blog




  • Essay / Bob Dylan's influence on literature and music

    Born in America, Bob Dylan is a leading songwriter, singer, author, and visual artist, occupying the forefront of popular culture for over fifty years. The majority of his known works date back to the 1960s, where some of his hits became a reference for the spearheads of the civil rights movement. Remarkably, Dylan's lyrics during this period incorporated a range of political, social, philosophical and literary influences, which contradicted the convention of existing pop music at the time and spoke to the rising counterculture. It is significant that Dylan chose to incorporate a simple, neglected form into his compositions. Even though they were simple, every word he wrote was pure artistry. He was able to attribute poetry to music, causing a significant change in literature. In a way, Dylan reached a milestone through songwriting, his exceptional vocal talent, and his moving stage performances by writing songs and poems that reflect the events of the 20th century. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayTo aid in his compositions, Dylan spent a lot of time listening to mainstream music, day and night. Challenging the existing musical culture in the society of that period, he devoted all his efforts to American popular music of the 20th century. He spent time listening to the forms broadcast on radio stations and gramophone records for ordinary individuals, white and black: songs for the revolution, country music, blues, old gospel rock and music general public. By exposing himself to different genres of music, he can immerse himself in different cultures and even gain insight into their daily pain, sorrow, and emotions. When Dylan began to compose his own works with his unique creativity, he always followed the same rhythm as the original song or even used snippets of the original lyrics. Even though the songs were similar, Dylan's versions were always original. For this reason, he concluded that all creativity begins with imitation. What is most commendable in Bob Dylan's works is the way he can describe his emotions through rhymes. This may not seem like a big achievement, considering that many artists have the ability to rhyme. What makes him remarkable is how well he expresses himself in so few words. A good example of Dylan's talent is "Mixed-Up Confusion", the song only has eight verses, but the song covers feelings of helplessness, isolation, despair, depression and much more. Bob Dylan surprised many listeners with his deep voice, piercing harmonica and soothing guitar. He contradicts this image of a poppy folk singer; he sang with emotion and purpose. He had a much greater competitive advantage than the artists and poets of his generation. Bob Dylan paved the way for a new musical genre. Most of Dylan's works were influenced by previous, traditional artists and genres. At first he was heavily inspired by country and western music, then later by the rock of Little Richard and Chuck Berry. During his teenage career, he learned from folk musicians such as Odetta and imitated Woody Guthrie. He notably imitated Guthrie's Oklahoma twang (Gilmore, 2018). He gradually absorbed folk and traditional songs wherever they were found, from fellow performers, in books such as “Folk Songs of NorthAmerican” by Alan Lomax and in records. Nevertheless, Dylan not only drew inspiration from other music, but also from literature, poetry, and film, all of which contributed immensely to his artistic life. Dylan's work marked an incredible moment in the world's view of the cultural and generational movement that began at mid-century. 1960s, which had a significant impact on people's lives. Although he spearheaded a revolution in society, Dylan refused to agree to lead any charge. His language alone, the way he presented it, opening up the songs' content and meanings, expressed his intention. His goal was not to voice new concerns, but rather to let people know that they were being heard and, in turn, to make the oppressors or wrongdoers understand that they needed to start providing solutions. He encountered criticism during his work. In other words, mainstream journalists found incredible aspects in his words and attitude. On the other hand, his audience firmly believed that Dylan was fighting for them and only confronting a backward world that they were striving to defeat. Dylan's writing cannot be separated from his music, because he changed times. In some ways, his arguments and demarcations realigned modern literature in ways that independent poetry or prose could not achieve. Due to its great invasion into American culture, some individuals (authors and poets) have turned to popular music. Bob Dylan ushered in a new reign of music where the melody changed and the songs incorporated powerful and inspiring messages. Interestingly, Dylan rose to fame and made headlines, where he later won the Nobel Prize for Literature. At the same time, Dylan was praised for his notable disregard for the apparent system. Most of his songs and poems, for example "Mixed-Up Confusion", were inspired by the need for political and social change. Likewise, over the past few decades, the mantra of what is considered literature has been broken down and shaped, becoming an inclusive and diverse concept that touches on a concoction of elements. The conception of literature has shifted from morally oriented works to works that shape human beings in all kinds of diversities. Bob Dylan is undoubtedly one of the essential literary figures of his generation. In particular, he uses competent and extraordinary language and has assembled a festive collection of poetic works. Although he fundamentally specializes in music and performance, Dylan possesses an unparalleled sense and poetic skill. For example, his poem titled “My Life in a Stolen Moment” includes play on words, figures of speech, diction, rhyme, and awareness of language both as form and style itself. It is very different from his famous works, because "My Life in a Stolen Moment" is a poem without music, but it nevertheless has the characteristics of a Bob Dylan creation. Dylan comes from a culture dominated by performance poets. What makes Dylan unique from his rivals is his ability to communicate with his fans. Dylan was so in tune with his audience and with his lyrics that he was able to creatively change his lyrics to suit the audience. The aspect of the spoken versus the written was a dominant theme in Dylan's work. Apparently, the relationship between the seen and the heard is not a concept unique to Dylan. This is the main aspect of his performances as a poet. Dylan's distinctive mark from other poets lies in his primary oral text, which is supplemented by the written text. Performance-105108/.