Bob Dylan

[clicketycrack]

I've recently gotten into Bob Dylan, and I've realised something. His lyrics make no fucking sense. Its like they're written in some kind of moon language that only he understands. Anyway, I just wanted to know what you people think of him and his music and also it would be nice if you could help decode some of his lyrics.

 

[oliveira8]

His lyrics do make sense. You just don't have enough brain matter to understand.

Only Bob Dylan does.

 

[chronobreak]

Are you the kind of person that only takes art at face value, or what? A lot of Dylans lyrics revolve around social issues of his time, and may not seem as relevant today. Take, for example, the story of the famous boxer The Hurricane. A lot of his songs are also short stories adapted into song by Dylan himself. If you don't get it, read between the lines, or make your own meaning for it, right?

If you have specific lyrics that you want decoded, feel free to post them, you don't give any examples.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

If Dylan's lyrics don't make any sense to you, ask yourself this: "would you really prefer it is they did make sense?"

Also, I'm pretty sure you can find out what all his songs mean online.

 

[clicketycrack]

Are you the kind of person that only takes art at face value, or what? A lot of Dylans lyrics revolve around social issues of his time, and may not seem as relevant today. Take, for example, the story of the famous boxer The Hurricane. A lot of his songs are also short stories adapted into song by Dylan himself. If you don't get it, read between the lines, or make your own meaning for it, right?

If you have specific lyrics that you want decoded, feel free to post them, you don't give any examples.

Well I do have some basic stuff down. For one, whenever he talks about an umbrella hes really talking about God. Anyway, thats what I got out of it and thats what alot of other people have told me the same thing. I obviously don't think that hes just jabbering out nonsense to a nice tune but alot of the time they're just so vague you have to listen to the song about 100 times till you finally get it. Plus it doesn't help that he never says what any of his songs are about.

 

[orangebandguy]

I personally don't like him that much, I find him droll and hard to listen to. But that's just me, the man's got a lot of fans.

 

[historybuff]

Bob Dylan is awesome.

And it's important to know some of the contexts in which his songs were written, else it does seem random--but if you know the times he was singing about--it makes a lot more sense.

In college, when I took Modern American History--my professor was a huge Dylan fan and when we got into the 60s and 70s, he'd get lyrics from some of Dylan's stuff and explain to us why and how it connected to the time period. Awesome stuff. Gave me a whole new appreciation for the guy.

 

[Cama Zots]

I can say for certain that "All Along the Watchtower" used the fabled fall of Babylon to draw a connection to modern America. Basically that inner forces combined with outside pressures would cause America to fall, just like Babylon did.

That was one of his harder songs to figure out.
Basically, if you do some background research and keep in mind that he hated the vietnam war and was a hardcore protester you can analyze any of his songs.

 

[TheSunshineHobo]

In order to understand Dylan you must first learn what symbolism, metaphor, simile, and syncedoche mean. Learn them, then you will know.

 

[clicketycrack]

I've recently gotten into Bob Dylan, and I've realised something. His lyrics make no fucking sense. Its like they're written in some kind of moon language that only he understands. Anyway, I just wanted to know what you people think of him and his music and also it would be nice if you could help decode some of his lyrics.

If you don't mind my asking what other artists do you mostly listen to.

Pretty much anything besides rap, pop, and new age country, but I prefer people like the moody blues, tom petty, the grateful dead, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, etc.

 

[Altorin]

With Bob Dylan, everything is subtext and metaphor

 

[AboveUp]

With Bob Dylan, everything is subtext and metaphor

Pretty much this. It's the main reason he's so great and memorable as well.

I'm actually quite surprised this didn't turn into a typical "I can't stand his voice" thread, as that's the direction conversations tend to with Dylan.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Dylan's lyrics can mean something different to you on repeated listenings. I wouldn't want some greyface to explain to me exactly what Dylan meant when he wrote Tangled Up in Blue.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Johnnys in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
Im on the pavement
Thinking about the government
The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says hes got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off
Look out kid
Its somethin you did
God knows when
But youre doin it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin for a new friend
The man in the coon-skin cap
In the big pen
Wants eleven dollar bills
You only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin that the heat put
Plants in the bed but
The phones tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early may
Orders from the d. a.
Look out kid
Dont matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Dont try no doz
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You dont need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

Get sick, get well
Hang around a ink well
Ring bell, hard to tell
If anything is goin to sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail
Look out kid
Youre gonna get hit
But losers, cheaters
Six-time users
Hang around the theaters
Girl by the whirlpool
Lookin for a new fool
Dont follow leaders
Watch the parkin meters

Ah get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance, learn to dance
Get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success
Please her, please him, buy gifts
Dont steal, dont lift
Twenty years of schoolin
And they put you on the day shift
Look out kid
They keep it all hid
Better jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Dont wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals
Dont wanna be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump dont work
cause the vandals took the handles

What don't you understand about that?

 

[Zukonub]

I would attempt an analysis but my LYRIC STUF has yet to be appreciated on this site

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Personally, I really find that it's more fun not to try to understand the lyrics and just listen to the song as a whole. His songs go very deep, and really it's very hard to understand them if you're not Dylan. Also doesn't help that he rarely explains his songs as well.

 

[Gerazzi]

I don't really care about music that much.
I don't like Bob as a person so I suppose I will always be baised.
If I don't like someone, I will not like anything they do no matter how amazing it may be
(Hannah Montana)

 

[Satin6T]

Screw Bob Dylan
he can't sing worth a damn but he can sure as hell write some songs

All along the watchtower for example

 

[Willwillwritehiswill]

Have you heard his voice lately? sounds like someone shoved a belt sander down his throat and hit the button labeled "Amy Winehouse"

 

[JC175]

If there's one thing I can say about this thread, it's that urprobablyright will not like it.