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
Step It Up And Go
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She used to love me but she don't no more
She gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Got a little girl, she stays upstairs
Make a livin' by puttin' on airs
Yeah, man
I can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Front door shut, back door too
Blinds pulled down, what' cha gonna do?
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Got a little girl, her name is Ball
Give a little bit, she took it all
I step it up and go
Yeah, man
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Me an' my baby walkin' down the street
Tellin' everybody 'bout the chief of police
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Tell my woman I'll see her at home
Ain't no lovin' since she been gone
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
Well, I'll sing this verse, ain't gonna sing no more
Hear my gal call me and I got to go
Step it up and go
Yeah, man
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Step It Up And Go" feature a man reflecting on a past relationship that has ended. He has a "little girl" who used to love him, but no longer does. In the chorus, he repeats the phrase "gotta step it up and go" as a way of saying that he needs to move on from the relationship and make a change in his life. He can't stay stagnant or remain in the same place.
The lyrics go on to describe his current situation - he has a girl who "stays upstairs" and "makes a livin' by puttin' on airs." He also mentions a woman named Ball who took everything from him, leaving him with nothing. The final verse hints at a possible reconciliation with his previous girlfriend, as he tells her that he will see her at home.
The song's lyrics are mostly structured around repetition, with the chorus being repeated between each verse. The phrases "step it up and go" and "can't stand pat" create a feeling of urgency and emphasize the need for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a little girl, little and low
I have a small and insignificant girlfriend.
She used to love me but she don't no more
Although she used to have feelings for me, she doesn't anymore.
She gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
She needs to improve herself and move on in life as being stagnant is not an option.
Got a little girl, she stays upstairs
Make a livin' by puttin' on airs
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, man
I can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
My girlfriend is trying to present herself as someone she's not and needs to change that and strive for better.
Front door shut, back door too
Blinds pulled down, what' cha gonna do?
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
I'm stuck in a difficult situation and need to take action to change it, as staying idle is not a choice.
Got a little girl, her name is Ball
Give a little bit, she took it all
I step it up and go
Yeah, man
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
My manipulative girlfriend took advantage of me and I need to take responsibility and take action towards improving my situation.
Me an' my baby walkin' down the street
Tellin' everybody 'bout the chief of police
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
I am trying to distract myself and others from my problems by gossiping about the local police, but I know I need to focus on taking action and moving on with my life.
Tell my woman I'll see her at home
Ain't no lovin' since she been gone
Gotta step it up and go
Yeah, go
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
I've been distant from my girlfriend since she left, and I need to make an effort to improve our relationship and take charge of my life.
Well, I'll sing this verse, ain't gonna sing no more
Hear my gal call me and I got to go
Step it up and go
Yeah, man
Can't stand pat, swear you gotta step it up and go
I am ending this song and am reminded that I need to take action towards change when my girlfriend calls, as being stagnant is not an option.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL, BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind