Simply calling Bob Dylan, 78, a musician would be an understatement. The singer, whose lyrics arguably carry just as much meaning as Shakespeare’s sonnets, wowed the world with his gift with words, soulful performances and political messages ever since he rose to fame in the 1960’s. Now, Timothée Chalamet will take on the big task of playing the icon in his youth for a movie directed by James Mangold (Logan, Girl, Interrupted), according to our sister publication Deadline. For now, the movie is reportedly being referred to as Going Electric, an appropriate name that reflects Bob’s shift in genres that rocked the world. More on that below — read on to learn about one of the biggest influences in 20th century music!
1. Bob Dylan got his start in folk music. The singer, then only 20 years old, largely focused on folk music when he released his self-named debut studio album in 1962. He would go on to release three more studio albums — and many protest songs — before rock ‘n’ roll became a major factor in his success.
2. His music was used as a rallying cry against war and other injustices. Bob’s songs could be considered the theme music of the counterculture era. Songs such as “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” especially resonated with listeners who protested violence brought on by the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and advocated for equality during the Civil Rights Movement.
3. He refused to be pigeonholed into one music genre. Bob famously segued into rock music when he adopted electric instruments for his 1965 album, Bringing It All Back Home, and performed his first electric set that same year. This switch to a rock ‘n’ roll sound blessed the world with his most famous hit, “Like a Rolling Stone” — Bob would never be considered just a folk singer from there on out!
4. Bob won a Nobel Peace Prize — in literature. Sure, Bob released an experimental poetry book titled Tarantula in 1971 and published an autobiography, Chronicles, in 2004, but his 2016 win shocked the world considering his official occupation. Even though Bob was known for his music, he was honored with the literature award — the first American to manage this accomplishment in 23 years — “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,” according to an official press release.
5. Bob has performed in thousands of concerts — and is still going. By 2016, The Nobel Prize committee estimated that Bob had performed in over “3000 concerts.” As for what’s next, the legend will be taking his talents to Japan for a 14-concert tour in April of 2020!