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
The Ballad of Ira Hayes
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About a brave young Indian you should remember well
From the tribe of Pima Indians, a proud and a peaceful band
They farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona land
Down their ditches for a thousand years the sparkling water rushed
Till the white man stole their water rights and the running water hushed
Now Ira's folks were hungry, and their farms grew crops of weeds
But when war came, he volunteered and forgot the white man's greed
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Yes, call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
They started up Iwo Jima hill, two hundred and fifty men
But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down that hill again
And when the fight was over and Old Glory raised
One of the men who held it high was the Indian, Ira Hayes
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Ira returned a hero, celebrated throughout the land
He was wined and speeched and honored, everybody shook his hand
But he was just a Pima Indian - no money, no crops, no chance
And at home nobody cared what Ira'd done, and when do the Indians dance?
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Then Ira started drinking hard, jail was often his home
They let him raise the flag there and lower it like you'd throw a dog a bone
He died drunk early one morning, alone in the land he'd fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was the grave for Ira Hayes
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Yes, call him drunken Ira Hayes, but his land is still as dry
And his ghost is lying thirsty in the ditch where Ira died
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
The Ballad of Ira Hayes tells the story of a Pima Native American named Ira Hayes, who fought in World War II as a Marine, became famous for being one of the soldiers who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima, and was later haunted by the harsh realities of American Indian life. The lyrics describe how the white settlers took the Pima's water, leaving them hungry and unable to grow crops, which ultimately led Ira to volunteer for the military. Despite being celebrated as a hero when he returned home, Ira was still a poor, uneducated Indian who struggled to cope with what he had seen at war. He turned to alcohol as a way of easing the pain, but it only led to his tragic death. The song serves as a social commentary on the way Native Americans are treated in American society, and honors the sacrifices made by those who fought and died for their country.
One interesting fact about The Ballad of Ira Hayes is that it was written by Peter La Farge, a Native American folk singer and songwriter who was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. La Farge was also a veteran of the Korean War, and he wrote the song as a tribute to Ira Hayes, who he believed was an unsung hero of World War II. Another interesting fact is that Johnny Cash covered the song on his 1964 album Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian, which was a concept album that focused on the injustices suffered by Native Americans throughout American history. Cash's version of the song became a hit, and it helped to raise awareness of Native American issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather round me people, and a story I will tell
Listen to my story
About a brave young Indian you should remember well
This is about Ira Hayes, a brave young Indian
From the tribe of Pima Indians, a proud and a peaceful band
Ira Hayes was from the proud and peaceful Pima Indian tribe
They farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona land
The Pima Indians farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona
Down their ditches for a thousand years the sparkling water rushed
The Pima Indians had been using their irrigation ditches for a long time and they worked very well
Till the white man stole their water rights and the running water hushed
When the white man took the Pima Indian's water rights, their ability to irrigate their land was severely limited and they could not farm well
Now Ira's folks were hungry, and their farms grew crops of weeds
Because of the limitations on their water use, Ira's people were struggling to grow crops and were going hungry
But when war came, he volunteered and forgot the white man's greed
When the war came, Ira Hayes decided to volunteer and fight for his country, even though the white man had taken his land
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
People often refer to Ira Hayes as a drunken person
He won't answer anymore
Ira Hayes is now dead and cannot defend himself against those accusations
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian
It's not just because he was an Indian who drank whiskey
Or the Marine who went to war
Nor was it just because he was a Marine who went to war
They started up Iwo Jima hill, two hundred and fifty men
Ira and 249 other men were sent to fight at Iwo Jima
But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down that hill again
Most of the men sent to Iwo Jima did not make it back alive
And when the fight was over and Old Glory raised
When the battle was won, the American flag was raised
One of the men who held it high was the Indian, Ira Hayes
Ira Hayes was one of the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima
Ira returned a hero, celebrated throughout the land
When he returned to America, he was celebrated for his bravery
He was wined and speeched and honored, everybody shook his hand
Ira received many commendations and congratulations for his service
But he was just a Pima Indian - no money, no crops, no chance
Despite his heroism, Ira was still a Pima Indian and had nothing to show for it
And at home nobody cared what Ira'd done, and when do the Indians dance?
Even though he was a hero, when he returned home, nobody appreciated what he had done for his country, and the Indians were still suffering
Then Ira started drinking hard, jail was often his home
Ira began drinking heavily and struggled to find a home after returning from the war
They let him raise the flag there and lower it like you'd throw a dog a bone
Even though he was a hero, people treated Ira poorly, like throwing a dog a bone
He died drunk early one morning, alone in the land he'd fought to save
Ira died an alcoholic and was buried alone in the land he had fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was the grave for Ira Hayes
Ira was buried in a shallow ditch that only had two inches of water
Yes, call him drunken Ira Hayes, but his land is still as dry
People can continue to call Ira Hayes a drunk, but the land he fought to save is still struggling without adequate water
And his ghost is lying thirsty in the ditch where Ira died
Ira Hayes' spirit may still be present in the arid land where he died
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: PETER LAFARGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marcos Guilherme
A Balada de Ira Haye
Aproximem-se todos e eu vou lhes contar uma história
Sobre um bravo jovem índio que vocês devem se lembrar bem
Da tribo dos Pima, um orgulho e um grupo pacífico
Eles cuidavam das terras do Vale de Phoenix no Arizona
Por mil anos as águas espumantes lavaram seus túmulos
Até que o homem branco roubou os seus direitos de água e da água corrente silenciosa
Agora a gente de Ira estava com fome e suas fazendas cheias de plantas daninhas
Mas quando a guerra chegou, ele se voluntáriou e esqueceu, a ganância do homem branco
Chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor de uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Eles estavam em Iwo Jima Hill, 250 homens no começo
Mas apenas 27 viveram para descer aquela colina uma vez mais
E quando a luta tinha terminado e a velha bandeira foi erguida
Um dos homens que a manteve no alto foi o índio Ira Hayes
Chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, mas responder
Não o índio bebedor de uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Agora Ira retornou como um herói, ccelebrado em todo o país
Ele foi ovacionado e homenageado e honrado, todos aperteram asua mão
Mas ele era apenas um índio Pima, sem dinheiro cultura, sem chance
E em casa ninguém se importava com o Ira tinha feito ou o que foi feito do índio.
Chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor de uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Não o índio bebedor de uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Ira caiu na bebida, a cadeiamuitas vezes foi sua casa
Eles deixaram-no levantar a bandeira lá e o jogaram de lado como você jogaria um osso a um cão.
Ele em uma manhã,bêbado, sozinho na terra que ele tinha lutado para salvar
Dois centímetros de água em uma vala solitária foi o túmulo de Ira Hayes
Chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, mas ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor de uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor uísque, ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, mas sua terra continua seca
E seu fantasma jaz sedento na vala em que Ira morreu
Sim, Chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder.
Não o índio bebedor de uísque ou o soldado que foi para a guerra
Sim, chamem-no de Ira Bêbado Hayes, ele não vai mais responder
Não o índio bebedor de uísque ou o soldado que foi para a guerra.
Juan Camacho
Gather round you people and a story I will tell
About a brave young Indian you should remember well
From the tribe of Pima Indians, a proud and a peaceful band
They farmed the Phoenix Valley in Arizona land
Down their ditches for a thousand years the sparkling water rushed
'Til the white man stole their water rights and the running water hushed
Now Ira's folks were hungry and their farms when crops of weeds
But when war came he volunteers and forgot the white man's greed
Call him, Drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Yes, call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
They started up Iwo Jima Hill, 250 men
But only 27 lived to walk back down that hill again
And when the fight was over and the old glory raised
One of the men who held it high was the Indian Ira Hayes
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Now Ira returned a hero, celebrated throughout the land
He was wined and speeched and honored, everybody shook his hand
But he was just a Pima Indian, no money crops, no chance
And at home nobody cared what Ira had done, and the wind did the Indian's Dance
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
And Ira started drinking hard, jail was often his home
They let him raise the flag there and lower it like you'd throw a dog a bone
He died drunk early one morning, alone in the land he had fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was the grave for Ira Hayes
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Yes, call him, drunken Ira Hayes, but his land is still as dry
And his ghost is lying thirsty in the ditch where Ira died
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey-drinking Indian or the marine who went to war
WynneBear
Dylan is at his best singing voice when talking about people wronged.
George Esau
For the folks that say Dylan writes great songs but can't sing. He didn't write this and you're just flat out wrong if you say he can't sing.
Jason Skorik
Bloody good point my friend
Pawel Sawicki
Everybody can sing, luckily for all of us, everybody sings differently
Brendan Michaels
My favorite version of this incredible song
Gumper Van Lier
This is the best version that I've ever heard. Dylan does it!
Sheryl Mac
No it isn’t Johnny Cash!
Gumper Van Lier
@Sheryl Mac I also love Johnny Cash. Two legends.
Sheryl Mac
@Gumper Van Lier so much this!
Robert Fields
Fantastic version with this gospel touch.