How does it feel bob dylan

Overview

'Like a Rolling Stone,' often misquoted as 'How Does It Feel,' is a landmark song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in 1965 during a period of significant cultural and musical change. Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman in 1941, had gained fame in the early 1960s as a folk musician, but by mid-1965, he was transitioning to electric rock, a move that sparked controversy among his folk purist fans. The song was recorded on June 15-16, 1965, at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City, with a band including musicians like Mike Bloomfield on guitar and Al Kooper on organ. Its release coincided with Dylan's performance at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, where he famously went electric, leading to boos from some audience members. The song's lyrics, inspired by Dylan's personal experiences and observations of society, tell a story of a fallen socialite, reflecting themes of disillusionment and freedom, and it became a symbol of the 1960s counterculture movement.

How It Works

The song 'Like a Rolling Stone' works through its innovative musical structure and lyrical depth, blending folk storytelling with rock instrumentation. Musically, it features a driving rhythm section, with a prominent organ riff by Al Kooper that was improvised during recording, and Dylan's distinctive vocal delivery, which shifts from sneering to empathetic. The lyrics are structured in four verses and a chorus, with the repeated line 'How does it feel' serving as a rhetorical question that challenges the listener and the song's subject. Dylan's songwriting process involved drawing from his own life, such as his breakup with Suze Rotolo, and broader social critiques, using vivid imagery and metaphors to convey a sense of alienation and rebirth. The production, handled by Tom Wilson, emphasized a raw, live sound, breaking from the polished pop norms of the time, and the song's length allowed for extended instrumental breaks, influencing future rock compositions. Its impact is amplified by its cultural context, as it captured the spirit of rebellion and change in the 1960s, making it a timeless anthem.

Why It Matters

'Like a Rolling Stone' matters because it revolutionized popular music and solidified Bob Dylan's status as a cultural icon. Its success, with over 1 million copies sold in the U.S. alone by 1965, demonstrated that longer, more complex songs could achieve commercial success, paving the way for album-oriented rock. The song's themes of social critique and personal transformation resonated widely, influencing artists across genres, from The Beatles to Bruce Springsteen, and it has been covered by numerous musicians, including Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. In real-world terms, it helped define the 1960s as an era of artistic innovation and political awareness, earning Dylan a Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for 'having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.' Today, it remains a staple in music history courses and playlists, symbolizing the power of song to challenge norms and inspire change.