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
They Killed Him
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He would not bow down he would not fight
He knew the deal was down and dirty
And nothing could make it right away
But he knew his duty and the price he had to pay
Just another holy man who tried to be a friend
My God, they killed him.
By name of Martin Luther King
He shook the land like the rolling thunder
And made the bells of freedom ring
With a dream of beauty that they could not burn away
Just another holy man who dared to make a stand
My God, they killed him.
The only Son of God Almighty
The holy one called Jesus Christ
He healed the lame and fed the hungry
And for his love they took his life away
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.
There was a man named Mahatma Gandi
A man named Martin Luther King
The only Son of God Almighty
The only one called Jesus Christ
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.
There was a man named Mahatma Gandi
A man named Martin Luther King
The only Son of God Almighty
The only one called Jesus Christ
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "They Killed Him" seem to be a eulogy for three great men who made huge impacts on society but were ultimately killed for their efforts. The first verse refers to Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated for non-violent civil disobedience in the face of British colonial rule in India. The second verse refers to Martin Luther King Jr, who fought for civil rights and equality for African Americans in America during the 1950s and 1960s. The final verse refers to Jesus Christ who, according to the Christian faith, sacrificed himself in order to save humanity from sin.
The line, "He knew the deal was down and dirty, and nothing could make it right away," seems to suggest that these leaders knew that their causes would require great sacrifice and that change would not come easily or quickly. The repetition of the line, "Just another holy man who (blank)" highlights the fact that the killings of these three leaders, although tragic, were part of a larger pattern of violence against those who dare to speak out against injustice.
The lyrics seem to be a call to recognize and mourn the loss of these leaders, but also a call to continue their work in order to create a more just society. The final line of the song, "My God, they killed him," is a powerful indictment against the forces of violence and oppression in the world that seek to silence those who speak out against them.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a man named Mahatama Gandi
The first man was Mahatma Gandhi
He would not bow down he would not fight
Gandhi chose nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience over violence
He knew the deal was down and dirty
Gandhi was aware of the corrupt nature of politics and the world
And nothing could make it right away
Gandhi knew that change was a slow process and could not happen immediately
But he knew his duty and the price he had to pay
Despite the challenges and sacrifices, Gandhi believed it was his duty to fight for what was right
Just another holy man who tried to be a friend
Gandhi was known for his compassion and peaceful nature
My God, they killed him.
Gandhi was ultimately assassinated for his beliefs and actions
Another man from Atlanta, Georgia
The second man was Martin Luther King Jr.
By name of Martin Luther King
The artist is referring to Martin Luther King Jr.
He shook the land like the rolling thunder
King's impact on the civil rights movement and society was powerful and monumental
And made the bells of freedom ring
King fought for rights and freedoms for all people in America
With a dream of beauty that they could not burn away
King's vision for a better, more equal society lived on after his death
Just another holy man who dared to make a stand
King took a risk by speaking out and fighting for civil rights
My God, they killed him.
King was assassinated for his advocacy and activism
The only Son of God Almighty
The third man is Jesus Christ
The holy one called Jesus Christ
The artist is talking about Jesus Christ
He healed the lame and fed the hungry
Jesus performed miracles and preached the importance of helping others
And for his love they took his life away
Jesus was killed because of the love and compassion he showed to others
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Jesus' story of love and sacrifice continues to inspire people around the world
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
Jesus is known as the Son of Man, but his message and impact are still incomprehensible to many
My God, they killed him.
Jesus was crucified and killed for his beliefs
There was a man named Mahatma Gandi
Reiteration of Gandhi's name to emphasize his importance
A man named Martin Luther King
Reiteration of King's name to emphasize his importance
The only Son of God Almighty
Reiteration of Jesus' importance as the Son of God
The only one called Jesus Christ
Reiteration of Jesus' name to emphasize his importance
On the road to glory where the story never ends
All three men have made an enduring impact on history that will never be forgotten
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
Their legacy and impact are difficult to fully comprehend
My God, they killed him.
The tragic end of these three important historical figures
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind