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
Temporary Like Achilles
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, I've been here before
Feeling so harmless, I'm looking at your second door
How come you don't send me no regards?
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, why are you so hard?
Kneeling 'neath your ceiling
I'm tryin' to read your portrait
But i'm helpless, like a rich man's child
How come you send someone out to have me barred?
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, why are you so hard?
Like a poor fool in his prime
Yes, I know you can hear me walk
But is your heart made out of stone, or is it lime
Or is it just solid rock?
Well, I lean into your hallway
Lean against your velvet door
I watch upon your scorpion
Who crawls across your circus floor
Just what do you think you have to guard?
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, but you're so hard
Achilles is in your alleyway
He don't want me here, he does brag
He's pointing to the sky
And he's hungry, like a man in drag
How come you get someone like him to be your guard?
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, but you're so hard
In "Temporary Like Achilles," Bob Dylan sings about unrequited love and the frustration that comes with it. The singer is standing outside the window of his love interest, feeling helpless and powerless in his attempts to win her over. He wonders why she doesn't show him any affection and why she is so difficult to get through to. He compares himself to a poor fool and questions whether her heart is made of stone, lime, or solid rock.
Throughout the song, the singer continues to show his desperation to be with this woman, even willing to brave the presence of her intimidating guard, Achilles. It is clear that he is willing to risk it all to be with her, but it just isn't happening. The title of the song represents the impermanent nature of the singer's situation, as he is just a temporary presence in the life of the woman he loves.
As with many of Dylan's songs, there are layers of interpretation beyond the surface-level narrative. The song has been interpreted as a commentary on the Vietnam War, with Achilles representing the military-industrial complex guarding the interests of the powerful. The song can also be read as a critique of societal power dynamics, with the singer representing the common person being held down by a system that values wealth and status above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing on your window, honey
I'm outside your place looking in
Yes, I've been here before
This isn't my first attempt to win you over
Feeling so harmless, I'm looking at your second door
I don't pose a threat to you, I'm just observing your movements
How come you don't send me no regards?
Why won't you acknowledge me?
You know I want your lovin'
I'm interested in you romantically
Honey, why are you so hard?
Why are you being so difficult to get close to?
Kneeling 'neath your ceiling
I'm spending a lot of time in your room looking up at you
Yes, I guess I'll be here for a while
I plan to wait for you as long as it takes
I'm tryin' to read your portrait
I'm trying to understand who you are
But i'm helpless, like a rich man's child
Despite my status, I feel powerless when it comes to you
How come you send someone out to have me barred?
Why won't you let me be near you?
Like a poor fool in his prime
I feel foolish for pursuing you so relentlessly
Yes, I know you can hear me walk
I'm making my presence known to you
But is your heart made out of stone, or is it lime
Are you completely unfeeling or just a little sour?
Or is it just solid rock?
Is your emotional barrier impenetrable?
Well, I lean into your hallway
I'm getting as close to you as I can without being seen
Lean against your velvet door
I'm imagining myself being close to you
I watch upon your scorpion
I'm wary of the danger you could pose to me
Who crawls across your circus floor
You're unpredictable and I don't know what to expect from you
Just what do you think you have to guard?
Why do you need to be so guarded and closed off to me?
Achilles is in your alleyway
There's someone guarding you, someone powerful and dangerous
He don't want me here, he does brag
He's not fond of me and makes sure I know it
He's pointing to the sky
He's warning me of the power he has
And he's hungry, like a man in drag
He's eager to take me down if I pose a threat to you
How come you get someone like him to be your guard?
Why do you need someone like Achilles to protect you?
You know I want your lovin'
I'm still interested in forming a relationship with you
Honey, but you're so hard
But you're being so difficult to approach and get close to
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bryankeisling132
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Standing on your window, honey
Yes, I’ve been here before
Feeling so harmless
I’m looking at your second door
How come you don’t send me no regards?
[Refrain]
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, why are you so hard?
[Verse 2]
Kneeling ’neath your ceiling
Yes, I guess I’ll be here for a while
I’m trying to read your poetry, but
I’m helpless, like a rich man’s child
How come you send someone out to have me barred?
[Refrain]
You know I want your lovin’
Honey, why you so hard?
[Bridge]
Like a poor fool in his prime
Yes, I know you can hear me walk
But is your heart made out of stone, or is it lime?
Or is it just solid rock?
[Verse 3]
Well, I lean into your hallway
Lean against your velvet door
I watch upon your scorpion
Who crawls across your circus floor
Just what do you think you have to guard?
[Refrain]
You know I want your lovin’
Honey, but you’re so hard
[Verse 4]
Achilles is in your alleyway
He don’t want me here, he does brag
He’s pointing to the sky
And he’s hungry, like a man in drag
How come you get someone like him to be your guard?
[Refrain]
You know I want your lovin'
Honey, but you’re so hard
@philallard986
I have always loved the line:
I’m trying to read your poetry, but
I’m helpless, like a rich man’s child
@tejawoop
The correct lines is:
I'm trying to reach your portrait
@michaelmiller2397
@@tejawoop no, that's not what Bob sings here. He mighta changed it at some time, but Phil Allard has it right this time around.
@steelyman08
@@michaelmiller2397 It's certainly "...read your poetry...". Not a doubt about it. He makes his own kind of sense, but portrait is simply one of those lazy misprints that's always occured (and still does) on albums since time immemorial. I'd actually never even seen "read (or reach?) your portrait" until I saw this comment section. Genius Lyrics has it right, but most of the others just grabbed "read your portrait". I know he's changed his lyrics throughout time, but this one version seems straightforward enough. I wonder what they are in his 1961-2012 lyrics book?
@dennisg.582
I think he says "read your portrait"
@alexz9947
@@dennisg.582 Correct
@ThePowerpointMaster
The song you play late at night in an empty bar or on a shallow street.
@donlendrum9237
Or in my sweltering office late at night, with ‘betty Swollocks’ and a rum laden coffee…
@bootnab
Now I'm thinking about a "shallow street"
@matteoramsay121
@@bootnab haha me too. great line PPM