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 Water Is Wide
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Neither have I wings that I could fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I
There is a ship and it sails on the sea
Loaded deep as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I'm in
I leaned my back up against an oak
Thinkin' it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke
Just like my own false love to me
Oh, love is gentle, love is kind
Gay as a jewel when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away like some morning dew
The water is wide and I can't cross over
Neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I
In The Water is Wide, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Thunder Revue sing of an insurmountable obstacle - the wide water that cannot be crossed by the singer. He does not have wings to fly nor the strength to battle against the ocean before him. Rather, he requests a boat that can hold him and his love. Both would row, and both would venture out to the other side of the water together. The hope of making it to the other side lies in this request - a partnership, a shared effort.
The singer's love for his partner is also apparent. He compares it to a ship on a deep sea. The love the singer feels is as deep as the ocean, and there lies a fear that he may sink or swim. The oak tree he leans on is symbolic of trust, for he trusts his love to remain strong and true, just as he trusts the oak to hold him up. Yet, like the tree that bends and breaks, his false love betrays him, and he is left to understand that love is not always as it seems. The gentle, kind love of youth can turn to a cold and fading love, like morning dew that disappears as the sun rises.
Overall, The Water is Wide is a powerful and reflective song about the challenges of love and the hope of finding a shared path through them.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide and I can't cross over
The river is broad and wide, and I am unable to cross it.
Neither have I wings that I could fly
I do not possess wings that allow me to fly over the water.
Build me a boat that can carry two
Please construct a vessel that is capable of carrying two people across the water.
And both shall row my love and I
Both of us will work together to row the boat across the water.
There is a ship and it sails on the sea
There is a vessel that sails on the ocean.
Loaded deep as deep can be
The ship has been loaded to its full capacity.
But not as deep as the love I'm in
However, my love runs far deeper than the ship's load.
I know not if I sink or swim
I am uncertain whether I will survive or perish.
I leaned my back up against an oak
I leaned against an oak tree for support.
Thinkin' it was a trusty tree
I believed the tree to be sturdy and reliable.
But first it bent and then it broke
Yet, it eventually gave way and broke.
Just like my own false love to me
Just like my false lover did to me before.
Oh, love is gentle, love is kind
Love is gentle and benevolent in nature.
Gay as a jewel when first it's new
Like a shiny new jewel, love is full of joy.
But love grows old and waxes cold
With time, love becomes dull and frosty.
And fades away like some morning dew
It fades like morning dew that evaporates in the sun.
The water is wide and I can't cross over
The river is broad and wide, and I am unable to cross it.
Neither have I wings to fly
I do not possess wings that allow me to fly over the water.
Build me a boat that can carry two
Please construct a vessel that is capable of carrying two people across the water.
And both shall row my love and I
Both of us will work together to row the boat across the water.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@janepiepes2243
The most exciting and gorgeous duet ever sung. This is a beauty of a song. .but their ability to create harmony together goes deep in my bones. There is other footage that remarkable,as well...especially watching them work out a harmony. .
@Tobykeithmusicinc
Hello Dear, it’s nice meeting you on here.
@brigittebonkowski9358
Thank you Dylan and Baez - you restore the soul with your voices during this pandemic when we miss our greatest loves. My only soul mate, Lou - he was a writer, Educator, pianist, photographer - humanitarian, Consultant who died in 2019. My dear colleague/friend, Noreen - Human Resources Change Agent, Humanitarian, Advocate for the underserved, Civil Rights Activist - infectious laugh - great inner spirit who died late 2021 - and to my Dear Parents always inclusive and family oriented, life was precious to them as they incurred so many losses in their own lives. - I can't reach any of you anymore and I am heartbroken - but these soulful voices remind me of you.
@Tobykeithmusicinc
Hello Dear, it’s nice meeting you on here.
@suzecope9190
OMG!!! I've Always Loved this song Soo MUCH!!!
I just wanna keep playing it over n over
This is My Favorite album of Dylan's!
So Happy that it's on YouTube
@turintur2498
my fave too... incredible melodies and new arrangements
@yescure6
Feel exactly the same, for me its the best performance as a duet from both, will never get tired of this
@adenauermarques2565
Magnifico, dylan e baez perfeito histórico, lendários
@bsurfthewind
Beautiful! Love it. What a song. What a duet!
@Samu93c
Masterpiece