bob dylan saga

The song the times they are a changing was written by bob Dylan in 1963. He was in the process of recording a new album and hadn’t planned on using the song until his friend Tony Glover found the manuscript. He questioned Dylan asking “what is this shit man?” Dylan’s flawless response was, “well you know it seems to be what the people like to hear.” The song was then recorded and released on his 1964 record titled the times they are a changing. Since Bob Dylan was known for his protest songs, people immediately reacted and could relate to this song. During this time period there was war and political turmoil. People viewed the song as a way to revolt. Dylan disputed that it was not a protest song. He said “I can't really say that adults don't understand young people any more than you can say big fishes don't understand little fishes. I didn't mean ['The Times they are a-Changin'] as a statement...It's a feeling." In the song he relates to the different views of adults and older people in the lines “Come mothers and fathers throughout the land and don’t criticize what you can’t understand your sons and your daughters are beyond your command.” This proved how he viewed older people and the younger generation, stating that the younger generation is ruthless and cannot be controlled. The lyrics in this song have different meanings. Specifically the line “the order is rapidly fadin, and the first one now will later be last”, is taken from the gospel of Mark. In the gospel of Mark it says "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first” Dylan then changed it around and used it in his song.” If you interpret more than just that one specific line in the gospel it discusses how money and riches in life are nothing. This was a common theme with Dylan in his other songs. Another line from the song “there’s a battle outside and it is ragin “can be directly related to the war that was going on during this time period. This is why it has been said that this is in fact a protest song. I believe that Dylan wrote this song about himself. He realized that he was changing and that things don’t stay the same forever. The line “as the present now will later be past” generally states that life moves on and what seems important now will no longer matter later on. Many people wanted Bob Dylan to continue writing protest songs but Dylan had other plans. By 1964he had changed his image and wanted to break away from the title of protest singer and songwriter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vou4qUu5YY