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
Wichita
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The weather was a-killin' me.
And when I left Wichita
The weather was a-killin' me.
Well, my poppa said, "Son,
Watch out, you might catch that old TB."
When I landed in West Memphis
When I landed in West Memphis
I sure didn't have a dime.
Operator said, "Son,
Boy, you ain't no friend of mine."
Operator, operator
Let that poor boy ride.
Operator, operator, oh
Let that poor boy ride.
Can't you see me on your road,
Lord, I'm singing down by the side.
I'm going down to Louisiana, oh
Mamma, where that red-green river runs.
I'm going down to Louisiana
Mamma, where that red-green river runs, yes.
You can write and tell my mamma
My ramblin' days have just begun.
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Wichita" tell the story of a young man who leaves home for the first time and sets out on his own adventure. The narration is laced with a sense of foreboding, as the singer talks about how the weather is "killing" him and how his father had warned him about catching tuberculosis. There is a sense of danger lurking in the background, as he moves from place to place with barely a penny to his name, leaving little room for mishap or error.
Despite the challenges, the singer remains resolute, singing down by the side of the road, determined to make his way to Louisiana, where the red-green river runs. The song ends on a note of defiance, as he tells his mother that his "rambling days have just begun," suggesting that he is not afraid of the unknown and the road ahead.
Overall, "Wichita" is a song about youthful rebellion and adventure, tempered with the harsh realities of life on the road. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, painting a vivid picture of a young man setting out on a journey that may lead him anywhere, but which he is determined to undertake nonetheless.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, when I left for Wichita
At the time of leaving for Wichita, the weather was causing me distress and was aggravating my health.
The weather was a-killin' me.
The weather in Wichita was so extreme that it was harming me physically or emotionally.
And when I left Wichita
Even when I was departing Wichita, the weather was still having a negative impact on my well-being.
Well, my poppa said, "Son,Watch out, you might catch that old TB."
On hearing about my deteriorating health due to the extreme weather, my father warned me to be careful and avoid getting tuberculosis.
When I landed in West Memphis
Upon arriving in West Memphis after leaving Wichita, I was broke and did not have any money.
I sure did not have a dime.
I was penniless when I reached West Memphis and had nothing to rely on.
Operator said, "Son,Boy, you ain't no friend of mine."
When I asked the operator for assistance, he refused to help me, judging me as worthless and nothing more than a stranger.
Operator, operatorLet that poor boy ride.
I pleaded with the operator to help me in my situation and let me proceed with my journey.
Can't you see me on your road,Lord, I'm singing down by the side.
I was stranded on the side of the road, singing and asking for help on the long journey ahead.
I'm going down to Louisiana, ohMamma, where that red-green river runs.
I made up my mind to go to Louisiana, where I could find some solace alongside the red-green river.
You can write and tell my mammaMy ramblin' days have just begun.
I was a wanderer and intended to keep exploring new places and experiences. I requested that my mother be informed about this decision.
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@biohazardsoldierPMK
Can’t believe they never released this one. It’s one of my acoustic favorites of his
@zkafel
My ramblin' days has just begun
@ShotgunStephens
Living in a town just 20 minutes from Wichita, the weather doesn’t seem too bad
@mysteryjesus
I wonder why they didn't release this song. It was a good one.
@rexzens
this song is awesome
@rexzens
Its still awesome
@tedpeterson1156
Better than "Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance".
@nextoesc
Instead of which one? Doesn't fit on the Freewheelin' sound at all...