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
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
I've been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin's not right it's wrong
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Dragon clouds so high above
It always has hit me from below
But this time around it's more correct
Right on target, so direct
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Purple clover, Queen Anne lace
Crimson hair across your face
You could make me cry if you don't know
Can't remember what I was thinkin' of
You might be spoilin' me too much, love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Flowers on the hillside, bloomin' crazy
Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme
Blue river runnin' slow and lazy
I could stay with you forever
And never realize the time
Situations have ended sad
Relationships have all been bad
Mine have been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud
But there's no way I can compare
All them scenes to this affair
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm doin'
Stayin' far behind without you
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm sayin'
You're gonna make me give myself a good talkin' to
I'll look for you in old Honolul-a
San Francisco, Ashtabula
You're gonna have to leave me now, I know
But I'll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
The lyrics to Bob Dylan's song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" evoke feelings of vulnerability and mixed emotions regarding the end of a romantic relationship. The opening verse describes a feeling of unfamiliarity with love and an apprehension about losing it. The singer admits to having "shot in the dark too long" and feeling like something is wrong when he cannot quite identify what is happening.
The second verse describes the singer's fear of being left behind and alone, likening his situation to "careless love." However, he acknowledges the correctness and directness of the current relationship, making it all the more difficult to bid his partner farewell. The third verse uses a vivid assortment of images, from flowers on the hillside to rivers running slow and lazy, creating a sense of nostalgia and bittersweet longing. The mentioning of various locations - old Honolul-a, San Francisco, and Ashtabula - makes it sound like a goodbye letter to a departing lover.
As the song progresses, the singer's mixed emotions become clearer. He is sad to see his partner leave, but at the same time, he feels comforted by the idea of eventually reuniting with them, whether it's in the sky above or in the things and people he loves. The ultimate message of the song appears to be that even though the end of a relationship is tough, it is a part of life, and it is possible to find solace and happiness in the memories and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen love go by my door
Love has come and gone from my life, but it has never been as close to me as it is with you.
It's never been this close before
I have never felt this close to love before.
Never been so easy or so slow
This love has been effortless and unhurried.
I've been shooting in the dark too long
I have been blindly looking for love for too long.
When somethin's not right it's wrong
I have learned that if something doesn't feel right, it is wrong.
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
I am afraid I will feel lonely when you leave.
Dragon clouds so high above
The clouds in the sky are dark and ominous, like dragons.
I've only known careless love
I have only experienced love that was careless and meaningless.
It always has hit me from below
This love has always had a negative impact on me, coming from a lower place within me.
But this time around it's more correct
But this time, this love feels more right and true.
Right on target, so direct
It feels like this love is exactly what I need.
Purple clover, Queen Anne lace
I see flowers around me, including purple clovers and Queen Anne's lace.
Crimson hair across your face
Your hair is red and falls across your face.
You could make me cry if you don't know
Your actions (or lack thereof) could make me cry if you are not aware of how much I care for you.
Can't remember what I was thinkin' of
I am so captivated by you that I can't remember what I was thinking of before.
You might be spoilin' me too much, love
I fear that you are spoiling me with your love and attention.
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
I am afraid I will feel lonely when you leave.
Flowers on the hillside, bloomin' crazy
I see flowers on the hillside, blooming in a wild and chaotic way.
Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme
I hear crickets communicating with each other in perfect rhythm and rhyme.
Blue river runnin' slow and lazy
A blue river runs slowly and lazily by.
I could stay with you forever
I wish I could stay with you forever.
And never realize the time
And never be aware of how much time has passed.
Situations have ended sad
My past experiences with love have ended in sadness.
Relationships have all been bad
All my past relationships have been unsatisfying and unfulfilling.
Mine have been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud
My past relationships have been turbulent and dysfunctional like the poets Verlaine and Rimbaud’s relationship.
But there's no way I can compare
This relationship is incomparable to my past experiences.
All them scenes to this affair
This relationship is different from all my past experiences.
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
I am afraid I will feel lonely when you leave.
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm doin'
Without you, I will question what I am doing with my life.
Stayin' far behind without you
Being without you will make me feel left behind.
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm sayin'
Without you, I will question my own words and thoughts.
You're gonna make me give myself a good talkin' to
I will need to have a serious talk with myself when you are gone.
I'll look for you in old Honolul-a
I will search for you in old Honolulu.
San Francisco, Ashtabula
I will search for you in San Francisco and Ashtabula, among other places.
You're gonna have to leave me now, I know
I am aware that you will have to leave me soon.
But I'll see you in the sky above
Although we will be apart, I will still see you in the sky.
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
I will see you in the tall grass and in the ones I love who also love you.
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
I am afraid I will feel lonely when you leave.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theloniouscoltrane3778
Mar 2019
"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go"
I've seen love go by my door
It's never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
I've been shooting in the dark too long
When something not right it's wrong
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Dragon clouds so high above
I've only known careless love
It's always hit me from below
This time around it's more correct
Right on target so direct
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Purple clover Queen Anne lace
Crimson hair across your face
You could make me cry if you don't know
Can't remember what I was thinking of
You might be spoiling me too much love
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Flowers on the hillside blooming crazy
Crickets talking back and forth in rhyme
Blue river running slow and lazy
I could stay with you forever
And never realize the time.
Situations have ended sad
Relationship have all been bad
Mine've been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud
But there's no way I can compare
All those scenes to this affair
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Yer gonna make me wonder what I'm doing
Staying far behind without you
Yer gonna make me wonder what I'm saying
Yer gonna make me give myself a good talking to.
I'll look for you in old Honolulu
San Francisco, Ashtabula
Yer gonna have to leave me now I know
But I'll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass in the ones I love
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
@ausblue1
thanks for Bobs music ..... such lovely lyrics .***********
I’ve seen love go by my door
It’s never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
Been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin’s not right it’s wrong
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go
Dragon clouds so high above
I’ve only known careless love
It’s always hit me from below
This time around it’s more correct
Right on target, so direct
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go
Purple clover, Queen Anne’s Lace
Crimson hair across your face
You could make me cry if you don’t know
Can’t remember what I was thinkin’ of
You might be spoilin’ me too much, love
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go
Flowers on the hillside, bloomin’ crazy
Crickets talkin’ back and forth in rhyme
Blue river runnin’ slow and lazy
I could stay with you forever and never realize the time
Situations have ended sad
Relationships have all been bad
Mine’ve been like Verlaine’s and Rimbaud
But there’s no way I can compare
All those scenes to this affair
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go
Yer gonna make me wonder what I’m doin’
Stayin’ far behind without you
Yer gonna make me wonder what I’m sayin’
Yer gonna make me give myself a good talkin’ to
I’ll look for you in old Honolulu
San Francisco, Ashtabula
Yer gonna have to leave me now, I know
But I’ll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go
@markshah437
I left my family of brother, sister and mum in Norway at 17 to come back to England to my father in 1991. He died suddenly 3 years later aged 48. He was a huge Dylan fan and I knew nothing of Dylan. One thing my dad used to say to me when we parted ways was "I'll see you in the sky above, in the tall grass, in the ones I love" and I never really thought much of it other than it was a nice quirky way of saying goodbye. A week or so after he died I listened to some of his CDs and knowing he loved Dylan I decided to listen to the entire album this song came from. When I heard that line that he had said so much my heart leapt and I felt such joy - remember, I had never heard it before, only from him. And then I heard the complete line for the first time "...You're gonna make me lonesome when you go" and I burst into tears with a tremendous feeling of love.
@sharondavid-melly1498
God bless the love you and your father had for each other.
@markshah437
@@sharondavid-melly1498 Such kind words, thank you Sharon.
@keetah85
This is so lovely. Thanks for sharing that special moment 💞
@brucenanney7776
A great story and I am glad that you have this to remember your dad by.
@markshah437
@@brucenanney7776 Thanks Bruce ❤️
@11herbsandspices
"I'll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go" . . . tears every time. My next tattoo. <3
@mamziemay1575
Bob Dylan must have been crazy in love with this lady to have written and composed a song that is so sublimely beautiful.
@merrylderrickson3147
Tomorrow is a Long Time ;)
@beautyfields4852
I think if he was crazy in love he would probably chase a bit more:)