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
Trust Yourself
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to do what's right and not be second-guessed
Don't trust me to show you beauty
When beauty may only turn to rust
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when
Don't trust me to show you the truth
When the truth may be only ashes and dust
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
Well, you're on your own, you always were
In a land of wolves and thieves
Don't put your hope in an ungodly man
Or be a slave to what somebody else believes.
Trust yourself
And you won't be disappointed when vain people let you down
Trust yourself
And look not for answers where no answers can be found
Don't trust me to how you love
When my love may be only lust
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
You, you got to trust yourself...
The lyrics to Bob Dylan's song Trust Yourself are a call to self-reliance and empowerment. The central theme of the song is trusting your own instincts and intuition rather than relying on others for direction. The line "Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best" encourages the listener to have confidence in their own abilities and to trust their own judgment. Similarly, the line "Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when" speaks to the importance of following your own unique path, regardless of the opinions of others.
The song also warns against putting too much trust in others, particularly those who may have ulterior motives or who may not have our best interests at heart. The lines "Don't put your hope in an ungodly man / Or be a slave to what somebody else believes" caution against blindly following others, particularly those who may not have our best interests at heart. Instead, the song encourages us to trust ourselves and to be our own guides, even in a world of "wolves and thieves."
Line by Line Meaning
Trust yourself,
Have confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best
Believe that you know what is best for yourself and have the power to accomplish it.
Trust yourself to do what's right and not be second-guessed
Have the conviction to stand by your choices and not let others doubt or question your decisions.
Don't trust me to show you beauty
Don't rely on others to reveal what is beautiful to you.
When beauty may only turn to rust
What is considered beautiful may deteriorate or become worthless over time.
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
In times of uncertainty or doubt, rely on your own judgement and instincts.
Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end
Believe in your intuition to guide your decisions towards the right path.
Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when
Have faith that you will discover the right direction to take without hesitation or doubts.
Don't trust me to show you the truth
Don't depend on others to dictate what is true or false.
When the truth may be only ashes and dust
The reality of what is true may disappoint or fade away over time.
Well, you're on your own, you always were
You are responsible for your own choices and must rely on your own judgement and abilities.
In a land of wolves and thieves
The world can be harsh and dangerous, and there are those who will take advantage of you.
Don't put your hope in an ungodly man
Don't have faith in someone who is not worthy or trustworthy.
Or be a slave to what somebody else believes.
Don't let others dictate your beliefs or choices.
And you won't be disappointed when vain people let you down
If you have faith in yourself, you won't feel let down when others fail you due to their own self-absorption.
And look not for answers where no answers can be found
Don't search for solutions in situations where there are none.
Don't trust me to how you love
Don't rely on others to teach you how to love or to give you the experience of love.
When my love may be only lust
The feelings of love someone gives to you may not be genuine or authentic.
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
The only person you can truly depend on is yourself.
You, you got to trust yourself...
Ultimately, you must have faith in your own abilities, intuition, and judgement to navigate life's challenges and make the right decisions for yourself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind