...Allen Zimmerman, known by his stage name, Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan was a major influential musical icon for today’s artists as well as future artists to come. His music was embodied by historical context and spoke about what was going on throughout history in the past and present. He knew his music was shaping the industry which he worked. “I’d either drive people away or they’d come closer to see what it was all about. There was no in-between. There were a lot of better singers and better musicians around these places but there wasn’t anybody close in nature to what I was doing. Folk songs were they way I explored the universe, they were pictures and the pictures were worth more than anything I could say” (Dylan, 18). He made numerous contributions to his genre and embodied the spirit and sound of the 20th century. Born in 1941, in Minnesota, Dylan grew up with a very different childhood then other famous singers. He was brought up Jewish and spent most of his time around family since they were the majority of the Jewish people that were in town. He seemed at an early age to develop a natural talent for writing poetry. Dylan took a deep interest in listening to the radio and admired the people that were on it. He began to notice his deep love for music in high school when he taught himself to play the piano and guitar. Country music, folk, blues, and rhythm had huge impacts on him. Hank Williams was a major inspiration to Dylan as well. Dylan taught himself the skills that he needed...
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...The Ideas of an Influential Song Writer Born as Robert Albert Zimmerman in May of 1941, Bob Dylan grew up in an era of despair and hatred, were predigest filled the air with the civil rights movement. Dylan’s love for music revolved around one of his favorite idols which drew him into the music industry. Woody Guthrie influenced Bob Dylan to succeed and endeavor new beginnings as a singer and song writer. Guthrie was known as a true poet of the Left movement and was loved for authenticity. When Bob moved to Greenwich Village he moved into coffee house seen, in which he endeavored himself as the latter-day Woody Guthrie. During this time the folk revival was starting in the music scene and soon enough it would produce one of the most influential musicians who would become an activist and change the political movement of the 1960’s. Used old tunes to comment on current political realities At a time when television screens were filled with the images of Birmingham, Alabama were thousands of black people were attacked by police, Bob Dylan wrote his new song entitled “Blowin’ in the Wind” from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album in April of 1962 while he was in Greenwich Village. Dylan saw the song as a challenge to the movement and emphasized in the song the white people of that era who turned their heads away from the segregation, knowing that it was wrong. “But in context its glancing reference to the great social challenges of the day-racism and war-carried a powerful topical...
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...Vincent Marziano MUS 361U Dr. Bluestone 5/16/2013 841 words #20 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited Can words describe the amount of sound that came out the speakers after playing Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited? The many sounds that make up this remarkable piece of what one could only describe as artwork is a phenomenal mix of instruments and vocals to produce a sound that is of no other. Dylan combines everything from a simple harmonica (which he makes sound anything but simple) all the way up to electric guitars, drums, acoustics, tambourines, banjos and even what sounds to be like a Kazoo in track 7! His background falls under influences coming from the blues with an emphasis on delta blues, and a strong country back ground as well. He ties these older sounds together with the new sounds of today’s rock and roll to create even flowing and cohesive piece of work. His music is made for the youth and even in a time when folk and country music is something we would relate to our parents, his music brings out a young vibrantness that no person, old or young, could ignore. His overall CD encompasses many mixed emotions. Dylan seems to incorporate personal stories of his own life along with random stories which when combined produce songs of happiness as well as desperation to the modern world. His CD doesn’t carry a main story line, and in fact really sounds like a mix of random feelings and emotions that he kind of slapped together into one cohesive motion. His first...
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...Bob Dylan is a singer- songwriter born on may 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. He was one of the most influential singer of the 1960 and has produced more than over 400 songs, some that are very meaning full to his audience. The song that I choose to speak about is his song “with god on our side”. This song was considered one of Bob Dylan’s most influential songs. In the song the main topic is war, he explains that god is on our side during war but he doesn’t seem to understand the reasoning of the war in the first place but he realizes that we must accept it. After learning about this song I looked up multiple sources on questions that bob Dylan is asking in this song such as why is there war? Why should we accept it? These sources that I have looked up are very useful to gather more information on the main topic of this song. I found 4 articles that talk about war and explaining reasoning behind war. The first article that I used was an article called “Why is...
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...Kate Schnitman Professor Lebeaux Folk Music Revival November 13, 2012 Bob Dylan: A Growing Performer Throughout the second part of the semester in Folk Music Revival, and after learning about many different performers and how they came about, I have come to prefer Bob Dylan as a talented singer songwriter. Through movies and text, I was able to gather opinions about the artists we have learned about and really think about why I prefer one artist to another. Bob Dylan started out as an unknown performer and he grew into a beloved artist. He was able to have the ability to work with talented people such as Joan Baez, who shared the same love in performing as he did. Dylan was also able to take criticism from an audience and critics in general, and grow as a person from them, and continue to work strong to do what he loved. Bob Dylan, “born in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1941” (Cohen 142) started off as someone who could definitely sing tunes and write some catchy lyrics. “He became a folk singer in Minneapolis, where he learned about southern blues and string bands, and particularly Woody Guthrie…” (141). He had an unusual sense of style, “He performed in work clothes- frayed blue denim pants, over worn tan boots, and stained khaki shirts, sometimes dressed up with a brown suede vest or a gray wool scarf-“ (Hajdu 74). I believe that Bob was someone who captured people’s attention because of his style and his ways of performing. He had the ability to grab the attention of an audience...
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... Don't Look Back, the documentary starring Bob Dylan, we see both the dark and enlightening sides of Bob Dylan. throughout the film it’s clear that Dylan has a level of comfort with the director, and as a result we are allowed into his personal life on and off stage. there are also a few moments of ambiguity and some highlights in the film that indirectly give us a sense of ageism, sexism and cultural values. The directors craft helps tie these together in a way that is appealing to the audience and can be drawn back to David R. Shumways’ of that era. First I’d like to analyze my impression of the film. Before the film I knew of Bob Dylan, his music, his legacy. I was under the impression that Dylan fell into the category of mellow pot smokers or “stoners” of the midsixties who were heavily involved in politics and current events. Then having heard a few of his songs, I thought, “wow this guy really wants the best for our society”. With that in mind, I also believed Bob Dylans personality would be sort of gentle and affectionate. Dont Look Back pretty much challenged all point of views. Dylan gets into a lot of conflict throughout the film. There are several moments, when we are unsure if Dylan is being civil or argumentative with people. Although, we do get a glimpse at Bob Dylans sensitive side, we are preoccupied by his radical actions throughout the film. The introduction to the documentary, is a flashback into Bob Dylan's career, showing his origins as a...
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...them is Bob Dylan. However, Bob Dylan was not born an idol in fact, his success can be credited to changes in society that influenced Dylan to write music that would in turn induce changes within society itself. Robert Allen Zimmerman, later known as Bob Dylan, was born on May 24, 1941 to Abraham Zimmerman and Beatty Stone Zimmerman. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota; however, at the age of seven, he and his family were forced to move to Hibbing, Minnesota. Abraham worked as a supervisor at the local Standard Oil in Duluth until after World War II, when demand for Standard Oil products...
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...Music plays a huge role in younger generations because they always look for inspiration to not only improve themselves but also improve their country and other’s life. With these thoughts in their mind, the youngsters are willing to learn about their past so they can improve the future for the generation after them. “The Times They Are A Changin”, one of the famous protest song that Bob Dylan wrote during the Civil Rights Movement. The song was written during the climax time of the Civil Rights Movement. In this song, Dylan talks about the problems that were faced in the society and he shared his feelings toward each situation. He also gave advice to those who were causing the problems in the first place. “For the loser now; Will be later to...
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...Bob Dylan is considered one of the most influential people in popular music and culture. Bob Dylan’s real name is Robert Allen Zimmerman. He was born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. Dylan’s parents are Abram Zimmerman and Beatrice Stone Zimmerman. His father worked as the senior manager and helped run the company union. His grandfather, Zigman Zimmerman and his wife, Anna Zimmerman fled Russia and reached the U.S. in 1907. Dylan has a younger brother named, David Zimmerman. When Dylan was six, they moved to Hibbing, Minnesota. Dylan’s formal education took place at Duluth’s Nettleton School. He attended college at the University of Minnesota in 1959. During his time at college, he began to perform at coffee shops. He began to develop an interest in becoming a musical artist. He began to lack an interest in school. Dylan soon decided to leave school and head towards New York to start his career. Dylan had no musical training at all. He taught himself to play the piano and harmonica by the age of 9. Dylan took one lesson for piano, but soon grew to dislike it for it was not the way he wanted to be taught. He purchased his very own Sears&Roebuck guitar and harmonica holder when he was 10. He did not learn to read music. He experimented with several...
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...His song “A Change is Going to Come,” became a movement anthem when he wrote it in response to being arrested for attempting to stay in a “whites only” hotel (The Role Of Music). Cooke became a large part of the movement and became an idol to others who wanted to make a change in the Civil Rights movement. Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota (Bob Dylan Biography). At a young age, Dylan showed an interest in music and was influenced by old rock stars such as Elvis Presley. Bob wrote many folk hit songs throughout the beginning of his career, but the first album that determined his stance in the sixties protest movement was “The Times Are A-Changin’” (Bob Dylan...
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...He was bestowed with the challenge of being “The Chosen One.” Dylan was constantly asked about the meaning of his work in this role. The constant prodding he endured by fans and the press caused him to snap. He had had it with the role of leader of the folk scene. At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival Dylan did the unthinkable for a folk signer: he played his set with electric instruments. Dylan was considered a trader to folk. The past two years he had played the festival and was considered to be one of folk music’s heroes and now he was seen as the enemy by many loyal followers. Pete Seeger said he wished he could cut the wires of Dylan’s amps with an axe. Though Dylan turned his back on the folk scene he would continue to write politically charged music and left behind an important chapter in the legacy that is folk...
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...Final Mixtape Songs: 1. Bob Dylan- Like a Rolling Stone 2. The Beatles- Hey Jude 3. Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run 4. Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter 5. John Lennon- Imagine 6. Bob Dylan/Jimmy Hendricks- All Along The Watchtower 7. Led Zeppelin- Stairway to Heaven 8. The Beastie Boys- Fight For Your Right 9. Radiohead- Paranoid Android 10. Nirvana- Where Did You Sleep Last Night? Bob Dylan – “Like A Rolling Stone” Written in 1965, Bob Dylan’s most popular song is often cited as one of the most influential songs of the twentieth century with its accusing lyrical content delivered through Dylan’s nasally warble. While the ‘60’s are often remembered as a decade of free love and liberation, Dylan’s question of “How does it feel/To be on your own/With no direction home/A complete unknown/Like a rolling stone,” seems more menacing and sneering, as if implying that these places that this generation has idealized might have been a little harsher than many people are willing to admit. The layered composition of the song was an important stepping-stone of Dylan’s transition of acoustic folkie to world famous bandleader. The Beatles – “Hey Jude” The most popular song by the most popular band to ever exist is a slow-burning ballad written by Paul McCartney that was released in 1968 and stayed at Number One for nine weeks. The verses, which were supposedly written by McCartney to comfort John Lennon’s son Julian during his parents’ divorce...
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...reminds me of a song I once heard called Hurricane written by Bob Dylan; a 60’s American musician. Controversy in the 1960’s raised a lot of questions that influenced musicians such as Dylan to write songs regarding social and political issues; Hurricane describes the brutal story of Ruben Carter, a famous American boxer who was subjected to racism and wrongly accused of a murder crime he did not commit. Dylan told a detailed story where he used his song lyrics to take a strong stance on the case in favor of Carter’s innocence. Hurricane by Bob Dylan shows that racism in America is still in existence today. Dylan's tone of voice and its change from time to time play an outstanding effort in the conveyance of the situation at hand. The structure as well as the tone of Dylan's song is also clearly repetitive. Apart from the repetition promoting the song with rhythm it also helps with drawing the listener's attention to the parts that Dylan wants them to focus on. For example the tern 'Hurricane' which is also the title of Dylan’s song is repeated though out the entire song. The term Hurricane could be interpreted to mean horrors evoked by the prejudices that surround Ruben in this song and the way they violently sweep him into a situation that is entirely out of his control on the basis of his race. Dylan also uses figurative language that is loaded with meaningful attributes to get his message across. For instance Dylan...
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...http://altohio.com/mirror-traffic Mirror Traffic, the fifth release from Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is the glorious distillation of the S.M. oeuvre. Produced by Beck Hanson, the album maintains the lanky looseness of former Jicks-backed offerings even as its songs are condensed down to their respective essences—several tracks clock in at less than three minutes, a stark contrast to previous records where 10-minute guitar odysseys were becoming common. Much like Bob Dylan’s twenty-first century output, Mirror Traffic digs through the past to repurpose musical styles, from psychedelic LA country to first-wave British punk, twisting them into new but familiar shapes. Beck’s role as producer seems split between tightening up the performances and curating the palette of stylistic overlays drawn from the Rock History vault. On “Long Hard Book,” reverb-soaked slide guitar evoke desert midnight, while the chorus’s pedal steel pairs with Joanna Bolme’s spot-on Emmy Lou Harris impression to create an afterimage of some long-lost Grievous Angel outtake, until a fuzzed-out guitar outro pulls the listener back into unmistakably Malkmusian territory. “Tune Grief” is the song the Buzzcocks might’ve recorded if they’d grown up in southern California, a short punchy track complete with single-note guitar solo and beach-bright backing vocals. All of Mirror Traffic’s influences have surfaced in Malkmus’ previous work, from Watery, Domestic onward, but here, arguably benefitting from its...
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...Bob Dylan - "Maggie's Farm" I chose this song because it is a classic Dylan song; it reflects his poetic style and how he wanted to make music, write songs, and experiment because it's what he wanted to do, and if it upset people, then so be it. I believe that the meaning of this song is that Dylan was a worker for his fans, the record company, the press, and the media but not for himself, and that he was going to break away from being pigeonholed into one genre of music and do what he felt like doing. Music wise, this song represents a strong change in Dylan's style. Up until the mid 60's, Dylan was strictly known as a folk singer and songwriter. His music usually composed of an acoustic guitar and a harmonica and occasionally another instrument here or there. This song represents Dylan's change to an electric rock sound, but still stayed true to his folk and blues roots. The music of this song has a very bluesy feel to it which may represent the working that he describes. The lyrics to "Maggie's Farm" go along perfect with Dylan's sudden change of sound. I believe that "Maggie" was intended to represent the people who listened to his music. He says that in the morning he would "pray for rain", which could have symbolized that he doesn't want to have to work, and that he had "a head full of ideas that are drivin' me insane". I feel that this represents that he wasn't able to break free and truly express himself. He also says "it's a shame the way she makes me scrub the...
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