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
Tell Me That It Isn't True
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say that you're planning to put me down
All I would like you to do
Is tell me that it isn't true
They say that you've been seen with some other man
That he's tall, dark and handsome, and you're holding his hand
Darlin', I'm a-countin' on you
To know that some other man is holdin' you tight
It hurts me all over, it doesn't seem right
All of those awful things that I have heard
I don't want to believe them, all I want is your word
So darlin', you better come through
Tell me that it isn't true
All of those awful things that I have heard
I don't want to believe them, all I want is your word
So darlin', I'm countin' on you
Tell me that it isn't true
In "Tell Me That It Isn't True," Bob Dylan sings about rumors that he's heard about his lover planning to leave him and cheating on him with another man. With lines like "They say that you've been seen with some other man / That he's tall, dark and handsome, and you're holding his hand," Dylan expresses his insecurity and fear of losing his lover. He holds onto hope that the rumors aren't true and pleads for his lover to confirm this for him, saying, "All I would like you to do / Is tell me that it isn't true."
The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has dealt with rumors or uncertainty in a relationship. The fear of losing someone you love and not knowing the truth can be overwhelming. Dylan captures this emotion with lines like, "To know that some other man is holdin' you tight / It hurts me all over, it doesn't seem right." Ultimately, the song is a plea for honesty and reassurance from his lover, as he sings, "So darlin', you better come through / Tell me that it isn't true."
Line by Line Meaning
I have heard rumors all over town
There are rumors about you and what you might be planning, and everyone in town is talking about it.
They say that you're planning to put me down
The rumors are that you're planning to end our relationship and leave me.
All I would like you to do
All I'm asking is for you to clarify the truth.
Is tell me that it isn't true
Is to tell me that the rumors are false and that you're not planning to leave me.
They say that you've been seen with some other man
People are saying they've seen you out with another man.
That he's tall, dark and handsome, and you're holding his hand
The man you were seen with is tall, dark, and handsome, and you were holding his hand.
Darlin', I'm a-countin' on you
I trust you, and I need you to be truthful with me.
To know that some other man is holdin' you tight
The thought of another man holding you and being close to you hurts me.
It hurts me all over, it doesn't seem right
The idea of losing you to another man is overwhelming and doesn't feel fair.
All of those awful things that I have heard
All the rumors and things that people are saying about you are difficult for me to process.
I don't want to believe them, all I want is your word
I don't want to believe the rumors, as they're only rumors, and all I ask for is the truth.
So darlin', you better come through
So, my love, I need you to give me the truth to help me feel better.
Tell me that it isn't true
Assure me that the rumors aren't true, and you're still devoted to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Camacho
I have heard rumors all over town
They say that you're planning to put me down
All I would like you to do
Is tell me that it isn't true
They say that you've been seen with some other man
That he's tall, dark and handsome, and you're holding his hand
Darlin', I'm a-countin' on you
Tell me that it isn't true
To know that some other man is holdin' you tight
It hurts me all over, it doesn't seem right
All of those awful things that I have heard
I don't want to believe them, all I want is your word
So darlin', you better come through
Tell me that it isn't true
🎵🎶🎵🎶
All of those awful things that I have heard
I don't want to believe them, all I want is your word
So darlin', I'm countin' on you
Tell me that it isn't true
Dwayne Wladyka
It is a great song, from a great album. Nashville Skyline is fitting, and it goes full circle, and makes perfect sense, given that Bob Dylan's earliest work in the 1960s was folk music. Without folk music, country music wouldn't exist. Cheers!
Song Writer63
There is never going to be anyone who comes close to Bob’s talent. I love this song! ❤️
oleole52
This one was always my favorite one from Nashville Skyline,but I could never find the original anywhere until now.Thank you.Charlie McCoy's organ is so perfect.
sharon smith
yes!!!
Ian Cowlishaw
That's not the organ that's Peter drakes steel guitar Bob Wilson player organ on lay lady lay and I threw it all away
Keep The Faith
Love this tune!
Dwayne Wladyka
It is great. The whole album is.
Beverly Kasahara
Love his early music. Only it got better as he transitioned.
Bobthehuntsman
great song from an underrated album!
Pablo García
Absolutely