Historical Artifact

For this assignment I am going to describe the historical and cultural importance of Bob Dylan’s song “Like a Rolling Stone.” This song including both the lyrical content and the musical/instrumental line are one of the, if not the most recognizable songs in American culture since it was first released. The writer of this song is also of historical significance. Bob Dylan was known in the 1960s for his political song writing. The 1960s was a time period of social and political unrest in the United States. With the Civil Right Movement and the controversial Vietnam War there was a lot to be said about the drastic changes that were occurring in America. Bob Dylan is one of the few songwriters of that time who is still widely known for song such as “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Time They Are-A Changing.”
The musical line of this song is very popular and majority of people would recognize the song if they heard it. It has been done over by many different musicians over the year and has appeared in many shows and movies as well. One of the reasons why this song is so popular is because of its lyrical content. The main verse lyrics are “How does it feel, How does it feel, To be on your own, With no direction home
Like a complete unknown, Like a rolling stone?” These lyrics brought with them the idea and confusion that many Americans felt during the chaos of the mid to late 1960s. It is very hard to walk away from this song once the first opening notes are played.
To share this song with other students who are unaware of this song and its importance, I would have to explain the importance and severity of the 1960s movement of social and political unrest. The Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, Women’s Rights movement along with the political tension created chaos throughout the United States. The conservative atmosphere of the 1950s clashed with the massive liberal changes within the culture. The death of John F. Kennedy brought an end to a new-age America. American society was restless and was going through what could be called a cultural and identity change. Among the young Americans at the time, it was a difficult time period many were unsure of what the U.S. government was doing and what part of society they would fit into.
This song is not only very important in the American culture but also in Dylan’s individual music career and music in general. The song was released on Dylan’s 1965 album Highway 61 Revisited. This album aided Dylan’s cut with folk music as he went forward with more of a rock sound. It can also be said that maybe it was a demonstration of what confusion Dylan was going through at the time this song was released. One of the main reasons why this song is so important is its significance years after it was first released. Everyone from The Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen has done a cover of “Like a Rolling Stone”. Rolling Stone magazine even named this song the number one song of all times.