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
Watered-Down Love
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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Believes all things, won't pull no strings
Won't sneak into your room, tall, dark and handsome
Capture your soul and hold it for ransom.
You don't want a love that's pure
You want to drown love
You want a watered-down love.
Love that's pure, it don't make no claims
Intercedes for you 'stead of casting you blame
Will not deceive you or lead you to transgression
Won't write it up and make you sign a false confession.
You don't want a love that's pure
You want to drown love
You want a watered-down love.
Love that's pure won't lead you astray
Won't hold you back, won't mess up your day
Won't pervert you, corrupt you with stupid wishes
It don't make you envious. It won't make you suspicious.
You don't want a love that's pure
You want to drown love
You want a watered-down love.
Love that's pure ain't no accident
Always on time, is always content
An eternal flame, quietly burning
Never need to be proud, nor restless yearning.
You don't want a love that's pure
You want to drown love
You want a watered-down love.
In Bob Dylan's "Watered-Down Love," the concept of "pure love" is compared to its "watered-down" counterpart. The song expresses the idea that pure love is selfless, does not manipulate or deceive, and places no expectations on the person it is directed towards. In contrast, watered-down love is selfish, shallow, and based on control and manipulation.
The song suggests that people often do not want pure love because it does not satisfy their desires for control or manipulation. They would rather have a watered-down version of love that is easier to hold on to and to manipulate. The phrase "you want to drown love" implies that people prefer to suffocate genuine love or let it drown, rather than accept it.
The lyrics continue to describe the qualities of a pure love, such as not leading one astray or corrupting them with foolish desires. These qualities contrast with the more nefarious characteristics of a watered-down love, which can hold someone back, make them envious, or lead to suspicion.
Line by Line Meaning
Love that's pure hopes all things
True love is optimistic and hopeful
Believes all things, won't pull no strings
True love is not manipulative and controlling
Won't sneak into your room, tall, dark and handsome
True love is not intrusive or predatory
Capture your soul and hold it for ransom.
True love does not hold you hostage or manipulate you
Love that's pure, it don't make no claims
True love does not demand anything in return
Intercedes for you 'stead of casting you blame
True love supports and forgives, rather than criticizing
Will not deceive you or lead you to transgression
True love is honest and trustworthy
Won't write it up and make you sign a false confession.
True love does not require you to justify or prove your feelings
Love that's pure won't lead you astray
True love does not misguide or betray you
Won't hold you back, won't mess up your day
True love supports and encourages you
Won't pervert you, corrupt you with stupid wishes
True love does not encourage unhealthy behavior or desires
It don't make you envious. It won't make you suspicious.
True love does not incite jealousy or doubt
Love that's pure ain't no accident
True love is intentional and deliberate
Always on time, is always content
True love is reliable and satisfying
An eternal flame, quietly burning
True love is enduring and constant
Never need to be proud, nor restless yearning.
True love does not require ego or striving
You don't want a love that's pure
The artist is addressing someone who desires a lesser, diluted form of love
You want to drown love
The singer accuses the addressee of rejecting genuine love in favor of something less substantial
You want a watered-down love.
The singer further emphasizes this desire for a weakened version of love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind