Th Times They Are A Changin'

In his song “The Times They Are A Changing,” Bob Dylan describes how the ways of the US are all changing, as clearly stated in the title. His main message of the song is that if people cannot change with the times, they will be the ones who are getting hurt. This is shown in lines like “If your time to you/ Is worth savin’/ Then you better start swimmin’/ Or you’ll sink like a stone.” This says a lot about what is going on in the country and that if people do not start changing their old ways, then they will fall behind and get swept up in all of the new commotion. Dylan also mentions the fact that the younger people are the root of the change when he sings “Your sons and your daughters/ Are beyond your command/ Your old road is/ Rapidly agin’.” With this line, Dylan shows that the country is updating to the newer ways that the older generation is not used to. He also explains how the government is involved when he sings “Come senators, come congressmen/ Please heed the call/ Don’t stand in the doorway/ Don’t block up the hall/ For he that gets hurt/ Will be he who has stalled/ There’s a battle outside.” In saying this, he is warning the government to pay attention to what is happening because danger can be a real outcome. Overall, he is warning people to stay up to date because they can get hurt if they stay in the old times.

            I think this song can have a big impact on society because it is a sort of wakeup call. Dylan is letting everyone know that things don’t stay the same forever, so it is important to make sure that you are keeping u to date with what is happening in the world or you can get swept up in the madness. However, I think this song is especially important because it gives a sense of assurance that the times will indeed change and the youth have a chance to get their voices heard. Without the younger generation, new ideas would not be heard and there would be no new steps towards progress in the country. Though this can be dangerous to those stuck in their ways, which is who Dylan’s main focus seems to be at, it can also have a positive outcome.