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
Under Your Spell
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't know how much of this I can take,
Baby I'm under your spell.
I was knocked out and loaded in the naked night.
When my last dream exploded, I noticed your light.
Baby, oh what a story I could tell.
If you ever want to reach me, you know where to look.
Baby, I'll be at the same hotel.
I'd like to help you but I'm in a bit of a jam,
I'll call you tomorrow if there's phones where I am.
Baby, caught between heaven and hell.
But I will be back, I will survive,
You'll never get rid of me as long as you're alive.
Baby, can't you tell.
Well it's four in the morning by the sound of the birds,
I'm starin' at your picture, I'm hearin' your words.
Baby, they ring in my head like a bell.
Everywhere you go it's enough to break hearts
Someone always gets hurt, a fire always starts.
You were too hot to handle, you were breaking every vow.
I trusted you, baby, you can trust me now.
Turn back, baby, wipe your eye,
Don't think I'm leaving you here without a kiss goodbye.
Baby, is there anything left to tell?
I'll see you later when I'm not so out of my head,
Maybe next time I'll let the dead bury the dead.
Baby, what more can I tell?
Well the desert is hot, the mountain is cursed,
Pray that I don't die of thirst,
Baby, two feet from the well.
The song "Under Your Spell" by Bob Dylan seems to be about a man who is captivated by a woman that he's involved with. He admits that he can't shake his connection to her and is uncertain how much he can handle before he breaks apart. He talks about a dream that he was having and how he noticed her light during it. It seems like he's struggling between his desire for her and his own personal problems."Baby, oh what a story I could tell" suggests that he could tell a lot about the experience of being under her spell, possibly good or bad. He then talks about knowing how she reads him and that she can reach him at the same hotel. In the next verse, he expresses wanting to help her but feeling like he's caught between heaven and hell and is in a bit of a jam. He also suggests that he will survive and that she'll never get rid of him as long as she's alive. The song ends with him in the desert, praying that he doesn't die of thirst, only two feet from a well.
Overall, the lyrics convey someone who seems to be stuck in a powerful and possibly tumultuous relationship. They are willing to give themselves up to this person and are under their spell, meaning they are powerless against their attraction. The lyrics do not seem particularly hopeful or positive given the references to hell and nobody getting hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
Something about you that I can't shake
There's something about you that's got me hooked
Don't know how much of this I can take
I'm not sure how much more of this I can handle
Baby I'm under your spell
I'm entranced by you
I was knocked out and loaded in the naked night
I was in a daze when I saw your light in the dark
When my last dream exploded, I noticed your light
After my world fell apart, you caught my attention
Baby, oh what a story I could tell
You've left such an impression on me that I could write a book about it
It's been nice seeing you, you read me like a book
You understand me so well, it's been great getting to know you
If you ever want to reach me, you know where to look
I'm always available to you
Baby, I'll be at the same hotel
I'll be staying at the same place if you need me
I'd like to help you but I'm in a bit of a jam
I want to assist you, but I'm in a difficult situation myself
I'll call you tomorrow if there's phones where I am
If I have a way to contact you, I'll get in touch tomorrow
Baby, caught between heaven and hell
I'm stuck in a limbo between good and bad
But I will be back, I will survive
I'll return and push through this situation
You'll never get rid of me as long as you're alive
I'll always be around in some way
Baby, can't you tell
Don't you feel the same way?
Well it's four in the morning by the sound of the birds
It's so early that the birds are already chirping
I'm starin' at your picture, I'm hearin' your words
I'm looking at your photo, imagining what you might say
Baby, they ring in my head like a bell
Your words echo in my mind
Everywhere you go it's enough to break hearts
You have a powerful impact, even if it's unintentional
Someone always gets hurt, a fire always starts
Your presence always sparks something intense
You were too hot to handle, you were breaking every vow
You were too much for me to handle, you were going against your promises
I trusted you, baby, you can trust me now
I placed my faith in you, now it's your turn to trust me
Turn back, baby, wipe your eye
Come back here and dry your tears
Don't think I'm leaving you here without a kiss goodbye
I won't exit without bidding you farewell
Baby, is there anything left to tell?
Is there anything else we should say before departing?
I'll see you later when I'm not so out of my head
I'll meet you again when I'm thinking more clearly
Maybe next time I'll let the dead bury the dead
Perhaps I'll leave the past in the past next time
Baby, what more can I tell?
What else is there left to say?
Well the desert is hot, the mountain is cursed
The desert is unforgiving, the mountain is doomed
Pray that I don't die of thirst
I hope I don't perish from dehydration
Baby, two feet from the well
I'm so close to getting what I need
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN, CAROLE BAYER SAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind