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
Up to Me
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Money never changed a thing
Death kept followin', trackin' us down
At least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody's got to show their hand
Time is an enemy
I know you're long gone
I guess it must be up to me
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it
I guess I would've let it slide
If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinkin'
The heart inside me would've died
But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
I guess it was up to me
Oh, the union central is pullin' out
The orchids are in bloom
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In fourteen months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
Somebody's got to find your trail
I guess it must be up to me
It was like a revelation
When you betrayed me with your touch
I'd just about convinced myself nothin' had changed that much
The old rounder in the iron mask he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart, he said it was up to me
Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers' club
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
When the dawn came over the river bridge
I knew it was up to me
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to try to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend
I thought it might be up to me
I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
But she ain't a-gonna make me move, I guess it must be up to me
Now we heard the sermon on the mount and I knew it was too complex
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew you pay the penalty
Somebody's got to tell the tale
I guess it must be up to me
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird cafe
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now, I just can't rest without your love, I need your company
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
I guess it must be up to me
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She's the one you been wond'rin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody's got to cry some tears
I guess it must be up to me
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
One of us has got to hit the road
I guess it must be up to me
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free
No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me
The song Up to Me by Bob Dylan is a significant insight into a man’s reflections on life and love. The opening verses reveal the singer’s issues with money, death, and the passage of time. The bluebird is a symbol of hope and salvation for the singer amidst his struggles. The lyrics suggest that someone has to come forward and take the lead in life, as time keeps moving forward, and the past is gone. The singer accepts that he is alone and everything depends on his actions.
The next verses talk about how the singer had to follow his heart and instincts, even if it led him to trouble. He did not want to conform to societal rules or obligations. The singer regrets not paying attention to the world around him, as he may have lost his inner passion if he had. But despite that, he remained true to himself and refused to be governed by enforced norms. Dylan says that someone had to take the risk and reach for a rising star, and he decided it would be up to him to do so.
The final verses are an amalgamation of Dylan's reflections on love lost, heartbreaks, and failed relationships. A woman he loved betrayed him, and he had to let her go. The chorus repeats the significance of taking charge and making decisions to change one's life, as a realization that everything depends on one's actions. The song ends with an acknowledgement of the singer’s music, the memories he has created, and the hope that someday they will meet again.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything went from bad to worse
No matter what I did, things just kept getting worse.
Money never changed a thing
Even though I had money, it didn't solve any of my problems.
Death kept followin', trackin' us down
Death seemed to be always around us and we couldn't escape it.
At least I heard your bluebird sing
Even in the darkest of times, hearing something as simple and beautiful as a bird singing can give you hope.
Now somebody's got to show their hand
Someone has to take responsibility and take action to make things better.
Time is an enemy
Time is always working against us, and we can't get it back.
I know you're long gone
I know you're no longer around.
I guess it must be up to me
I have to be the one to take action and make things better.
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it
If I had thought about the consequences, I wouldn't have taken that action.
I guess I would've let it slide
I would have ignored it and not taken action.
If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinkin'
If I had listened to what others were saying, I would have done things differently.
The heart inside me would've died
If I had done things differently, it would have gone against my heart and who I am.
But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
I was too stubborn to let someone else control my actions or thoughts.
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
Someone had to take a chance and strive for something better.
Oh, the union central is pullin' out
The group or organization that was supposed to be helping us is leaving.
The orchids are in bloom
The world is carrying on and nature is still beautiful despite our struggles.
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
I am down to my last good clothes and they are becoming old and smelly.
In fourteen months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
I haven't had many reasons to smile in a long time, and the one time I did, it was not intentional.
Somebody's got to find your trail
Someone has to figure out what happened to you.
It was like a revelation
It was a sudden and powerful realization.
When you betrayed me with your touch
When you touched me, I realized that you had betrayed me in some way.
I'd just about convinced myself nothin' had changed that much
I had almost convinced myself that everything was still the same despite the changes I had seen.
The old rounder in the iron mask he slipped me the master key
Someone who seemed unimportant helped me in a big way.
Somebody had to unlock your heart, he said it was up to me
Someone had to help you open up, and he believed that it was up to me.
Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers' club
I saw you fade away into the group of people who seemed to have all the power.
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
I couldn't follow you because I didn't have the proper credentials or status.
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
I waited all night, hoping that one of us would be able to leave and escape from this situation.
When the dawn came over the river bridge
When the sun began to rise and the day began.
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
The only good thing I can remember doing in a past job.
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
I remember taking your picture down from a place where I used to work.
Was I a fool or not to try to protect your real identity?
I question whether it was foolish or wise for me to try to keep your true identity a secret.
You looked a little burned out, my friend
You looked tired and worn out from everything that has happened.
I thought it might be up to me
I thought that maybe it was my responsibility to try to help you in some way.
I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat
I met someone in person and showed respect by taking off my hat.
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
Even though I love and need her, I can't let that make me lose sight of what needs to be done.
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
The thought of how good life could be if everything worked out is scary because it might not happen.
But she ain't a-gonna make me move, I guess it must be up to me
As much as I care for her, I must be the one to take action and make things happen.
Now we heard the sermon on the mount and I knew it was too complex
We heard a complicated and confusing message, and I knew I didn't fully understand it.
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
The message was vague and didn't have any real meaning or significance.
When you bite off more than you can chew you pay the penalty
If you try to do too much, you will suffer the consequences.
Somebody's got to tell the tale
Someone has to share the story of what happened.
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird cafe
Someone named Dupree came to the cafe as a pimp.
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Someone named Crystal wanted to talk to him, but I couldn't get involved.
Now, I just can't rest without your love, I need your company
I can't find peace or happiness without you and your love.
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
But you can't help me or be with me to make things better.
I guess it must be up to me
I have to be the one to take action and make things better.
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
There is a message in the bottle that you can give to someone named Estelle.
She's the one you been wond'rin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
She's the person you've been curious about, but there's not much to say about her.
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
We both had experiences that were hard to explain, but now we look back on them as part of our past.
Somebody's got to cry some tears
Someone has to mourn and express their sadness.
I guess it must be up to me
I have to be the one to mourn and express my sadness.
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
Life is like a play, and it's up to us to figure out how to play our part.
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
The people in power say that time is running out and we need to take action.
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
The girl with me is not my possession or something I can control.
One of us has got to hit the road
One of us has to leave and move on.
I guess it must be up to me
I have to be the one to leave and move on.
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
If we never see each other again, I want you to remember me.
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
Remember how I played a sweet, old-fashioned song for you on my guitar.
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free
Remember how I played the harmonica for you and it didn't cost you anything.
No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me
I was the only one who could play that song for you, and nobody else could replicate it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Camacho
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing
Death kept followin', trackin' us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody's got to show their hand, time is an enemy
I know you're long gone
I guess it must be up to me
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it, I guess I would've let it slide
If I'd pay attention to what others were thinkin', the heart inside me would've died
Well, I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
I guess it was up to me
Oh, the Union Central is pullin' out, the orchids are in bloom
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In 14 months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
Somebody's got to find your trail
I guess it must be up to me
It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch
I'd just about convinced myself, nothin' had changed that much
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart
He said it was up to me
Well, I watched you slowly disappear down into the officer's club
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
When the dawn came over the river bridge
I knew it was up to me
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend
I thought it might be up to me
I met somebody face to face, I had to remove my hat
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
But she ain't gonna make a move
I guess it must be up to me
Now, we heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew, you pay the penalty
Somebody's got to tell the tale
I guess it must be up to me
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird Cafe
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now, I just can't rest without you, love, I need your company
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
I guess it must be up to me
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She's the one you been wonderin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody's got to cry some tears
I guess it must be up to me
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
One of us has got to hit the road
I guess it must be up to me
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free
No one else could play that tune
You know it was up to me
Tom Swift
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing
Death kept followin', trackin' us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody's got to show their hand, time is an enemy
I know you're long gone
I guess it must be up to me
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it, I guess I would've let it slide
If I'd pay attention to what others were thinkin', the heart inside me would've died
Well, I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
I guess it was up to me
Oh, the Union Central is pullin' out, the orchids are in bloom
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In 14 months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
Somebody's got to find your trail
I guess it must be up to me
It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch
I'd just about convinced myself, nothin' had changed that much
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart
He said it was up to me
Now, I watched you slowly disappear down into the officer's club
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
Ho, when the dawn came over the river bridge
I knew it was up to me
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend
I thought it might be up to me
I met somebody face to face, I had to remove my hat
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
But she ain't gonna make a move
I guess it must be up to me
Now, we heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew, you got to pay the penalty
Somebody's got to tell the tale
I guess it must be up to me
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird Cafe
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now, I just can't rest without you, love, I need your company
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
I guess it must be up to me
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She's the one you been wonderin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody's got to cry some tears
I guess it must be up to me
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
One of us has got to hit the road
I guess it must be up to me
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free
No one else could play that tune
You know it was up to me
Rob Hagen
Up to Me
Song by Bob Dylan
OverviewLyricsListenOther recordingsVideos
Main Results
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing
Death kept followin', trackin' us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody's got to show their hand, time is an enemy
I know you're long gone
I guess it must be up to me
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it, I guess I would've let it slide
If I'd pay attention to what others were thinkin', the heart inside me would've died
Well, I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
I guess it was up to me
Oh, the Union Central is pullin' out, the orchids are in bloom
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In 14 months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
Somebody's got to find your trail
I guess it must be up to me
It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch
I'd just about convinced myself, nothin' had changed that much
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart
He said it was up to me
Now, I watched you slowly disappear down into the officer's club
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
Ho, when the dawn came over the river bridge
I knew it was up to me
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend
I thought it might be up to me
I met somebody face to face, I had to remove my hat
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
But she ain't gonna make a move
I guess it must be up to me
Now, we heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew, you got to pay the penalty
Somebody's got to tell the tale
I guess it must be up to me
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird Cafe
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now, I just can't rest without you, love, I need your company
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
I guess it must be up to me
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She's the one you been wonderin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody's got to cry some tears
I guess it must be up to me
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
One of us has got to hit the road
I guess it must be up to me
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free
No one else could play that tune
You know it was up to me
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Bob Dylan / Dylan Bob
Up to Me (Take 2, Remake) lyrics © Universal Tunes
Amen.
Phil Pinckley
Incredible song! I’ve been listening to Bob for sixty years and he never gets old!
Bollykecks
"In fourteen months, I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously. "
That's either the funniest or the saddest line in this song... only Bob...
Mike Murdoch
More sad than funny for sure. Expression of discomfort and sorrow in the relationship I would imagine
henrycastle1
❤️ This was one of the gems for me from Biograph box set
bubblegum crisis1394
Lay Down your weary toon and Percy were also great.
Joe White
@Allen Garvin 1
Allen Garvin
Yep, but this is a different take from the one on Biograph--I played that one so, so much back in the late 80s (on cassette! It was great having a car stereo that detected the silence so you could rewind straight to the start of the piece).
Greg Silsby
It’s so hauntingly beautiful human emotion.
Maggie Bryan
Far to good a song to have been left behind
Julie Swiss
@Rossm3838 You're right. : )