Bob Dylan's Influence during the Civil Rights Movements

1207 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Protest music and its impact on racial issues

Music has been around since the very beginning of time. The human body flows in a rhythmic syncopation. Music is used to change one’s mood and to inspire those who open their minds. It has the potential to cure diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Humans, of every culture and society, function with a type of rhythmic music. As humans, we are hard wired to respond to music (Mannes). The human brain responds to music in such a way that the brain becomes more open to new rhythms, ideas, and values. Music has the power to take over the human body. This makes it easier to overcome conflict and change the ideals of somebody while using music (The Power of Music).

During the Civil Rights Movement, Bob Dylan used his talent of music as his tool to help the movement sweep through the nation. Dylan had very big ambitions for not only his life alone, but for the world. Dylan had a massive influence on people’s minds, hearts, and souls. Dylan had a message to share. He was looking for a change, and it would come along if he had anything to do with it.

Robert Allen Zimmerman, A.K.A. Bob Dylan, was born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Mississippi to Abram and Beatty Zimmerman. At a young age it became very apparent that Dylan had an amazing musical gifted. By the age of nineteen Dylan could play the harmonica, piano, and guitar. While growing up, his friends and siblings would have classified Dylan as a “loner”. Though Dylan kept to his-self as a child, he had very big dreams and ambitions. Dylan longed to be more successful than one of his heroes, Elvis Presley. In a way Dylan achieved his goal. He became iconic. Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard were just some of the artists who gave Dylan his drive. He would later go on to schoo...

... middle of paper ...

...y thank him for opening our eyes to see a more free world.

Works Cited

Burch, Sharon. Longwood Sites. Jan 2013. 16 April 2014 .
Mannes, Elena. "www.npr.org/2011/06/01/136859090/the-power-of-music-to-affect-the-brain." Mannes, Elena. The Power of Music to Affect the Brain. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011.
Marinucci, Steve. Examiner.Com. 24 May 2011. 24 April 2014 .
Publishers, EBSCO. ESBCO Biography. 20 June 2013. 29 April 2014 .
Rioburg, Keith. Proquest - SIRS. 7 April 2011. 29 April 2014 .
"The Power of Music." Oxford Journals - The Journal of Neurology (2006).

Show More
Related

  • REGGAE AND ZYDECO

    3174 Words  | 7 Pages

    If one were to look back into the world’s history, one would find that an important and consistent element is the world of music. Music has presented itself in various forms throughout its spread and through our identification of its magical realm, people have been fortunate enough to come across a means of relation. Whether it is blues and reggae or rap and pop rock, there is music out there for everyone. Music can serve as a stabilizer for some, a relaxant to others, and to many a form of inspiration.

    Read More

  • Music of the Civil Rights Era

    1022 Words  | 3 Pages

    The words “civil rights” trigger a sense in the human mind. One of remorse, passion, and hope in a cause worth fighting for. Those weathered by its raging storms refer to it as a turning point in American life after over a century under segregation that can only be described as a necessary silence that African Americans were forced to take on the matter. However, the human mind found itself a way to express those feelings that flowed from its veins. That expression of power and revolt was music. Music acted as the horses that pulled pearlescent chariots of liberty and freedom to the front doors of the White House through public protests, involvement of musical artists, and its impact on the lives and culture of those who were oppressed. As a person against “civil rights”, it was viewed as a very simple matter, the music of the era was the devil’s work and needed to be stopped. Those approving of “civil rights” just pushed the activists further and further to the freedoms they believed that African Americans deserved.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan Influence

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bob Dylan started his life as Robert Zimmerman from Duluth, Minnesota and raised in Hibbing from the age of six. He first learned how to play guitar and harmonica, deciding to start a band called the Golden Chords in high school. After graduating in 1959, Bob Dylan would go on to study art at University of Minnesota. It would be his time at college when would start to perform folk music at coffee houses under the name, Bob Dylan. He drew his inspiration and even last name from poet Dylan Thomas. Blues musicians like Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie would influence Dylan’s music. In the Summer of 1960, Dylan would meet blues artist Jesse Fuller where Dylan would pick up the harmonica rack and guitar combination (allmusic.com). By the time of his return, Bob Dylan had grown substantially as an artist and now was determined to become a professional.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan

    1150 Words  | 3 Pages

    Born in Minnesota in 1941, Bob Dylan, then Robert Allen Zimmerman, befriended those less fortunate than him as a child. Through his childhood friends Dylan learned a valuable life lesson that material objects do not necessarily matter. Dylan’s childhood experiences of being the underdog shaped the political outcries that he sang about in the early 1960s. As a child, Dylan was influenced by early rock stars such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and “Little Richard (whom he used to imitate on the piano at high school dances)” (Bob Dylan). Young Bob Dylan even formed his own bands, which included The Golden Chords and Elston Gunn. Dylan then went and attended the University of Minneapolis and became a part of the folk scene. While in school Dylan became aware of the political and sexual freedoms amplifying among his peers. After dropping out of college Dylan then moved to New York and began to play small gigs until he was signed by Columbia Records in October of 1961. January of 1962, Dylan started to utilize his music in order to “show the experiences of injustice within American society” (Bob Dylan: 1960s Political and Social Movements ).

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan and Popular Music

    3157 Words  | 7 Pages

    Bob Dylan was considered one of the greatest influences on popular culture of all time, and though influential, Bob Dylan’s rise to idol status in popular culture was more brought about by historical factors, his life was affected by many historical events including, The Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War, the Kennedy assassination and the civil rights movement, to name a few. His songs became known as protest songs, despite Bob Dylan’s apparent lack of understanding for the meanings the public attached to his writing.

    Read More

  • The Civil Rights Movement in America

    982 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the Civil Rights movement continued to grow, it provided more inspiration and made it possible for increasi...

    Read More

  • The American Civil Rights Movement

    1533 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Civil Rights Movement of the 50's and 60's was arguably one of the most formative and influential periods in American history. Hundreds of thousands of civil rights activists utilized non violent resistance and civil disobedience to revolt against racial segregation and discrimination. The Civil Rights Movement began in the southern states but quickly rose to national prominence. It is of popular belief that the civil rights movement was organized by small groups of people, with notable leaders like—Martin Luther King, Jr, Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, and even John F. Kennedy—driving the ship. That is partly correct. The Civil Rights Movement, in its truest form, was hundreds of thousands of people organizing events and protests, working together to ensure that every American—whether black, white, brown and anything in between—had the right to a prosperous and harmonious life.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan Essay

    1251 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bob Dylan was born as Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth Minnesota, where he spent the first six years of his life, and then his family relocated to Hibbing, Minnesota. By the time this musically inclined boy turned ten he could already play the harmonica, piano, and taught himself how to play the guitar. In his first year of high school, he formed a group, the Golden Chords. Dylan then went to the University of Minnesota for arts only to stay there for three semesters. After playing at various coffeehouses he realized school was not for him so he moved to New York, when he turned twenty years old and had hopes of meeting his idol, Woody Guthrie, who he visited many times at the hospital. (Bob Dylan Biography | Rolling Stone) During his time there, he signed with Columbia Records after being spotted by John Hammond, who he is still with today. In 1965, Dylan married Sara Lowndes and they stayed together for twelve years and had four children together, one of their kids, Jakob, is in a band called the Wallflowers. (Bob Dylan Biography) The first album he composed was folk songs with him singing while also playing the harmonica and guitar. This album self-titled, Bob Dylan, had only two of his original songs, “Song for Woody” and “Talking New York”. His second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, inc...

    Read More

  • The Impact of Rock 'n' Roll on the Civil Rights Movement

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...o grew up in the tight nit-pick culture of the 50s who were influenced by this new wave of music of rock ‘n’ roll. The gap between values of parents and their children grew. As teens became more rebellious, the civil rights movement came to play. It was the same teens and young adults that took this rebellion from rock and made it lead the civil rights movement into action, realizing that not all tradition is right.

    Read More

  • Drug Use at Music Festivals

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since the earliest days of human civilization music has been a key tool for communication of stories which carried emotions through them. If we think back to our youngest years of life music has surrounded us whether it was from our parents singing us lullabies or from some sort of toy that played music we can say that musical melodies have helped shape or lives one way or another. Once we start growing up and figuring out who we are our musical preferences change; some people like classical and some like punk. We start to befriend people who like the same music as us and eventually we may attend a musical event. Our lives somewhat revolve around the music that we listen to.

    Read More

  • The Power of Music

    2759 Words  | 6 Pages

    “Music is the universal language of mankind” (Longfellow, thinkexist.com). When most people think about music they think of it as a subtle art. It is something that most people take for granted in their lives. It is fun to sing along to a song in the car, or to dance along at a party, etc... It is also a background noise in movies, or parties, or a variety of other places. Most people never stop and think about the transformative power that music can have on them. It should be made clear though that music does indeed have a transformative power. When a person is feeling depressed an upbeat song can lift their spirits up. The same is true for the opposite effect as well. If someone is feeling up, a sad and morose song can bring them back down. This is just a small part of the power that music has over our lives though. As the quote points out, music is a universal language. It is something that people of all ages, religions, genders, and ethnicity can understand and enjoy. This is what truly makes music a powerful force in our world.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan Civil Rights Movement

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Nineteen Sixties are arguably the most turbulent decade in United States History. We were a nation faced with extreme political and cultural upheaval, in both foreign and domestic affairs. For instance, while thousands of young American men were sent to die in the Vietnam war, at home many Americans were fighting their own war, with the civil rights movement.

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: How Music Changed My Life

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music is one of the most fantastical forms of entertainment. Its history stretches all the way from the primitive polyrhythmic drums in Africa to our modern day pop music we listen to on our phones. It has the ability to amaze us, to capture our attention and leave us in awe. It soothes the hearts of billions, and it is so deeply rooted in my life that it has touched my heart as well. Everyday I walk to the beat of the song stuck in my head and hum along to the melody. For me, to listen to music be lifted into the air by the hands of your imagination and float around for a while. You forget about your worries, your troubles and find peace within the sound. Every chapter in my life is attached with a song. Every time I listen to a certain song, thoughts of my past come flooding back

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Music

    910 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cooper, Belle. " How Music Affects and Benefits Your Brain."lifehacker.come. N.p., 11 22 2013. Web. 3

    Read More

  • The Effects of Music on the Mind, Brain, and Body

    519 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music has incredible effects on the brain and body! Ever since the beginning of time, music has been around. It can influence the way a person thinks and behaves, and also social interactions. Teens are more susceptible to this (Revatto 1). Music can be used in therapy by helping people with depression, and can even be a more natural way to heal the body (“How Music...” 1). In some cases, songs and melodies can help or make diseases worse. Music is a powerful thing and can affect your brain and many other things in your body in numerous ways.

    Read More

More about Bob Dylan's Influence during the Civil Rights Movements

Open Document