I'm waiting for you
I believe in the impossible, you know that I do.
In Bob Dylan's song "Something's Burning Baby," the singer is trying to make sense of his lover's sudden change in behavior. He notices that she's been avoiding him, her eyes seem vacant, and there's evidence that she's been crying. He's desperate for answers and wants to know if he's still important to her. The repetition of "something is burning, baby" throughout the song is a metaphor for the passionate love that they once shared, which the singer fears is slowly fading away.
The song is full of existential questions that are left mostly unanswered. It's not clear who the shadowy man who's making the singer's lover sad is, why she's pulling away, or even where she lives. There's a sense of urgency and desperation that permeates the lyrics, as if the singer is in a race against time to save their relationship. The repeated phrase "I can feel it" suggests that the singer is tapping into something deeper than mere rational thought, as if his gut instincts are telling him that something is seriously wrong.
Interestingly, the song ends on a hopeful note. The singer professes his belief in the impossible and promises to wait for his lover to come back to him. It's unclear whether his faith is justified or not, but the fact that he's still trying to hold on to the love they once shared is a testament to its power.
Line by Line Meaning
Something is burning, baby, are you aware?
I sense that there's something not right between us, could you feel it too?
Something is the matter, baby, there's smoke in your hair
I can see that you've been caught up with something that's not been good for you, and it's made you distant.
Are you still my friend, baby, show me a sign
I'm unsure if you have the same feelings for me as before, could you just give me any indication that we're still in this together?
Is the love in your heart for me turning blind?
Has the passion you once had towards me started to fade away?
You've been avoiding the main streets for a long, long while
It's been some time since we've spent time together in public spaces or have been as close as we used to be.
The truth I'm seeking is in your missing smile
Your smile is a window to your soul and its disappearance from your face makes me wonder what's making you unhappy.
What's your position, baby, what's going on?
Could you please explain what's happening and where we stand now, I'm feeling left out.
Why is the light in your eyes nearly gone?
Is there something that you're struggling to come to terms with, that's causing you distress?
I know everything about this place, or so it seems
I thought I knew everything about you and our surroundings, but I'm realizing now that I don't.
But am I no longer a part of your plans or your dreams?
Do you envision your future without me, or have I become just an afterthought in your life?
Well, it is so obvious that something has changed
There's been a shift in our relationship dynamic, and I can sense that I'm no longer a priority.
What's happening, baby, to make you act so strange?
Could you please tell what's causing you to behave so differently?
Something is burning, baby, here's what I say
I'm sure that something is wrong between us, and I'm not one to remain in denial about it.
Even the bloodhounds of London couldn't find you today
You've been evading me and are intentionally trying to hide from me, and it's making me feel helpless.
I see the shadow of a man, baby, making you blue
I think there's someone else in your life that you're unhappy with, and it's adding to the distress you're feeling.
Who is he, baby, and what's he to you?
Could you please tell me who this person is, and whether he's more important than me right now?
We've reached the edge of the road, baby, where the pasture begins
We've come as far as we could in our relationship, and it's time to decide whether we can continue on this path or go separate ways.
Where the charity is supposed to cover up a multitude of sins
The tolerance and understanding that we've shown each other in the past may not be enough anymore, and we have to deal with serious issues.
But where do you live, baby, and where is the light?
I'm asking you where your true self resides, and whether you're ready to shed light on what's happening in your life.
Why are your eyes just staring off into the night?
I'm worried that you're losing hope and retreating from life, and it's scaring me.
I can feel it, in the night, in the night, in the night when I think of you
Your absence is felt particularly in the moments when I need you the most.
I can feel it in the light, in the light, in the light and it's got to be true
My intuition is telling me that something is off about the way that you're acting, and I can't ignore it anymore.
You can't live by bread alone, you won't be satisfied
Material things and shallow relationships can't sustain you, and you'll eventually crave something deeper.
You can't roll away the stone if your hands are tied.
It will take courage and determination to overcome any obstacles in your way, and you have to be willing to take that step.
Got to start someplace, baby, can you explain?
We need to start communicating better if we want to salvage this relationship, could you tell me what you think?
Please don't fade away on me, baby, like the midnight train
Don't leave me behind or disappear from my life suddenly, as it'll be harder for both of us to deal with.
Answer me, baby, a casual look will do
I'm not asking for a big dramatic reveal, but even a small indication that you want to make things work will suffice.
Just what in the world has come over you?
I'm struggling to understand what's causing this change in you, as it's taking a toll on me as well.
I can feel it in the wind, in the wind, in the wind and it's upside down
I can sense that things are not how they should be, and the wind seems to be reflecting my confusion and unease.
I can feel it in the dust as I get off the bus on the outskirts of town
Even when I'm away or on my own, I'm reminded of the emptiness that's currently in my life.
I've had the Mexico City blues since the last hairpin curve
I'm feeling down and out about the turns our lives have taken, and it's affecting me more than I thought it would.
I don't want to see you bleed, I know what you need and it ain't what you deserve.
Even though we're going through a difficult period, I still care for you deeply and want to see you happy in the way that fits you best.
Something is burning, baby, something's in flames
I can sense that things are coming to a head, and soon we'll have to decide what's next for our relationship.
There's a man going 'round calling names
There are people who are trying to create trouble for us, or who have an interest in seeing us apart.
Ring when you're ready, baby, I'm waiting for you
I'll be here for you whenever you're ready to start talking about what's really going on.
I believe in the impossible, you know that I do.
I have faith that we can overcome this, but it's going to take work and commitment from both of us.
Lyrics © BOB DYLAN MUSIC CO
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind