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 βfor having created new poetic expressions within the great American song traditionβ. 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 Boxer
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though my story's seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
For a pocketful of mumbles
Such are promises
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest
When I left my home and family
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station
Running scared
Laying low
Seeking out the poorer quarters
Where the ragged people go
Looking for the places
Only they would know
Asking only workman's wages
I come looking for a job
But I get no offers
Just a come on from the whores
On Seventh Avenue
I do declare
There were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes
And wishing I was gone
Going home
Where the New York city winters
Aren't bleeding me
Leading me
Going home
In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of every blow that laid him down
And cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still remains
The first verse of Bob Dylan's The Boxer begins by introducing the singer as a poor boy whose story is seldom told. He reveals that he has squandered his resistance and made compromises for a pocketful of mumbles, meaning empty or meaningless promises. The promises that are made to him are all lies and jest, but he chooses to hear what he wants to hear and disregard the rest, indicating that he's possibly in denial about his current situation.
In the second verse, he talks about leaving his home and family as a young boy and going to the city to find work but ends up dealing with darker things, such as seeking out the poorer quarters and struggling to find work. He experiences loneliness and takes comfort in the company of prostitutes. However, he eventually realizes he needs to go back home, where the bustling city and its challenges won't leave him bleeding and leading him to a figurative death as a person.
The final verse introduces the boxer, who is referred to as a fighter by his trade. The boxer has been beaten down physically and emotionally during his career, and his pain is etched on his body. In his anger and shame, he declares that he is leaving but in reality, he stays and continues to fight. The boxer's character may serve as a metaphor for the singer and the struggles he's gone through. Despite their trials, both the boxer and the singer continue to fight and stay resilient.
Line by Line Meaning
I am just a poor boy
I am a man without wealth or success
Though my story's seldom told
Though I have experienced many things, they are rarely shared
I have squandered my resistance
I have wasted my ability to reject things
For a pocketful of mumbles
I have given up valuable beliefs for empty promises
Such are promises
Many promises are flimsy and empty
All lies and jest
Many promises are deceitful and only meant to amuse you
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
Despite this, people believe what they want to hear
And disregards the rest
And ignore the reality
When I left my home and family
When I left my comfortable life with my loved ones
I was no more than a boy
I was just a young and naive teenager
In the company of strangers
In the presence of unknown men and women
In the quiet of the railway station
In the haunting stillness of the transportation hub
Running scared
Frightened, I ran away from my troubles
Laying low
Hiding myself and keeping a low profile
Seeking out the poorer quarters
I went to where the less fortunate lived
Where the ragged people go
Where the outcasts and misfits dwell
Looking for the places
Searching for locations
Only they would know
Only the downtrodden people knew about them
Asking only workman's wages
I only desired payment suitable for laborers
I come looking for a job
I arrived to search for work to make a living
But I get no offers
Unfortunately, there were no career opportunities for me
Just a come on from the whores
I only received attention from the prostitutes
On Seventh Avenue
On a street notorious for prostitution in New York City
I do declare
I swear to you
There were times when I was so lonesome
There were moments where I felt deeply alone
I took some comfort there
I found some solace and relief with the prostitutes
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes
Now I am sorting out my attire for the cold season
And wishing I was gone
And yearning to leave the city behind
Going home
Returning to my hometown
Where the New York city winters
Where the daunting winters of New York City
Aren't bleeding me
Are not affecting or exploiting me
Leading me
Guiding me to where I belong
In the clearing stands a boxer
In the field is a professional fighter
And a fighter by his trade
This fighter is a master of his craft
And he carries the reminders
He has the memories of his pain and defeat
Of every blow that laid him down
The aftermath of every physical attack he endured
And cut him till he cried out
And injured him deeply, making him scream in pain
In his anger and his shame
His fury and humiliation of being defeated
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
"I am leaving, I want to walk out"
But the fighter still remains
Despite wanting to quit, the fighter goes on because that's who he is
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HelianaSuper
"When I left my home and my family
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station
Running scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters
Where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie"
Paul Simon is the author this song and it was a big sucess with him and Art Garfunkel.
I loved this performance from my dear Bob too. It seems to me Bob is singing with Paul and Art...
I love this song... Love, love... It remember my youth...
@piyushsingh6363
I'm just a poor boy
Though my story's seldom told
I have squadered my resistance
For a pocketful of numbles
Such are promises, all lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest.
When I left my home and family
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station
Running scared, laying low
Seeking out the poorer quarters
Where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know.
Asking only workman's wages
I come looking for a job
But I get no offers
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare
There were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there.
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes
And wishing I was gone, going home
Where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me
Leading me
Going home.
In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of every glove that laid him down
And cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still ramains.
@mikemateiinspectorgadget7830
I have to really applaud Bob. He genuinely released a double album shitpost of him fucking around and having a good time and it not only sold very well but didnβt even damage him in the long run. Most artists canβt expect that
@jandjjandj9893
It's Dylan's "Machine Metal Music". This is the sort of thing a great artist can get away with. Was he serious, or was it a goof? I don't know - maybe both.
@makeadifference4all
It's kind of like "McCartney II"--an eccentric and inscrutable catalog entry of a great musician.
@TheWeis
Okay so everyone hates this track, but it's actually fascinating. Dylan duets with himself, using his "crooner" voice from Nashville Skyline as well as his regular singing voice.
@TheRobotZ
i always thought it was him and johnny cash..
@chromedreamer
Bob Garfunkel & Simon Dylan
@yamapenny5960
@chromedreamer
Hihi, its funnyπ
@demianstimson1522
I have always loved this. I didn't know people hated it.
@themeisterhuc
This is really good.
@yamapenny5960
Bob Dylan is always finding new ways of making Music.ππ