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The first and perhaps the best known of the three is “Masters of War,” a scathing missive he unleashes on the military industrial complex. Dylan manages to convey anger, sadness, and humor at the idea of the planet’s destruction on three separate songs.
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Global Thermonuclear War was a very real possibility when Freewheelin’ was released, as the U.S. Dylan continues to say more with less with verses like, “He went down to Oxford Town / Guns and clubs followed him down / All because his face was brown / Better get away from Oxford Town.” Because it was the early ’60s, his enrollment was met with serious resistance throughout the state, including from the governor at the time, Ross Barnett.ĭylan wrote the song in response to an invitation by Broadside magazine, a mimeographed and independent monthly folk magazine, which invited folk singers around the country to lend their creative voices to their reaction toward the incidents. The song draws its inspiration from the tumult caused by James Meredith enrolling at the University of Mississippi, hence integrating the school for the first time. The lesser-known “Oxford Town” further examines racial problems in the South, and while it never had the honor of appearing in Forrest Gump, it’s subtly poignant nonetheless. The verses themselves, like much of Dylan’s great early work, draw their power from their simplicity: “How many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free? / And how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?”
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This hymn on integration and the failure to act is the prototype for the “folk songs that mattered.” Dylan’s decision to write the song’s verses as a series of unanswerable questions gives increased weight to the song’s scope. Lots of people my age probably sang it around summer-camp campfires and/or in 7th grade music class. The album begins with “Blowin’ in the Wind,” the definitive recorded protest song of the time period. Similar to his debut album, almost all of Freewheelin’ features just Bob Dylan, his acoustic guitar, and occasionally his harmonica, increasing its intimacy and personal touch.
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And, like many great albums, the specter of lost love and heartbreak hangs over everything. Much of the album concerns the social unrest that was beginning to stir in the early to mid ’60s, particularly the growing Civil Rights Movement, as well as increasing anxieties about global conflict. Dylan’s songwriting, already unique among his contemporaries, markedly improved with this album and proved that he could be lyrically arresting no matter what the subject matter.įreewheelin’ is the blueprint for a topically diverse album. His faith in Dylan’s ability was certainly well-placed, as the artist elevated his game during the year-long record process for Freewheelin’. John Hammond, who’d signed Dylan to the label, remained steadfast in his support and produced the sophomore album. His self-titled first album, while a creative success, did not result in a financial windfall for Columbia/CBS Records. With the release of Freewheelin’ 55 years ago, Dylan was recognized as a serious singer-songwriter in the mold of Woody Guthrie, speaking profoundly about complex social and personal issues.įreewheelin’ was Bob Dylan’s second album in a career that’s spanned six decades. When Dylan put out his eponymous first album the year before, he was seen as a gifted folk singer, but not necessarily a successful one. When The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was released in 1963 it changed folk music and the country’s perception of young Robert Zimmerman, a.k.a. Happy 55th Anniversary to Bob Dylan’s second studio album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, originally released May 27, 1963.