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 There Is About You
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it the way your body moves or is it the way your hair blows free?
Or is it because you remind me of something that used to be
Somethin' that crossed over from another century?
Thought I'd shaken the wonder and the phantoms of my youth
Rainy days on the Great Lakes, walkin' the hills of old Duluth.
There was me and Danny Lopez, cold eyes, black night and then there was Ruth
Suddenly I found you and the spirit in me sings
Don't have to look no further, you're the soul of many things.
I could say that I'd be faithful, I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
But to you that would be cruelty and to me it surely would be death.
Something there is about you that moves with style and grace
I was in a whirlwind, now I'm in some better place.
My hand's on the saber and you've picked up the baton
Somethin' there is about you that I can't quite put my finger on.
The lyrics of "Something There Is About You" by Bob Dylan seem to be about a woman who is mysterious and captivating to the singer. He is not sure what exactly it is that draws him to her, whether it's her physical appearance and movements or if it's something deeper connected to his past. He reminisces about his youth, mentioning a few named individuals, and talks about her bringing back long-forgotten truths to him. The singer seems to have found what he has been searching for and declares that he doesn't need to look any further. While he may want to promise her faithfulness, he knows it would be dishonest to do so, and to deny his true feelings would be a form of cruelty.
The song seems to be about the struggle of understanding one's emotions and desires, and the fear of being vulnerable to another person. The singer finds himself captivated by someone, but he doesn't quite understand why. He is afraid of making any promises since he is unsure of where this relationship will take him. The lyrics offer a glimpse into the inner thoughts of someone who is losing control and finding comfort in another person. Despite being uncertain about the future, he feels that he has found someone who brings him peace and makes him feel whole.
Line by Line Meaning
Something there is about you that strikes a match in me
There is a quality within you that ignites a spark of excitement within me.
Is it the way your body moves or is it the way your hair blows free?
I am unsure whether it is the way you move or the way your hair flows in the wind that draws me to you.
Or is it because you remind me of something that used to be
Perhaps it is because you bring back memories of something from the past.
Somethin' that crossed over from another century?
Perhaps this memory dates back to a long-gone era.
Thought I'd shaken the wonder and the phantoms of my youth
I believed I had moved past the awe and ghosts of my younger days.
Rainy days on the Great Lakes, walkin' the hills of old Duluth
These are memories of gloomy weather by vast bodies of water and trekking through the hills of a northern city in Minnesota.
There was me and Danny Lopez, cold eyes, black night and then there was Ruth
There was a time when I was with Danny Lopez, during a dark night, and then there was Ruth.
Something there is about you that brings back a long-forgotten truth
You hold a quality that reminds me of a truth that has been buried for a long time.
Suddenly I found you and the spirit in me sings
Upon finding you, I feel alive and enthusiastic like never before.
Don't have to look no further, you're the soul of many things
There is no need to search any longer; you embody the essence of many qualities I admire.
I could say that I'd be faithful, I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
I could easily make the promise of being loyal in a simple, effortless way.
But to you that would be cruelty and to me it surely would be death
However, making such a promise to you would be unkind and detrimental to both of us.
Something there is about you that moves with style and grace
Your movements possess a certain elegance and fluidity.
I was in a whirlwind, now I'm in some better place
I was previously in a state of chaos, but now I find myself in a much improved position.
My hand's on the saber and you've picked up the baton
I am ready for battle and you are ready to take on the challenge.
Somethin' there is about you that I can't quite put my finger on
There is an elusive quality within you that I cannot fully grasp or articulate.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johan Sterk
Finally this great, great timeless song on Youtube!! These lyrics alone could have won the man a Nobel prize. As a mad collector I have more than 70 copies of the 7' of this song on vinyl, and 15 copies of the vinyl album, add to this a few copies on CD, music cassette and 8-track. That's how great I think this song is. The lyrics ...
Something there is about you that strikes a match in me
Is it the way your body moves or is it the way your hair blows free
Or is it because you remind me of something that used to be
Something that's crossed over from another century ?
Thought I'd shaken the wonder and the phantoms of my youth
Rainy days on the Great Lakes, walking the hills of old Duluth
There was me and Danny Lopez, cold eyes, black night and then there was Ruth
Something there is about you that brings back a long forgotten truth.
Suddenly I found you and the spirit in me sings
Don't have to look no further, you're the soul of many things
I could say that I'd be faithful, I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
But to you that would be cruelty and to me it surely would be death.
Something there is about you that moves with style and grace
I was in a whirlwind, now I am in some better place
My hand's on the sabre and you've picked up on the baton
Something there is about you that I can't quite put my finger on.
Juan Camacho
Somethin' there is about you
That strikes the match in me
Is it the way your body moves
Or is it the way your hair blows free?
Or is it because you remind me
Of somethin' that used to be?
Somethin' that's crossed over
From another century
Thought I'd shaken the wonder
And the phantoms of my youth
Rainy days on the great lakes
Walkin' the hills of old Duluth
There was me and Danny Lopez
Cold eyes, black nights and then there was Ruth
Somethin' there is about you
That brings back a long-forgotten truth
Suddenly I found you
And the spirit in me sings
Don't have to look no further
You're the soul of many things
I could say that I'd be faithful
I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
But to you that would be cruelty
And to me it surely would be death
🎵🎶🎵🎶
Somethin' there is about you
That moves with style and grace
I was in a whirlwind
Now I'm in some better place
My hands on the saber
And you've picked up on the baton
Somethin' there is about you
That I can't quite put my finger on
비정한세상
Something There is about You
그곳에는 너에 대한 무언가가 있다네
Planet Waves (1974)
Something there is about you
그곳에는 너에 대한 무언가가 있다네
that strikes a match in me
내게 꼭 맞았던 바로 그것이지
Is it the way your body moves
네 몸이 움직이는 모습이었던 걸까?
or is it the way your hair blows free?
네 머리카락이 자유로이 휘날리는 모습이었던 걸까?
Or is it because you remind me of
아니면 네가 기억하기 때문일까
something that used to be
나의 옛 모습들,
Somethin' that crossed over from another century?
다른 세기에서 건너온 그 모습들로 기억하기 때문일 걸까?
Thought I'd shaken the wonder
젊은 날의 경이와 환상들
and the phantoms of my youth
이젠 모두 엎어버린 줄 알았다네
Rainy days on the Great Lakes,
오대호에서의 비 내리던 날들
walkin' the hills of old Duluth.
옛날에 거닐던 덜루스의 언덕들
There was me and Danny Lopez,
거기엔 나와 대니 로페즈,
cold eyes, black night and then there was Ruth
냉혹한 시선들, 새까만 밤과 루스가 있었네
Something there is about you
그곳에는 너에 대한 무언가가 있다네
that brings back a long-forgotten truth.
오랫동안 잊었던, 그 진실을 다시 돌아오게 하는 것.
Suddenly I found you
갑자기 나는 널 찾아냈지
and the spirit in me sings
내 안의 영이 노래하네
Don't have to look no further,
더 멀리 내다볼 필요 없이
you're the soul of many things.
그대는 많은 것들의 영혼이라네
I could say that I'd be faithful,
오직 널 위하리라고 말할 수 있지
I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
단숨에, 달콤하게 말할 수 있다네
But to you that would be cruelty
하지만 그건 너무 잔인한 일이고
and to me it surely would be death.
내겐 분명히 죽음과 같은 일일 것이네.
Something there is about you
그곳에는 당신에 대한 무엇이 있다네
that moves with style and grace
우아와 세련을 갖고 움직이지
I was in a whirlwind
소용돌이 속에서 나와
now I'm in some better place.
더 좋은 곳으로 간다네
My hand's on the sabre
손은 장검 위에 있고
and you've picked up the baton
그대는 바톤을 집어 들었지
Somethin' there is about you
그곳에는 당신에 대한 무언가가 있다네
that I can't quite put my finger on
손가락 하나도 댈 수 없는 것이...
Johan Sterk
Finally this great, great timeless song on Youtube!! These lyrics alone could have won the man a Nobel prize. As a mad collector I have more than 70 copies of the 7' of this song on vinyl, and 15 copies of the vinyl album, add to this a few copies on CD, music cassette and 8-track. That's how great I think this song is. The lyrics ...
Something there is about you that strikes a match in me
Is it the way your body moves or is it the way your hair blows free
Or is it because you remind me of something that used to be
Something that's crossed over from another century ?
Thought I'd shaken the wonder and the phantoms of my youth
Rainy days on the Great Lakes, walking the hills of old Duluth
There was me and Danny Lopez, cold eyes, black night and then there was Ruth
Something there is about you that brings back a long forgotten truth.
Suddenly I found you and the spirit in me sings
Don't have to look no further, you're the soul of many things
I could say that I'd be faithful, I could say it in one sweet, easy breath
But to you that would be cruelty and to me it surely would be death.
Something there is about you that moves with style and grace
I was in a whirlwind, now I am in some better place
My hand's on the sabre and you've picked up on the baton
Something there is about you that I can't quite put my finger on.
Reasonable Objectivist
His beloved has touched him, very very deeply! Like--REALLY deeply! ("suddenly I found you . . you're the soul of many things".) This is one remarkable woman.
HOWEVER: Dylan is VERY CAREFUL and EXPLICIT in telling his beloved that THERE IS NO WAY THAT HE IS *EVER* GOING TO BE FAITHFUL TO HER!!
That is hilarious--and brilliant! Any lesser songwriter would have been either pledging unwavering faithfulness, or at least, would have remained diplomatically silent about his intention to still sleep with other women. Not Dylan!
I LOVE this song; but how can you not roll on the floor laughing at a passionate, sincere love song in which the man makes explicit that, despite the deep things she has awakened in him--NO WAY is he ever going to be **faithful**. One wonders if Dylan didn't have tongue firmly in cheek, while writing those lines.
What a great sense of humor Dylan has!
Charles Venter
After all these many wonderful years of Bob Dylan
Still listening to these beautiful Bob Dylan from 1962 I was 10 years old
I am seventy 70
Johan Sterk
@Larry Rubin No Wedding Song, then. Greetings.
Larry Rubin
Best comment yet. I wore this album out.
I called a girl out after playing this song a million times. She rejected me. Then I played Dirge
Mason Kuldinow
I keep hearing Dylan songs I never heard before. It's like the gift that keeps giving.
pete morabito
Since the mid sixties I rediscover him in an album I'm just hearing for the first time. This album I picked up just after being at THE LAST WALTZ. Then in 1986?, not sure, I was in one of those HEAR MUSIC shops & fell crazy for INFIDELS & every song I heard I related to the previous administration, or in the case of SWEETHEART LIKE YOU, I thought about my mother dating losers who took on dates to dive bars; ya know, the lines, "What's a sweetheart like you doin' in a dump like this?" or thought about my old man who passed in '88 with the line, "Steal a little & they throw you in jail, steal a lot & they make you King." Yet this album was released in '83.
Jack Cutler
Just heard Nothing 'cept You, (apparently an out take from this album), for the first time. Absolutely blew my mind what a brilliant song it is. You're right Bob is the gift that keeps on giving!
Beverly Kasahara
We from Minnesota will not forget his greatness. He will forever be ours.
Stephen Lee
Sometimes we forget just how good many of his 'forgotten' songs are