Before Bob Dylan became known as a gifted musician and counter-culture icon, he was born Robert Allen Zimmerman to a middle class Jewish family in Minnesota. He kept these mundane beginnings a secret from the public for a number of years, as it conflicted with the freewheeling, Woody Guthrie-inspired image he projected during the early days of his career. Though he began as a folksy protest singer, Dylan has had a number of artistic transformations over years ‘ including his controversial conversion from acoustic to electric, his Christian gospel phase in the 1980’s, and his recent Christmas album. Writing poetic lyrics full of arresting imagery mingled with social commentary, Dylan has gain renown as one of the most talented singer-songwriters that ever lived. He has had a huge influence on the musical community. Most musicians ‘ from the most renowned to the local café lounge singer ‘ cover Bob Dylan at some point during their careers.

‘If the point is sharp, and the arrow is swift, it can pierce through the dust no matter how thick.’

‘Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.’

‘What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.’

‘Behind every beautiful thing, there’s some kind of pain.’

‘I accept chaos, I’m not sure whether it accepts me.’

‘If you try to be anyone but yourself, you will fail; if you are not true to your own heart, you will fail. Then again, there’s no success like failure’

‘Sometimes it’s not enough to know what things mean, sometimes you have to know what things don’t mean.’

‘Life is more or less a lie, but then again, that’s exactly the way we want it to be.’

‘People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.’

‘You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.’

‘You can never be wise and be in love at the same time.’

Love is such a powerful force that it often overtakes the more rational parts of the mind. This is why so many people make choices that they may come to regret later after the relationship has come to an end.

‘When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it – don’t back down and don’t give up – then you’re going to mystify a lot of folks.’

‘I’ve never written a political song. Songs can’t save the world. I’ve gone through all that.’

‘Just because you like my stuff doesn’t mean I owe you anything.’

‘All I can be is me ‘ whoever that is. ‘