IISER MOHALI

Abstract: After more than six decades Bob Dylan remains a towering figure in American music. While Dylan is an intriguing and enigmatic figure, this presentation will focus on his music, examining some well and lesser known songs in order to understand why they are deemed important. Born in a small mining town in 1941, Robert Zimmerman moved to New York City at the age of 19 and changed his name to Bob Dylan. He joined the urban folk music scene there and by the age of 21 was writing some of the most powerful protest songs of the twentieth century. He soon renounced his role as a protest singer associated with the Civil Rights movement and turned towards rock music. Hailed as “the voice of a generation,” a label he also rejected, his musical career continues to this day. Throughout, he has written songs known for their lyrical sophistication, thematic range, and depth of meaning. Several of Dylan’s songs will be listened to and considered.