Culture Bridge Bob Dylan 10.23

Bob Dylan (You belong to me SOLO) Welcome to Culture Bridge, this is… (free talk)Have you guys heard about the Nobel Prize this year? Do you know who the winner is in literature?(just give me a short answer) Yeah ,the song that I have just sung for you is one of the most popular songs by him. Surprisingly, the winner in literature this year, Bob Dylan, is actually more often regarded as a musician, though being awarded as a poet by Swedish Academy. (free talk)Before the Nobel Prize this year, how much did you know Bob Dylan? Do you like his songs? For what reason did Swedish Academy grant the Nobel Prize in literature to such a writer in an uncommon sense, or rather, a folk music singer? How much influence does he have on the world of literature and music? What are his artworks like? Let’s find out.  Brief Biography欣艺 Bob Dylan is an American songwriter, singer, artist, and writer. He has been influential in popular music and culture for more than five decades. He was born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota , raised in Hibbing, and later moved to Minneapolis. In his early years he listened to the radio—first to blues and country stations from Shreveport, Louisiana, and later, when he was a teenager, to rock and roll. He formed several bands while attending Hibbing High School. In 1959 he enrolled at the University of Minnesota, but soon tedious college life couldn’t satisfy his music pursuit, so he dropped out of school and headed for New York to follow his dream at 20. He performed there and visited his musical idol Woody Guthrie, who admired his talent and a year later, he published his first album of his name. Distinctive music talent and handsome appearance rendered Bob Dylan rising to fame within several years. But in the following two years, his lyrics tended to be much harder to understand, and performances also became less satisfying. Then came the darkest time of Dylan, when he got addicted to drugs and, what’s worse, he was knocked down by a motorcycle to brain concussion and even paralysis. Needless to say , he had to quit music circle temporarily out of such misery. Nevertheless, when people all felt pity for Bob Dylan, he successfully got rid of drugs, recovered from that accident, and came back in people’s view with a brand new posture of more warmth in sensation, contrary to sharp criticism before. And he maintained such a state up till now.  Artistic and personal style张源 We can say that, generally speaking, Dylan’s music style has undergone a process of rock music-to-protesting folk music-to-peaceful folk music. Dylan's lyrics incorporate a wide range of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences. They defied existing pop music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture. Dylan performs with guitar, keyboards, and harmonica. He is , viewed by others, rebellious and has independent thinking. People regard him of the greatest cultural icon, the Godfather of folk rock, an anti-war hero, a legend in music circle. However, he refuses all the labels on him, saying none of them is believable, and keeps on writing, singing and painting peacefully. He will not change himself by others or the authority. For instance, in 2010, Dylan was invited by President Obama to sing the song Things Have Changed, in memory of American Human Rights Movement, but he didn’t even participated the rehearsal, and showed no interest when taking a picture with Obama. Another thing, as we all know, Bob Dylan hasn’t answered the phone to inform him of his winning Nobel Prize until today, making the whole world waiting to figure out his attitude towards such an event.  Achievement and influence佳琪 Dylan has been described as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, musically and culturally. He was included in the Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century where he was called "master poet, caustic social critic and intrepid, guiding spirit of the counterculture generation". In 2008, The Pulitzer Prize jury awarded him a special citation for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." In May 2012, Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, who said of Dylan, "There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music." In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked Dylan at number two in its 2011 list of "100 Greatest Artists" of all time, while "Like A Rolling Stone" was listed as the "Greatest Song of all Time." In 2008, it was estimated that Dylan had sold about 120 million albums worldwide. Besides, since 1994, Dylan has published six books of drawings and paintings, and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries. For 20 years, academics lobbied the Swedish Academy to give Dylan the Nobel Prize in Literature, which awarded it to him in 2016, “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. Dylan became the first musician to be awarded the Literature Prize, placing him in the company of Dario Fo, Toni Morrison and Samuel Beckett.  Finally, let’s appreciate one of his poems, Things have Changed, which was mentioned just now. A worried man with a worried mind No one in front of me and nothing behind There's a woman on my lap and she's drinking champagne Got white skin, got assassin's eyes I'm looking up into the sapphire tinted skies I'm well dressed, waiting on the last train张源 Standing on the gallows with my head in a noose Any minute now I'm expecting all hell to break loose People are crazy and times are strange I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range I used to care, but things have changed欣艺 (Free talk)What’s your attitude towards Bob Dylan winning the prize? Do you think what the rang of literature is? Despite some controversy, Bob Dylan is such a legend and a milestone of American music, even of the world’s literature. Today, the 75-year-old Bob Dylan hasn’t retired, still pursuing his dream, neither chasing wealth and fame, nor trapped by labels and difficulties. Just as what he sings in My Back Page: I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.