Bibb was born on 16th August 1951 in New York into a musical family. His father, Leon Bibb, is a trained singer who sang in musical theatre and made a name for himself as part of the 1960s New York folk scene. His uncle was the world-famous jazz pianist and composer John Lewis, of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Family friends included Pete Seeger, Odetta, and actor/singer/activist Paul Robeson, Bibb'sgodfather.
Bibb was given his first steel-string guitar when he was seven years old. Growing up surrounded by talent, he recalls a childhood conversation with Bob Dylan, who, on the subject of guitar playing advised the eleven-year-old Bibb to "Keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff".
At sixteen years old, Bibb's father invited him to play guitar in the house band for his television talent show Someone New. Bibb's early musical heroes were from his father's band, and included Bill Lee (father of director Spike), who appeared on Bibb's album Me To You, years later.
In 1969, Bibb played guitar for the Negro Ensemble Company at St Mark's place in New York, and went on to study Psychology and Russian at Colombia University, but at the age of nineteen he left for Paris, where a meeting with guitarist Mickey Baker focused his interest in blues guitar. When he later moved to Sweden, Bibb found a creative environment which took him back to Greenwich Village during the heyday of the folk revival. Settling in Stockholm, Bibb immersed himself in pre-war blues and continued to write and perform.
The album Good Stuff was released in 1997, and led to Bibb signing to the British based Code Blue label. Eric's only release on Code Blue was Me to You, featuring appearances from some of Bibb's personal heroes in Pops and Mavis Staples, and Taj Mahal (who also worked with Bibb on the Grammy-nominated children's record, Shakin' a Tailfeather). The album furthered Bibb's international reputation and was followed by tours of the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, France, Sweden, and Germany.
In the late 1990s Bibb joined forces with his then manager, Alan Robinson, to form Manhaton Records, in Britain. The albums Home to Me (1999), Roadworks (2000), and Painting Signs (2001) followed, as did another Opus 3 release, Just Like Love.
The Times They Are Changin'
Eric Bibb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
For the times they are a-changin'
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
Keep your eyes wide
Chance won't come again
Don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
There's no tellin' who that it's namin'
For the losеr now will be later to win
For the timеs they are a-changin'
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside and it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
It'll rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
Don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rRapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
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The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
And the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'
In "The Times They Are Changin'," Eric Bibb captures the spirit of social and political change that was prevalent during the 1960s and remains relevant today. The song calls for people from all walks of life to take notice of their surroundings and embrace the shifting tides of time.
The opening stanza urges individuals to come together and acknowledge the changes happening in society. It emphasizes the growing challenges that people will face and the need to adapt and survive. By using the metaphor of being drenched to the bone, Bibb suggests that complacency and inaction will lead to a bleak outcome. To avoid sinking like a stone, people must be proactive and swim against the currents of change.
The second stanza speaks directly to writers and critics who hold the power to shape public opinion. Bibb urges them to be cautious and observant, reminding them that opportunities for meaningful change come infrequently. He advises them not to prematurely judge or predict the outcome of events because there is an ongoing and unpredictable process at play. The next phrase "loser now will be later to win" emphasizes the potential for unexpected outcomes and the transformative power of time.
In the third stanza, Bibb addresses politicians, particularly senators and congressmen, calling on them to pay attention to the demands of the people they serve. The plea to not stand in the doorway or block the hall is a metaphor for obstructing progress or refusing to adapt to new ideas. By highlighting the battle raging outside, Bibb underlines the urgency and magnitude of the challenges being faced. The images of shaking windows and rattling walls evoke a sense of imminent change and upheaval.
The final stanza appeals to parents, urging them to have an open mind and refrain from criticizing or trying to control the choices of their children. Bibb suggests that the younger generation has their own path to follow and cannot be confined by the expectations and limitations of older generations. The phrase "your old road is rapidly agin'" implies that traditional ways of thinking and living are becoming outdated. Bibb encourages parents to embrace the new and unfamiliar rather than clinging to old ways that may no longer be applicable.
The final verse emphasizes the cyclical nature of change and the inevitability of progress. By stating that "the first one now will later be last," Bibb acknowledges that power dynamics and social structures are subject to transformation. The order and hierarchy that may exist today will eventually fade away, giving rise to new leaders and new systems. The phrase "the times they are a-changin'" serves as a poignant refrain that encapsulates the central message of the song - the call to embrace change and adapt to the shifting realities of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Come gather 'round people
Let everyone come together
Wherever you roam
No matter where you go
And admit that the waters
Acknowledge that the circumstances
Around you have grown
Surrounding you have progressed
And accept it that soon
And understand that in the near future
You'll be drenched to the bone
You will be fully immersed
If your time to you is worth savin'
If you value your time
Then you better start swimmin'
Then it's best to adapt and move forward
Or you'll sink like a stone
Or else you'll struggle immensely
For the times they are a-changin'
Because the circumstances are evolving
Come writers and critics
Calling out to writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
Who predict and express with your writing
Keep your eyes wide
Stay alert
Chance won't come again
Opportunity won't present itself twice
Don't speak too soon
Don't make premature judgments
For the wheel's still in spin
Because the cycle is still ongoing
There's no tellin' who that it's namin'
It's impossible to know who it will favor
For the loser now will be later to win
Because the current loser will eventually succeed
For the times they are a-changin'
Because the circumstances are evolving
Come senators, congressmen
Appealing to senators and congressmen
Please heed the call
Please listen and respond
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't obstruct the path
Don't block up the hall
Don't impede the progress
For he that gets hurt
Because the one who gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
Will be the one who caused delays
There's a battle outside and it is ragin'
There's a fierce conflict happening
It'll soon shake your windows
It will soon shake your surroundings
It'll rattle your walls
It will unsettle your foundations
For the times they are a-changin'
Because the circumstances are evolving
Come mothers and fathers
Addressing mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
Across the entire country
Don't criticize
Don't unfairly judge
What you can't understand
What you don't comprehend
Your sons and your daughters
Your own children
Are beyond your command
Are no longer under your control
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Your previous path is quickly deteriorating
Please get out of the new one
Please adapt to the current path
If you can't lend your hand
If you can't offer your support
For the times they are a-changin'
Because the circumstances are evolving
The line it is drawn
A boundary has been established
The curse it is cast
The negative influence has been unleashed
The slow one now
The one who moves slowly currently
Will later be fast
Will eventually become quick
And the present now
And the current moment
Will later be past
Will eventually become the past
The order is rapidly fadin'
The established order is quickly diminishing
And the first one now
And the one who is currently first
Will later be last
Will eventually be the final one
For the times they are a-changin'
Because the circumstances are evolving
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
george leitenberger
Inspiring version, pristine, soulful stuff.
iris
This is beautiful and true!
THX for uploading :-)
Ellen Diane
so apt- tyvm