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
acne
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
doo doo doo wha x7 wahhhh!
s'posed to do wha? mhmm
doo doo wha x11
doo wha!?
you said you'd ask me
you said you'd ask me
you said you'd ask me
found out i had acne
now you won't ask me
'cuz i have acne
to the senior prom
woooooohh!!
doo doo doo wha x5
doo doo doo whaaaaaa?
mhmm
doo wha? x3
get me a shotgun
.22 rifle (doo wha!)
dooo whhaa!!
i got it for my birthday
i'll kill my parents
cuz they don't understand
they don't dig a teenager at all
wooh!
dooooo wha wha wha wha wha wha wha
At first glance, these lyrics may seem nonsensical and disconnected, but Bob Dylan's song "Acne" is actually a satirical commentary on the superficiality of high school social hierarchies and the damaging effects of peer pressure. The repetitive refrain of "doo wha doo wha" reflects the mindless conformity and group mentality of teenagers, who are depicted as obsessed with social approval and status symbols like going to the senior prom. However, the singer's dreams of attending the prom are dashed when he discovers he has acne, which is a symbol of his inability to conform to society's beauty standards. His frustration and anger at being excluded from this exclusive social event are expressed through the exclamation of "doo wha!?" and the violent fantasy of killing his parents, who are seen as part of the oppressive adult world that doesn't understand him.
Overall, "Acne" is a biting satire that critiques the shallow values and social pressures of high school culture. By using a seemingly nonsensical refrain and juxtaposing it with intense emotional outbursts, Bob Dylan creates a powerful commentary on the destructive power of social conformity.
Line by Line Meaning
doo wha. doo wha
Repeating a meaningless phrase, symbolizes the confusion and frustration of teenage years
doo doo doo wha x7 wahhhh!
Continued repetition of the meaningless phrase, signifies the growing intensity of negative emotions
s'posed to do wha? mhmm
Expressing a sense of helplessness, wondering what to do about the situation
doo doo wha x11
Repetition of the meaningless phrase, reflects a state of mind where nothing makes sense
doo wha!?
Expresses disbelief and confusion regarding the situation
you said you'd ask me
Referring to a promise made by someone, implying a sense of betrayal
you said you'd ask me
Repeating the promise, further emphasizing the feeling of being let down
you said you'd ask me
Restating the promise, highlighting the disappointment and hurt
to the senior prom! (say somethin')
Refers to a specific event, creating a sense of anticipation
found out i had acne
Revealing a personal insecurity, signifying the fear of rejection
now you won't ask me
Blaming the other person for the rejection, refusing to take responsibility
'cuz i have acne
Justifying the rejection, linking it to a physical flaw
to the senior prom
Repeating the event, showing how important it was to the singer
woooooohh!!
Expressing a strong emotion, possibly sadness or anger
doo doo doo wha x5
Repeating the meaningless phrase, reflecting a sense of emptiness
doo doo doo whaaaaaa?
Extending the repetition, creating a sense of desperation
mhmm
Acknowledging the situation, accepting that nothing can be done
doo wha? x3
Repeating the phrase, reflecting a sense of confusion and frustration
get me a shotgun
Expressing violent thoughts, emphasizing the intensity of negative emotions
.22 rifle (doo wha!)
Mentioning a specific type of firearm, highlighting the desire for revenge
dooo whhaa!!
Expressing anger and aggression, creating a sense of danger
i got it for my birthday
Explaining how the artist obtained the weapon, showing a lack of concern for the consequences
i'll kill my parents
Threatening violence towards the people who are supposed to provide support, highlighting the sense of betrayal
cuz they don't understand
Justifying the violent thoughts, linking it to a feeling of not being understood
they don't dig a teenager at all
Explaining why the parents don't understand, creating a sense of teenage rebellion
wooh!
Expressing excitement and anticipation, hinting at the possibility of something extreme happening
dooooo wha wha wha wha wha wha wha
Repeating the meaningless phrase, showing how it has become a fixation for the singer
Contributed by Stella C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Luke Hannaford | Music
WHAT A GEM
Terrence Beck
Dylan has nothing to say about ramblin Jack Elliott.. Why???? Read the history an ya'll find out Why!!! Jack was his mentor, an Dylan ripped him off!!!
Jedidiah
It's kill or be killed