Allwright traveled to France in the early 1950's and married Catherine Dasté. His son Christophe Allwright, is a French comedian.
In the early '60s, Allwright sang at a number of clubs in Paris, folk music that was very big in the 60s. He wrote his own music, and created the French language versions of many songs by US and Canadian artists like Tom Paxton ("Sacrée Bouteille" "Qu'as tu appris à l'école?"), Leonard Cohen ("Suzanne") and Pete Seeger ("Jusqu' à la ceinture").
His earlier music focused more on social protest songs. As he matured as an artist, his songs became more personal, and his choice in material included more funny songs, songs with a mystical bent ("Garder le Souvenir", "Lumière"), and songs about the complexities of relationships ("No Man's Land"). Some of his songs are in English, but the vast majority are in French.
He has travelled extensively, to the Himalayas, Réunion Island, and Madascar, among other places. He was strongly influenced by the Indian master and teacher Sri Aurobino, which is reflected in the mystical qualities of some of his songs.
In 2005, he wrote new lyrics for the French National Anthem, "La Marseillaise".
Blowin In The Wind
Graeme Allwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How many roads must a man walk down
Before they call him a man
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
How many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea
How many years must some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free
How many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see
(The answer)
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many times can man a look up
Before he sees the sky
How many ears must one person have
Before he can hear people cry
And how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Oh, the answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Graeme Allwright's song Blowin' in the Wind is a powerful commentary on the social and political issues of the 1960s. The song is an existential inquiry into the nature of the human condition and the many unanswered questions that remain in the world. The opening verse, "How many roads must a man walk down before they call him a man?" asks how many trials and tribulations a person must face before they are deemed to have reached maturity. The "white dove" in the second line is a symbol of peace, and the question of how many seas it must sail is a metaphor for how long it will take for peace to be achieved. The third verse is a reference to the Cold War and the arms race that was taking place at the time.
The second verse of the song, "How many years can a mountain exist before it's washed to the sea?" is a metaphor for how long the inequities and injustices in society can persist before they are rectified. The following line, "How many years must some people exist before they're allowed to be free?" speaks to the Civil Rights Movement, and the struggle of black Americans for equality. The third line, "How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?" is a call to action, accusing those who turn a blind eye to social injustice of being complicit in perpetuating it.
The final verse "How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" refers to the Vietnam War, and the thousands of lives that were lost in that conflict. The song concludes with the refrain, "The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind," emphasizing the idea that the answers to these questions lie within ourselves and the world around us, waiting to be discovered.
Line by Line Meaning
How many roads must a man walk down
How much struggle and experience does one have to go through to attain true maturity and character as a man
Before they call him a man
Before society acknowledges him as one
How many seas must a white dove sail
How many miles must one travel to find a peaceful home
Before she sleeps in the sand
Before she finds her pure, unblemished resting place
How many times must the cannonballs fly
How many wars and battles must there be
Before they are forever banned
Before peace prevails and war is eradicated
How many years can a mountain exist
How long-lasting and enduring is nature
Before it's washed to the sea
Before it succumbs to inevitable natural disasters and cycles
How many years must some people exist
How much longer must a group of people endure oppression and bondage
Before they're allowed to be free
Before they can finally break free and gain equality
How many times can a man turn his head
How many times can one ignore the injustices and issues around them
And pretend that he just doesn't see
And act as if they don't exist
How many times can man a look up
How often can one gaze towards the heavens
Before he sees the sky
Before they can truly appreciate the majesty of the world
How many ears must one person have
How open must we be and how much must we listen
Before he can hear people cry
Before one can truly empathize and understand the pain of others
And how many deaths will it take till he knows
How many lives must be lost before we realize the gravity of the situation
That too many people have died
That innocent lives are being taken too frequently and needlessly
Oh, the answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The ultimate solution to these issues and problems is far from clear or certain
The answer is blowing in the wind
The answer is elusive and constantly shifting
Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lyoneltheot483
comme beaucoups tu est parti mais nous t'oublierons pas merci pour ces très bons textes repose en paix merci Graeme
@theosilva7188
Thanks for all you give us with nothing in return. You still in our heart's.
@nirinaramangasalama3265
MERCI pour le partage :-)
@citron2711
On en fait plus des chanteurs a textes bye bye Monsieur que de souvenirs ça me ramène a 40 ans en arrière
@roomens8356
C'est vraiment..le comble. Si pure..
@batubabatuba126
merci pour ces moments de bonheur a écouter l’amour et la paix dans ce monde que nous n’avons pas su changer ....
@siriusjean-marie8032
Au revoir mon Ami !
@catherinegrne2883
Respect Graeme Allwright
@fredericrenoux4000
Fantastic
@mariehelenemoal3816
Ecoutes dans le vent !!