BOB

DYLAN

Blowin’ in the
Wind
Blowin
in the wind
 How many roads must a man walk
down,
before you can call him a man?
 How many seas must a white dove
fly,
before she sleeps in the sand?
 And how many
times must a
cannon ball fly,
before they're
forever banned?
 ♪The answer my friend is blowing in the
wind,
the answer is blowing in the wind. ♪
 How many years can a mountain
exist,
before it is washed to the sea?
 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?
 ♪The answer my friend is blowing in the
wind,
the answer is blowing in the wind. ♪
 How many times must a man look
up,
before he sees the sky?
 And how many ears must one man
have,
before he can hear people cry?
 And how many deaths will it take till we
know,
that too many people have died?
 ♪The answer my friend is blowing
in the wind,
the answer is blowing in the wind.
(x2)♪
Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
Wind”

 How many roads
must a man walk down,  Civil Rights
before you call him a marches/Reference to
man? the burning of draft
How many seas must a cards during the
white dove fly, Vietnam War
before she sleeps in the
sand?
 To what extent must the
And how many times idea of peace be spread
must a cannon ball fly, before it is unnecessary
before they're forever to do so?
banned?  How long will it take
before society realizes
The answer my friend is that war is unjust?
blowing in the wind,  The answers to these
the answer is blowing in questions are “up in the
the wind. air.”
Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
Wind” (cont.)
 How many years can
a mountain exist,  How many years can a
before it is washed to the barrier or obstacle exist
sea? before it is eradicated
How many years can or forgotten?
some people exist,
before they're allowed to
 This is an allusion to the
be free? tune of “Blowin’ in the
And how many times can Wind,” which was
a man turn his head, derived from a
and pretend that he just traditional slave song
doesn't see? called “No More Auction
Block.”
 The answer my
friend is blowing in the
 How long can a person
wind, the answer is ignore society’s
blowing in the wind. apparent issues?
 Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
Wind” (cont.)
 How many times
must a man look up,
before he sees the sky?  The reality of life is
And how many ears must obfuscated by a
one man have, skewed perception.
before he can hear people
cry?  How many people will
And how many deaths will suffer before society
it take till we know, decides to take
that too many people action?
have died?
The answer my friend is
 These lines also hint
blowing in the wind, the negligence and
the answer is blowing in ignorance of
the wind. (x2) belligerents
Further Analysis
 Dylan uses an ABCBDB rhyme
scheme in this poem.
 The main idea of the song “Blowin’

in the Wind” is to promote peace

and an end to suffering worldwide.
 “I took it off a song called 'No More

Auction Block' — that's a spiritual

and 'Blowin' in the Wind' follows
the same feeling.” -Dylan
Bob Dylan’s Biography
 Bob Dylan is known as a famous singer and
songwriter.
 Dylan was born on May 24th , 1941 in Duluth,
Minnesota.
 His birth name is Robert Allen Zimmerman.
 He legally changed his name to ‘Bob Dylan’
after a Welsh poet by the name of Dylan
Thomas.
 Dylan attended University of Minnesota for
his freshman year, then gained an honorary
doctorate degree in music from Princeton
University.
 Dylan moved to New York to spend time with
an ill mentor and resided there for some
time.
Family Life
 Dylan converted from Judaism to Christianity
at middle-age.
 He married Sara Lownds on November 22,
1965. The couple divorced 12 years later. It
is thought that he made an attempt to win
her back through his songwriting.
 Dylan then married his backup dancer,
Carolyn Dennis in June of 1986.
 The poet fathered six children: Anna Lea
Dylan, Samuel Isaac Abraham Dylan, Jakob
Luke Dylan, Maria Dylan, and Gabrielle
Dennis-Dylan

Musical Career
 Dylan’s influences are Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little
Richard, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie.
 Dylan made his public debut in 1962 after signing a contract
with Columbia Records.
 Throughout his career, Dylan constantly reinvented himself
by adopting multiple styles such as jazz and country.
Angered people.
 Historical events such as the Civil Rights movement and the
Vietnam War, which Dylan opposed, greatly impacted his
life and writing.
 Dylan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ,
1988 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2002, and the
Candaian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2006.
 He won a multitude of Grammy, Golden Globe, Academy
Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a Pulitzer Prize.

Individual Style
 Although his music is classified as ‘folk’ or ‘rock and
roll,’ Dylan uses the “call-back” approach that is
common to the genre of blues.
 Dylan repeats lines in many of his poems.
 Each verse is comprised of a quartet followed by a
couplet.
 His poetry has no particular rhyme scheme, but
Dylan tends to rhyme every other line.
 Dylan explores the themes of love and peace.
 He protests the injustices of the Vietnam War and the
mistreatment of minority races through his works.
 The poet includes metaphors, imagery, and
symbolism to depict a desire for world peace and
his feelings towards significant others.
Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
Wind”
 How many roads must a man walk down –
(Rhetorical Question) Civil rights marches/ Vietnam
Before you can call him a man? – Burning Draft
cards / Discrimination (A.A.)
Yes, ’n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
– How long does the idea of peace need to be spread
before it becomes unnecessary to do so?
Before she sleeps in the sand? – ||
Yes, ’n’ how many times must the cannonballs
fly –How long will it be before we figure out that war
is not the answer?
Before they’re forever banned? ||
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is almost impossible to reach,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. - ||
Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
wind”
How many years can a mountain exist - How


many years can a barrier exist before it is

eradicated or forgotten?
Before it’s washed to the sea? - ||
Yes, ’n’ how many years can some people
exist – A.A. Civil Rights / Jim Crow
Before they’re allowed to be free? free
Yes, ’n’ how many times can a man turn his
head,
head - How long can a man ignore obvious
problems in society?
Pretending he just doesn’t see? -||
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
- “Up In the Air”
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. ||
Analysis of “Blowin’ in the
wind”
 How many times must a man look up – the
reality of life is blocked by a skewed
perception
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ’n’ how many ears must one man have
-ignorance
Before he can hear people cry? - How
many will suffer before we take action?
Yes, ’n’ how many deaths will it take till he
knows - ignorance
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the
wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.