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
Down by the Station
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Live life, mind power
It's us, find power
Live life, mind power
Yo, fuck anybody I might alarm
Life is a tour, I sit and ride along
Taking some notes and then I write the song
I′m staring down the road my life has gone
Is it wrong to not believe in right and wrong?
My mental state is fucking me up
And I cried a pond while asking you for some answers
But we don't have that type of bond
That my desires gone with the way that I've been living lately
If I died right now, you′d turn the fire on
Sick of this bullshit, niggas call me a sell-out
Cause I hopped on Christianity so strongly then I fell out
Now I′m avoiding questions like a scared dog with his tail down
Feeling so damn humiliated because
They looking at me like I'm hellbound
What story should I tell now? I′ll just expose the truth
I'm so close to the fucking edge, I should be close to you
But who the fuck are You? You never showed the proof
And I′m only fucking human yo, what am I supposed to do?
There's way too many different religions with vivid descriptions
Begging all fucking men and women to listen
I can′t even beat my dick without getting convicted
These ain't wicked decisions, I got different intentions
I been itching to get it, I've been given assistance
But the whole fucking system is twisted
Now I′m dealing with this backlash because Marcus isn′t a Christian
And I've been told that my sinful life is an addiction
But I can′t buy it, it's just too hard to stand beside it
I need an answer and humans can′t provide it
I look at the Earth and Sun and I can tell a genius man designed it
It's truly mind blowing, I can′t deny it
Is heaven real? Is it fake? Is it really how I fantasize it?
Where's the Holy Ghost at? How long it take Man to find it?
My mind's a nonstop tape playing and I can′t rewind it
You gave me a Bible and expect me not to analyze it?
I′m frustrated and you provoked it
I'm not reading that motherfucking book because a human wrote it
I have a fucking brain, you should know it
You gave it to me to think to avoid every useless moment
It was a mission that I had to abort
Cause humans be lying with such an inaccurate source
It′s gon' be hard to put me back on the course
Next Jehovah′s Witness to come on my porch
I swear I'm slammin′ the door
A lot of folks believe it though, but I'm not surprised
Humans are fucking dumb, still thinkin' that Pac′s alive
I ain′t trying to take your legacy and torch it down
I'm just saying: I ain′t heard shit from the horse's mouth
Just sheep always telling stories of older guys
Who were notarized by you when you finally vocalized
Now I′m supposed to bow my head and close my eyes
And somehow let the Holy Ghost arise
Sound's like a fucking Poltergeist
Show yourself and then boom it′s done
Every rumor's gone, I no longer doubt this shit, you're the One
I′ll admit that my sinful ways was stupid fun
And all my old habits can hop onto of a roof to plunge
I′ll donate to a charity that could use the funds
Fuck the club, instead of bitches I'd hang with a group of nuns
And everyone that I ran into would know what I came to do
I wouldn′t take a step unless it was in the name of You
I hate the fact that I have to believe
You haven't been chatting with me like you did Adam and Eve
And I ain′t seen no fucking talking snake unravel from trees
With an apple to eat, that shit never happens to me
I don't know if you do or don′t exist, it's driving me crazy
Send your condolences, this is me reaching to you so don't forget
If hell is truly your pit of fire and I get thrown in it
I′mma probably regret the fact that I ever wrote this shit
My gut feeling says it′s all fake,
I hate to say it but fuck it, shit I done lost faith
This isn't a small phase, my perspective′s all changed
My thoughts just keep picking shit apart all day
And in my mind I make perfect sense
If you aren't real then all my prayers aren′t worth a cent
That would mean that I could just make up what my purpose is
And I could just sit in church and say "fuck" in the services
Man what if Jesus was a facade?
Then that would mean the government's god
I feel like they′ve been brainwashing us with a lot
So much that we don't even notice that we're stuck in the box
Man everything is "what if", why is it always "what if"
Planet Earth "what if", the universe "what if"
My sacrifice "what if", my afterlife "what if"
Every fucking thing that deals with you is fucking suspect
I′m fucking done, I′m fucking done
This is my fucking life and I'm living it, I′m having fun
If you really care for me, prove that I need to live carefully
But I'll be damned if I put my own pleasure
Aside for an afterlife that isn′t even guaranteed
We are you, and you're us, stop playing games
My life′s all I got, and heaven is all in my brain
And when I feel I am in hell, my ideas are what get me through pain
Do as you please,
And I'll just do me, I'm a human, I′ll stay in my lane
Ill mind
The lyrics to "Ill Mind of Hopsin 7" by rapper Hopsin are a profound and introspective exploration of his doubts and frustrations about his faith in God and organized religion. He expresses his feelings of confusion and disillusionment with the idea of a higher power and the inconsistencies in religious teachings. Throughout the song, Hopsin raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of faith and religion, and ultimately rejects the idea that his life should be controlled by outside forces.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for Hopsin's exploration of faith and power. He talks about finding power within yourself, rather than relying on external forces to dictate your life. He believes that you can live a meaningful and fulfilled life by trusting your own intuition and following your own moral compass. Hopsin then expresses his frustration with the limitations of human perception and the inadequacy of religious dogma to provide answers to life's biggest questions.
Throughout the song, Hopsin raises a series of challenging questions about faith and religion, such as "Is heaven real? Is it fake? Is it really how I fantasize it? Where's the Holy Ghost at? How long did Man take to find it?" He also critiques the judgment and hypocrisy of organized religion, saying that he's been labeled a sell-out for exploring Christianity and then rejecting it. He ultimately concludes that he doesn't know if God exists, but that he will live his life guided by his own intuition and not be controlled by fear or outside forces.
Overall, "Ill Mind of Hopsin 7" is a powerful and thoughtful song that challenges conventional wisdom about faith and religion. It encourages listeners to trust their own instincts and not be swayed by societal pressures or external forces.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s us, find power
Live life, mind power
We have the power within ourselves to find meaning and purpose in life through the strength of our thoughts and actions.
Yo, fuck anybody I might alarm
Life is a tour, I sit and ride along
Taking some notes and then I write the song
I’m staring down the road my life has gone
Is this where I belong?
I refuse to pander to other people’s opinions of me. Life is a journey and I’m simply an observer, making notes along the way to inspire songs. I question whether the path I’ve taken is where I truly belong.
Is it wrong to not believe in right and wrong?
My mental state is fucking me up
And I cried a pond while asking you for some answers
But we don’t have that type of bond
That my desires gone with the way that I’ve been living lately
I’m struggling with the lack of black and white morality in the world. My mental health is suffering and I’ve cried desperately for guidance, but I don’t feel a connection to a higher power. I fear that my desires and lifestyle have led me astray.
If I died right now, you’d turn the fire on
Sick of this bullshit, niggas call me a sell-out
Cause I hopped on Christianity so strongly then I fell out
Now I’m avoiding questions like a scared dog with his tail down
Feeling so damn humiliated because
They looking at me like I’m hellbound
If I were to die, I fear my struggles with faith would lead me straight to hell. People have accused me of selling out for embracing Christianity and then questioning it. Now, I’m too ashamed to even admit my doubts and feel condemned by those around me.
What story should I tell now? I’ll just expose the truth
I’m so close to the fucking edge, I should be close to you
But who the fuck are You? You never showed the proof
And I’m only fucking human yo, what am I supposed to do?
I want to tell the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable. I feel like I’m teetering on the brink of breakdown and need something to hold onto. I can’t help but question why a higher power never reveals itself with proof, and feel lost in my humanity.
There’s way too many different religions with vivid descriptions
Begging all fucking men and women to listen
I can’t even beat my dick without getting convicted
These ain’t wicked decisions, I got different intentions
The multitude of religions with conflicting beliefs and practices overwhelms me. I can’t even explore my own sexuality without feeling condemned. I’m not doing anything wrong, it’s just that my priorities and goals are different.
I been itching to get it, I’ve been given assistance
But the whole fucking system is twisted
Now I’m dealing with this backlash because Marcus isn’t a Christian
And I’ve been told that my sinful life is an addiction
I’m eager to find answers and have received help, but the system that guides us is corrupt. I face criticism for not fitting into religious molds, and am told that my way of life is an addiction that needs to be suppressed.
But I can’t buy it, it’s just too hard to stand beside it
I need an answer and humans can’t provide it
I look at the Earth and Sun and I can tell a genius man designed it
It’s truly mind blowing, I can’t deny it
I can’t force myself to believe a doctrine that doesn’t make sense to me. I crave answers, but can’t rely on imperfect humans to give them to me. Looking at the complexity and beauty of the world, I can see the genius in its design, but still question its origins.
Is heaven real? Is it fake? Is it really how I fantasize it?
Where’s the Holy Ghost at? How long it take Man to find it?
My mind’s a nonstop tape playing and I can’t rewind it
You gave me a Bible and expect me not to analyze it?
I question the reality and validity of heaven, and if it aligns with my own personal vision of it. I wonder where the Holy Ghost is and why it took so long for humans to discover it. My mind is consumed with these thoughts, and I can’t simply accept the Bible without deeply analyzing it.
I’m frustrated and you provoked it
I’m not reading that motherfucking book because a human wrote it
I have a fucking brain, you should know it
You gave it to me to think to avoid every useless moment
I’m angry and feel provoked because the Bible was written by flawed humans, not a divine being. I’m capable of critical thinking and feel that’s what I should use to avoid wasting my time on fruitless endeavors.
It was a mission that I had to abort
Cause humans be lying with such an inaccurate source
It’s gon' be hard to put me back on the course
Next Jehovah’s Witness to come on my porch
I swear I'm slammin’ the door
I had to give up my mission of blindly following religion because humans often lie and the source is flawed. It will be difficult to convince me to return to the path I once followed, and I will not entertain any attempts by Jehovah’s Witnesses to change my mind.
A lot of folks believe it though, but I'm not surprised
Humans are fucking dumb, still thinkin' that Pac's alive
Many people blindly believe in religion, but I’m not surprised considering how foolish humanity as a whole can be. People even believe ridiculous conspiracies like Tupac still being alive.
I ain't trying to take your legacy and torch it down
I'm just saying: I ain’t heard shit from the horse’s mouth
Just sheep always telling stories of older guys
Who were notarized by you when you finally vocalized
I don’t want to disparage anyone’s religious beliefs, but I haven’t heard a clear message from a divine being. People just repeat stories of historical figures who were supposedly endorsed by a higher power once they spoke up.
Now I’m supposed to bow my head and close my eyes
And somehow let the Holy Ghost arise
Sound’s like a fucking Poltergeist
Show yourself and then boom it’s done
Every rumor’s gone, I no longer doubt this shit, you’re the One
I’m expected to blindly follow religious rituals and wait for a spiritual encounter, but it sounds just like believing in a ghostly presence. If a divine being would just reveal itself, then all doubts would be assuaged and I could believe unquestioningly.
I’ll admit that my sinful ways was stupid fun
And all my old habits can hop onto of a roof to plunge
I’ll donate to a charity that could use the funds
Fuck the club, instead of bitches I’d hang with a group of nuns
I enjoyed my past misdeeds, but realize their foolishness. I could easily give them up and instead use my resources to help those in need. I no longer care for partying with women, but would rather spend time with a group of nuns.
And everyone that I ran into would know what I came to do
I wouldn’t take a step unless it was in the name of You
I hate the fact that I have to believe
You haven’t been chatting with me like you did Adam and Eve
I want to live my life with a clear and unambiguous purpose, that’s recognizable to everyone I meet. I feel like a higher power should be communicating with me as they did with Adam and Eve, but I’m left feeling lost and unsure.
And I ain’t seen no fucking talking snake unravel from trees
With an apple to eat, that shit never happens to me
I don’t know if you do or don’t exist, it’s driving me crazy
I don’t buy into the story of the Garden of Eden, where a talking snake convinces humans to sin. I can’t say for certain if a higher power exists or not, and it’s causing me significant emotional distress.
Send your condolences, this is me reaching to you so don’t forget
If hell is truly your pit of fire and I get thrown in it
I’mma probably regret the fact that I ever wrote this shit
This is me pleading for help from a higher power, in case I’m wrong and end up in eternal punishment. I’m aware that expressing these doubts might lead to my condemnation, but they’re consuming me and I can’t keep them inside anymore.
My gut feeling says it’s all fake,
I hate to say it but fuck it, shit I done lost faith
This isn’t a small phase, my perspective’s all changed
My thoughts just keep picking shit apart all day
My intuition tells me religion is a lie, and despite my reluctance to admit it, I’ve lost faith. It’s not just a temporary doubt, but a fundamental shift in my worldview. My thoughts are constantly analyzing and breaking down everything I’ve been taught.
And in my mind I make perfect sense
If you aren’t real then all my prayers aren’t worth a cent
That would mean that I could just make up what my purpose is
And I could just sit in church and say “fuck” in the services
My own reasoning tells me that if a divine being isn’t real, then my prayers are pointless. If there’s no higher purpose, then I’m free to decide my own goals and values, and even be disrespectful in religious settings.
Man what if Jesus was a facade?
Then that would mean the government’s god
I feel like they’ve been brainwashing us with a lot
So much that we don’t even notice that we’re stuck in the box
What if Jesus wasn’t real, and the government has just been using religion to manipulate and control us? I believe we’ve been conditioned and indoctrinated so extensively, we don’t even realize how much we’re trapped in a narrow mindset.
Man everything is “what if”, why is it always “what if”
Planet Earth “what if”, the universe “what if”
My sacrifice “what if”, my afterlife “what if”
Every fucking thing that deals with you is fucking suspect
I’m tired of endless hypotheticals, constantly questioning the nature of our existence. Everything that involves a higher power feels unreliable and uncertain, leading me to distrust the whole concept.
I’m fucking done, I’m fucking done
This is my fucking life and I’m living it, I’m having fun
If you really care for me, prove that I need to live carefully
But I’ll be damned if I put my own pleasure
Aside for an afterlife that isn’t even guaranteed
I’m fed up, and ready to live life on my own terms and have fun. If a higher power truly cares about me, they can prove it by guiding me to make responsible decisions. But I won’t sacrifice my own happiness for a speculative afterlife that might not even exist.
We are you, and you’re us, stop playing games
My life’s all I got, and heaven is all in my brain
And when I feel I am in hell, my ideas are what get me through pain
Do as you please,
And I’ll just do me, I’m a human, I’ll stay in my lane
Ill mind
We are all interconnected and exist on the same plane. Religion should stop using obscure rules and fears to manipulate us, as our own lives are what truly matter. When I face hardships, it’s my own ideas and beliefs that give me solace. Live your own life as you wish, and I’ll do the same. We’re all human, and it’s best to stay in our own lane. This is the work of an ‘Ill Mind’.
Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Contributed by Dominic G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.