Bob Dylan, Politically Fueled or Otherwise

Robert Allen Zimmerman, or commonly known by his stage-name, Bob Dylan, was born May 24^th, 1941, and spent his early years with his parents Beatrice and Abram Zimmerman in a cohesive Jewish community within Minnesota. Even at a young age, Dylan had a great passion for music, expending countless hours listening to the radio. In High school, Dylan spent an extensive amount of time finding his niche among the industry. In spite of this, it was not until his college years, after becoming an active performer among the Dinkytown folk music circuit, that he was able to determine is future. Dylan later dropped out of college in 1960 and moved to New York to test his luck in the big leagues, and the rest is history (Kershaw, 2012).

The artist’s first album, “Bob Dylan,” was released in 1962 and was powerless in winning over audiences. Nevertheless, the following collection of songs he released in 1963, “The Freewheelin Bob Dylan,” was a smash-hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. The album included an amalgamation of love, protest, and blues tracks, which greatly appealed to the listeners of that time (RedPepper.org.uk, 2003). This was the point in time in which Dylan found his place among the profession; writing political invective and using his platform to denounce the wrongdoings occurring at the hands of government officials toward the American people.

Though Dylan continued to write albums throughout the decades to follow, “The Freewheelin Bob Dylan” continues to show its relevance today. In most cases, rather than citing specific occurrences, Bob Dylan attempted to make his lyrics universally viable for anyone going through hardships. Many political movements can be traced back to the message brought forth by Dylan’s songs. Interestingly enough, however, Dylan tended to disagree when referred to as a political song-writer, stating in one interview “Me, I don’t want to write for people anymore – you know, be a spokesman. From now on, I want to write from inside me …I’m not part of no movement… I just can’t make it with any organization.” (Dylan, 1964).

In my eyes, Bob Dylan certainly was a political songwriter, whether intentional or otherwise. His innovative take on social issues was a breath of fresh air for those who saw what was occurring and wanted to do something about it. Does it really matter how Dylan felt regarding protest? No, it does not. To me, it was not necessarily his feelings, in that regard, which mattered most. Rather, what came about because of his words.

Works Cited:

•           “The Politics of Bob Dylan.” Red Pepper, www.redpepper.org.uk/the-politics-of-bob-dylan/.

•           Kershaw, Tom. “The Hollowverse.” Thomas Edison's Religion and Political Views, 11 Apr. 2012, hollowverse.com/bob-dylan/.

·       “Who Is Bob Dylan? Everything You Need to Know.” Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline, www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/robert-allen-zimmerman-886.php.