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 the Red Sky
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
One summer's day he came passing by
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
Someday little girl, everything for you is gonna be new
Someday little girl, you'll have a diamond as big as your shoe
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie
This is the key to the kingdom and this is the town
This is the blind horse that leads you around
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
One day the man in the moon went home and the river went dry
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
The man in the moon went home and the river went dry
The song "Under the Red Sky" by Bob Dylan is a surreal and imaginative piece that uses evocative imagery and wordplay to convey a sense of mystery and whimsy. The lyrics tell the story of a little boy and girl who live in an alley under the red sky, encountering an old man who lives in the moon and offering a prophetic message of hope and possibility for the future.
The image of the red sky is particularly striking, as it suggests something ominous or foreboding, yet also captivating and alluring. The children seem to exist in a world apart from the everyday reality of the old man and the moon, and it's unclear whether their fate is ultimately positive or negative. The line "let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high" seems to suggest a sense of randomness or chaos, as if anything can happen in this strange world.
The final lines of the song offer a poetic reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the passing of time. The image of the bird singing and flying offers a sense of freedom and possibility, while the man in the moon going home and the river going dry suggest a sense of loss or closure.
Overall, "Under the Red Sky" is a complex and multilayered song that offers a distinctive window into Dylan's creative vision and poetic sensibility.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
The song describes the story of a little boy and girl.
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
They lived in a place where the sky was red.
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
The song introduces a character, an old man who lived in the moon.
One summer's day he came passing by
The old man visits earth on a summer's day.
Someday little girl, everything for you is gonna be new
The song comforts the little girl that a lot of things will be new for her in the future.
Someday little girl, you'll have a diamond as big as your shoe
The song reassures the little girl that she will have many riches in the future.
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
The song references the wind, indicating that it has no significant impact.
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie
The song takes a dark turn and states that the children were baked in a pie one day.
This is the key to the kingdom and this is the town
The song describes the key to the kingdom and a specific town.
This is the blind horse that leads you around
The song introduces a blind horse that guides you around.
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
The song mentions a bird, however, it is not clear what its significance is.
One day the man in the moon went home and the river went dry
The song describes a scenario where the man in the moon goes back to the moon and the river dries up.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Camacho
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
One summer's day he came passing by
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
And one day he came passing by
Someday, little girl, everything for you is gonna be new
Someday, little girl, you'll have a diamond as big as your shoe
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were baked in a pie
This is the key to the kingdom and this is the town
This is the blind horse that leads you around
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
One day the man in the moon went home and the river went dry
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
Man in the moon went home and the river went dry
Алексей Воронков
Bridge #1:
Someday little girl, everything for you is gonna be new
Someday little girl you'll have a diamond as big as your shoe
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high.
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie.
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high.
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie.
Bridge #2:
This is the key to the kingdom and this is the town
This is the blind horse that leads you around
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly,
One day the man in the moon went home and the river went dry.
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly,
The man in the moon went home and the river went dry.
Carl D Howe
Great song with a good groove. George Harrison's guitar is the icing on the cake. Love Bob Dylan.
AndyPandyh
Just left a comment on another video saying I love the guitar playing on this album, this song and Born in time in particular.
So cool to find out George Harrison is the one playing! Thanks!
BOBDYLAN ESPAÑOL
amo esta cancion...por su sencillez y complejidad. increible!
Dan Fate
I love this song
Juan Camacho
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was a little boy and there was a little girl
And they lived in an alley under the red sky
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
One summer's day he came passing by
There was an old man and he lived in the moon
And one day he came passing by
Someday, little girl, everything for you is gonna be new
Someday, little girl, you'll have a diamond as big as your shoe
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were both baked in a pie
Let the wind blow low, let the wind blow high
One day the little boy and the little girl were baked in a pie
This is the key to the kingdom and this is the town
This is the blind horse that leads you around
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
One day the man in the moon went home and the river went dry
Let the bird sing, let the bird fly
Man in the moon went home and the river went dry
Monica Tolipan
Lovely version of this great song!
Mosleh Uddin Ahmed
This song is one of the most beautiful songs in the world.
Michael Flaus
Bob Dylan is the best singer ever
Roberto Oliveira
Excelente ,linda música ,,salve Dylan..
Michael D'Antonio
Love me some 80's Bob.