Bob Dylan and Folk Rock

Rock music became one of the many music genres in the 1950’s.  The phrase “rocking and rolling” originated as a reference to sexual activity.  These references can be seen in a lot of rock and roll songs.  The genre as a whole is often associated with dancing, sexual freedom, and rebellion against parents.  In the 1960’s Bob Dylan emerged as a folk-rock hero.  As a child he had many influences from country and folk music and as he entered his teenage years the rock movement began to break out.  He dropped out of college and moved to New York to seek out his hero Woody Guthrie and start a folk revival scene. 

                In 1963 he was signed to Columbia Records and Dylan’s first album had a folk and blues feel to it.  In 1965 he began to expand his musical approach and began the genre folk rock with his first single Bringing It All Back Home.  At the end of this year he would release his most popular album of his career, Highway 61 Revisited.  Dylan’s lyrics often reference things occurring in the world.  In his song The Times They Are A Changing, Dylan talks about how society is changing.  The lines from the song: “And admit that the waters around you have grown” and “Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone.”  Dylan is describing that you need to accept that society is constantly changing and move on. 

In 1963 Dylan also wrote the song Masters of War.  This song is against fighting and war in general, but in the 60’s is was specifically against the Vietnam War.  With Lyrics such as:

Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

Dylan discusses war and because of the time period this was is said to be about the Vietnam War.  One aspect that makes it such as good song is that if you listen to the entire song you can see that it can be applied to any war fought even today. This song also references the bible with the lyric “Like Judas of old.”  Although some of his songs have a more serious tone, the music that is incorporated with the words is very catchy and the melody can easily be put into your head.  I was unable to find this song performed by Bob Dylan but I did in fact find a cover done by Pearl Jam. 

Bob Dylan’s most recent sensation is the song Knocking on Heavens Door.  It has a very nice acoustic guitar playing along with the electric keyboard playing the melody and really combining for a beautiful combination.  The harmonica part midway through gives it some of the folk feel that Bob Dylan started out with. 

Bob Dylan has a very innovative style that had never been done before.  His incorporation of electronic instruments into his folk style created a new style of music that will never be forgotten.  Many current bands say that Bob Dylan had an influence on what they did as well.  His lyrics are very well thought out and often have a deeper meaning behind them which I personally am not used to.  Many of the songs that are at the top of the charts today do not have any meaning such as this at all.  Bob was an amazing artist and is a living legend today in the Rock and Roll word.  He has left his mark on music and will always be looked at as an inspiration for rock generations to come.