How Did Bob Dylan Affect The Creation Of Folk Music?

In the 1960s, Rock ‘n’ Roll was replaced in popularity by other branches of rock such as Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock and Hard Rock as a hippie counter culture arose, mainly to protest against the Vietnam war. These new forms of rock provided social commentary on the wide range of assassinations and anti-civil rights actions that infested the country, and united those that wanted to end them. They too celebrated anti-authority actions, but now they were used to promote peace and drugs. Americans—mainly college students—were still rebelling against societal constraints, but instead of fighting against the conformity of white suburbia and their parents, they were uniting to fight against U.S. governmental authority. Rock in the 1960s still mainly appealed to the younger generations, but its influence was spreading. Folk Rock (Bob Dylan) was playing in protest, reminding the individuals there that they were fighting for peace, and Psychedelic Rock—which replicated or enhanced the mind altering experience of psychedelic drugs—created a soothing and new atmosphere in the U.S. Music festivals such as Woodstock in 1969 sprung up to promote peace, do drugs, listen to music, and enjoy being alive and young.6 However, this element of extreme partying and pleasure, eventually brought a few stars to early deaths, such as Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. In the

Folk rock in the sixties inherited the tradition of country and western. In the 1960s, the main representatives of folk rock were Joan Baez, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and so on. However, the most important folk rock singer is Bob Dylan, who was the first and the most important folk rock music creator. Known as the “protest song singer”, for the entire 1960s, Bob Dylan 's music strongly affected young people that were in the wandering and confusion. It was like a banner, a totem, and a pioneer, helped the the youth from the 1960s generation of found the sustenance of their ideals.

Popular folk artist gave their own opinions on war, racism civil rights, justice, and the “establishment” through their music (Holland107). The suggestion of rebellion interested the baby boom generation. Two of the top folk artists from the 1960s were Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. Joan Baez was referred to as a political singer/activist and she was known as the “Queen of Folk music” (Joan Baez). Bob Dylan created plenty of politically based songs that directly warned specific areas of politics, like congressmen and senators, who wanted to stop the civil rights and peace movements (Holland 107-108).

The social and political context of the 1950’s is crucial to any understanding of the birth of rock n roll.

When early rock and roll began the major American record companies did not take the british invasion seriously. The Beatles first album had to be released through small independent music companies. The success of British bands began to get to large to ignore, it changed the styles of some American musicians as well. In 1965 Bob Dylan performed at a concert in which he used electrical instruments, this alienated many folk music purists in the process of changing music forever (Unterberger pg.165). The American band the byrds combined folk and rock which created a number one hit on the billboard music charts. A Band called Buffalo Springfield blended aspects of Rock, Country and western music to create country rock in 1966.

It is believed that the Hippie movement began in San Francisco, California but it quickly spread throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Europe and other parts of the world. The individuals involved in the hippie movement were from a wide range of different backgrounds. Many of them parted with their families and the places that they were raised to follow their own paths. Many of these individuals experimented with LSD and other drugs such as marijuana. Of all the contributions that this counter culture made to the United States, the music produced during this period was arguably the most influential. Musical icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan made their claim to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. This paper will consider three popular artist and

At only 22, he was crowned the voice of a generation. His audiences became mesmerized with his expressive lyrics and soulful harmonica. He changed the way the world looks at songwriting and protest, and inspired countless future musicians from the moment he stepped up on the stage in his railroad hat, denim jacket, and harmonica brace. However, it is clear that there is so much more behind Bob Dylan than just a rough voice and a collection of poetic songs. As one man said about Dylan’s early days in Greenwich Village, “There’s a quality of determination and of will that some people have that when they’re doing something, they’re really doing it and you

In 1964, The Rolling Stones catapulted to fame amid outrage and controversy about the surliness of their demeanor and the length of their hair. The Stones were considered "dangerous" and riots and scenes of hysteria erupted wherever they played. "Today, they're in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, winners of the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and on the cover of TIME magazine" (RIAA; History 2 of 4). "There's nothing new about pop and rock music finding its roots in the anger and rebellion of young people, and there's nothing new in older people expressing unrealistic fears about that music" (RIAA; History 3 of 4). History has shown us that what may be initially perceived as objectionable is actually only the reaction of a new or different experience.

Rock ‘n’ roll has played a major role in some known historical developments post World War 2. Music plays a significant part in America 's Cold War culture. Music gave us a sense of new technologies and helped the world to prosper. It also is linked with African Americans living in the South. Music was known for shaping the lives of the people during the 1950s and 1960s. Music was geared towards the youth, race, ethnicity, gender and class. “All Shook Up: How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America” by Altschuler, Glenn C, tells us the story of the birth of rock and roll during the concrete years of 1955 to 1965. Altschuler gives us a overview of how rock ‘n’ roll has an historical context. “ For two years the Times printed dozens of

Excessive hype from Dylan’s presence in politics inspired him to move his music in a different direction. In 1964 and 1965, Dylan’s musical style and appearance changed quite rapidly as he transitioned from a modern song writer of the folk scene to a rock music star. Dylan made his breakthrough to the pop music audience in the summer of 1965, when Like a Rolling Stone hit number two on the charts. Unexpectedly, Dylan became the topic of multitudes of articles, and his song lyrics became the subject of literary analyses across the

“Among the American folk music, the name Bob Dylan is murmured with hushed respect ("Getting To Dylan 1986 documentary”). Bob Dylan, originally named Robert Allen Zimmerman was born on May 24, 1941. At the age of eighteen, Bob Dylan attended the University of Minnesota, where he sought interest in music. “Influenced by the blues, country, and rock and roll, he began playing music as a teenager…” (“Bob Dylan”). Single-mindedly, Bob Dylan coached himself to learn how to play multiple instruments such as the guitar, harmonica, and piano, which helped lead to a plentiful amount of awards and achievements. Chronologically, Bob Dylan was announced in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, was granted a Grammy for lifetime achievements in 1991 and

Not very many songs compare to Bob Dylan's timeless "Like A Rolling Stone". He explores areas that most conventional lyricists and composers do not touch. Bob tells us many of life's lessons in a mere six minutes and nine seconds. The divine Bob describes life before and after the fall from fame and fortune by telling the stories of multiple persons, speaking to them in conversation. The theme of this song is loss, whether is it loss of social status, money, or trust for humanity.

The 1960’s was one of the most controversial decades in American history because of not only the Vietnam War, but there was an outbreak of protests involving civil and social conditions all across college campuses. These protests have been taken to the extent where people either have died or have been seriously injured. However, during the 1960’s, America saw a popular form of art known as protest music, which responded to the social turmoil of that era, from the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. A veritable pantheon of musicians, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan sang their songs to encourage union organizers to protest the inequities of their time, creating a diverse variety of popular

“The song has to be of a certain quality for me to sing…One aspect it would have to have is that it didn’t repeat itself” (Bob Dylan). Transforming into new people throughout his life, Bob Dylan reverted to the Bible and other religious findings in his songs. Dylan is able to reveal a fulfillment from spirituality as he perceives his music as a sacred landscape. Bob Dylan brings up a theme of religion, referencing the book of Isaiah in his 1967 song “All Along the Watchtower” as he writes a story about two people at the watchtower, where the significance of life is found. Dylan’s spiritual lyrics conceived his work as a an artist through imagination and religion that creates a hallowed dwelling for him to aqurie attainment.

Bob has a message in every song and just about every verse. His songs are very “poetic and powerful”. ‘Blowin in the Wind’ states it’s message within the first two verses. “ How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man?’’, it talks about racial justice. “How many seas must a white dove sail, before she sleeps in the sand?”, this symbolizes people looking for peace. He claims to have written ‘Blowin in the Wind’ in just 10 minutes to the melody of an old slave song. Before he perform the song he always said “ This here ain’t no protest song or anything like that, ‘ cause I don’t write no protest songs.” Bob’s version never hit the charts, the song became popular when the tri Peter, Paul and Mary performed it.