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
We Three
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Living in a mem-o-ry
My echo, my shadow, and me
We three, we're not a crowd
We're not even company
My echo, my shadow, and me
The silvery moonlight that shines above?
I walk with my shadow
I talk with my echo
But where is the one I love?
We three, we'll wait for you
Even till eter-ni-ty
My echo, my shadow, and me
SPOKEN: "We three we're all alone. Seems like we're livin' in a memory. That's my
echo my shadow and me. We three we ain't no crowd. Fact is we ain't even
company. That's my echo my shadow and me. You know I been wonderin'-what good is the
moonlight that silvery moonlight that shines way, way up above? Yeah, I walk with my
shadow, I talk with my echo, but where is that gal that I love?"
We three, we'll wait for you
Even till eter-ni-ty
My echo, my shadow, and me
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's song "We Three" are reflective of a sense of loneliness and absence of a loved one. The song begins with the line "We three, we're all alone / Living in a memory", which implies that the singer is reminiscing about a time when they were not alone, but now they are. The next line, "My echo, my shadow, and me", further emphasizes this aloneness by stating that the only company the singer has is their own echo and shadow.
The next verse, "We three, we're not a crowd / We're not even company / My echo, my shadow, and me", builds upon the previous verse, indicating that not only is the singer alone, but their echo and shadow do not provide any meaningful company either. The following lines, "What good is the moonlight / The silvery moonlight that shines above? / I walk with my shadow / I talk with my echo / But where is the one I love?", add a note of despair to the song, questioning the purpose of the beauty of nature when the person the singer loves is not there to enjoy it with them.
The final verse repeats the lines "We three, we'll wait for you / Even till eter-ni-ty / My echo, my shadow, and me", indicating that the singer is not giving up hope and will continue to wait for their loved one's return even if it takes an eternity. The spoken interlude emphasizes the singer's longing for their loved one and the futility of their current situation.
Overall, "We Three" is a melancholic song that captures the isolating feeling of being alone, missing a loved one, and finding no solace in nature or the self.
Line by Line Meaning
We three, we're all alone
The singer is referring to their own shadow, echo, and self. There is a sense of melancholy in the line, as they are the only ones present.
Living in a mem-o-ry
The singer feels like they are living in memories of the past, rather than in the present moment. There is a wistful tone to this line.
My echo, my shadow, and me
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the singer's solitary state. They are literally only accompanied by their own echo and shadow.
We three, we're not a crowd
The artist is acknowledging that, while they are not truly alone, there are only three of them and it doesn't feel like a true gathering or social event.
We're not even company
The artist is emphasizing their isolation and loneliness by pointing out that even their own shadow and echo are not providing adequate companionship.
What good is the moonlight
The singer is questioning the value of something that others may find beautiful, but which holds no meaning for them in their current state of emotional emptiness.
The silvery moonlight that shines above?
In contrasting the beauty of the moonlight with their own sense of sadness and loneliness, the singer is emphasizing their feelings of alienation from the world around them.
I walk with my shadow
The artist is literally walking with their own shadow alongside them, which can be seen as a metaphor for their emotional state of feeling overshadowed and unimportant to others.
I talk with my echo
Similarly, the artist is talking to their own echo, highlighting the theme of solitude and self-isolation that runs throughout the song.
But where is the one I love?
The artist is calling out for the love of their life, who is absent from their current existence. This emphasizes their aloneness and longing for companionship and love.
We three, we'll wait for you
The singer is promising that they will wait for the one they love, even though they are not physically present. This highlights their loyalty and faith in the power of their love.
Even till eter-ni-ty
The artist is emphasizing the unending nature of their waiting, suggesting that their love will last forever, and that they are prepared to wait as long as it takes.
My echo, my shadow, and me
The refrain of the song is repeated once again, emphasizing the sense of isolation and solitude that is central to the song's overall message.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DICK ROBERTSON, NELSON COGANE, SAMMY MYSELS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sheepnobi
I always like that he switched the line so it was "I took her by the heart and my hand was thumping" makes the line alot more memorable
Devin Jerry: Freedom Is Free
very cool
don cahooti
I can think of even a more memorable word.
But truth is probly his hand WAS the
thumper, what with his frequent guitar playing ..
Robert Cronin
Yes!
gigi Pierini
Bob brings such humor and compassion to the world 🌎 with every song 🎵
Michael
I love his digs at Donovan! Light-hearted and good spirited
Rik Janse
Whoever Donovan is... ;)
Tony B
If you look at other things Dylan about Donovan in those days, you may well think his dig at Donovan was a nasty dig. Certainly not 'light hearted and good spirited'.
Michael
@Tony B Dylan admitted (and even published in his autobiography) that he lied to the press constantly. He was sick of their questions which were not helping anyone, least of all themselves, so he didn't take them seriously and gave bullshit answers to throw them off. He was and still is a very elusive and mysterious character. He has purposely constructed his image this way.
Tony B
@Michael Hi Michael, you'r right, he didn't like the press but I was refering to the, for want of a better word, 'nasty' things he said about Donavon in those days. Are you saying he said those 'nasty' things about Donovan because he didn't like the press?