The sounds of English…
a listening experience
The Times They Are A-Changin’ Bob Dylan
Queretaro City, Queretaro, Mexico
The times they are a-changin’ Bob Dylan
“The Times They Are a-Changin’” is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album of the same name. The song was first released as a single in the UK. There it met with success and climbed quickly to the 9th position on the UK Singles Chart.
“This was definitely a song with a purpose. It was influenced, of course, by the Irish and Scottish ballads … ‘Come All Ye Bold Highway Men’, ‘Come All Ye Tender Hearted Maidens’. I wanted to write a big song, with short, concise verses that piled up on each other in a hypnotic way. The civil rights movement and the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at that time. Almost everyone knew everyone else. I had to play this song on the same night that President Kennedy died. Somehow it became a constant opening song and remained that for a long time”.
This is one of those songs that have a multitude of covers by top-level artists and performers. In this lesson, I have included only a few of the many singers and musicians that contributed with their own version to the historical archives of this song. Personally, I consider The times they are a-changing one of the Nobel Prize composer’s best songs. For that reason, I don’t find it surprising that it was ranked number 59 on Rolling Stone’s 2004 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
The idea behind this lesson is to look at both how the song has evolved from its basic one-performer acoustic guitar and listen to the different English accents of the various performers. This song starts out in its original release, in the format of a folk song with one singer, backed up by an acoustic guitar. Three world-class artists interpret it in this style. The remaining versions each contribute with variations that include more voices, choruses, additional instrumentation, or changes to the genre that take it to traditional rock, jazz, or free form.
This is an advanced lesson, for the lyrics are metaphoric and contain idiomatic expressions that are not easily understood by a beginner in the English language.
The lyrics
The times they are a-changin’
Come gather ’round people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
Come writers and critics, who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide, the chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway, don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled
The battle outside ragin’
Will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’
Come mothers and fathers throughout the land
And don’t criticize what you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly aging
Please get outta’ the new one if you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’
The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast
The slow one now will later be fast
As the present now will later be past
The order is rapidly fading
And the first one now will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’
Vocabulary
Gather To bring things or people together in one single place. The people gathered in the bars and pubs to watch the football match that night.
Gather ’round To get together around someone or something. The students gathered ’round the teacher to receive the assignments she was handing out.
To roam To move or travel without a particular purpose or plan. We roamed through the countryside of Texas, taking photos of the landscapes.
Drenched To be completely wet. We got totally drenched by the down pouring rain.
Drenched to the bone. An expression indicating that someone or something is thoroughly wet. Mary was drenched to the bone after falling into the swimming pool.
To prophesize To say what you believe will happen in the future. The mad man prophesied the end of the world in the year 2000.
A-changin’ An idiomatic expression that means changing. I have no doubt that things are a-changing in the city.
To stall To stop what is happening or advancing. The car’s motor stalled before the engine stopped completely.
Raging Happening with a lot of force or violence. The storm was raging when we were walking back from the office.
The curse it is cast. It is said when things are set in motion and can’t be stopped. The curse has been cast, and we will all suffer the consequences.
Metaphor A metaphor is commonly a phrase or expression used to describe another similar situation, person or object. The city is a jungle.
And admit that the waters around you have grown This can be understood or interpreted in many ways. In my opinion, these words describe that we have to admit that problems are getting more serious, they are growing.
Accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone Another metaphor open to interpretation. I would understand this as recognize that if you don’t do something about the problems, they will soon be out of control and without an easy solution.
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone I interpret this as if you don’t do something now, the problems you are in will overcome you.
The Listening Exercises
Bob Dylan, First recording and release,1963
This version is the original song as released for the first time by Bob Dylan in his album, The times they are a-changin’. Bob Dylan plays alone in his traditional style of his early years, accompanied by his guitar and the harmonica. Later on, his fans would bitterly complain when he formed a rock group by the name of the Band and played with electric guitars, drums, and bass.
Billy Joel – The Times they are a-Changing (1987)
This live presentation is part of Billy Joel’s tour in Moscow and Leningrad. As recorded before by Bob Dylan, this is an acoustic version with voice and background guitar. The lyrics are easy to follow thanks to Billy Joel’s clear enunciation.
We have talked about Tracy Chapman’s successful career as a musician, singer, and song-writer in the previous lesson, Stand by me, where she does her thing with her cover of that song. Here she presents her version of The times they are a changin’ in her unique, personal style. Once again, her pronunciation is quite clear, making it easy to understand the lyrics of this song. In this third rendition of the song. Tracy Chapman follows the same format and sings solo with her acoustic guitar in the classical style that Bob Dylan used in his release of this hit. The rest of the covers presented in the lesson will slowly diverge from this typical folk protest song pattern. We will observe as they add their own particular interpretation, including voices and choruses, additional instruments, or variations on the theme.
PETER, PAUL and MARY – The Times They Are A Changing LIVE BBC
Peter, Paul, and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961, during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The group’s repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey, early songs by Bob Dylan, as well as covers of other folk musicians. After the death of Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as a duo under their individual names.
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Peter, Paul, and Mary received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. One of their major hits was definitely their cover version of Blowin’ in the wind, also by Bob Dylan. Here they present their take of The times they are a-changin’. This cover is an easy listening experience that in its way follows the fundamental folk music style.
J Taylor, C Simon & G Nash Times They Are A changin’
This rendition is a rare treat. It allows us to enjoy two great American songwriters, James Taylor and Carly Simon. We have already mentioned James Taylor’s impressive lifetime achievements. Talking about Carly Simon. Throughout her career, Simon has amassed 24 Billboard Hot 100 charting singles, 28 Billboard Adult Contemporary charting singles, and won 2 Grammy Awards, from 14 nominations. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1995 and 1998, respectively, she received the Boston Music Awards Lifetime Achievement and a Berklee College of Music Honorary Doctor of Music Degree. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. Here they come together with Graham Nash, fundamental member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young to present their version of The time they are a-changin’. The changes to the structure of the song are like in the case of Peter, Paul and Mary, very basic. Simply put, James Taylor leads the vocal with the chorus participation of Carly Simon and Graham Nash.
Brandi Carlile – The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Live on KEXP)
In this version by Brandie Carlie, we see the theme progressing to additional performers on the stage. The lead singer’s heartfelt singing is accompanied by two other (still acoustic guitars), a single drum, and the backup choruses. It slowly departs from the traditional folk protest scheme. Notice how Brandie Carlile’s voice is still the only vocal in this version.The rendition is expressive, and the listening exercise is quite simple yet yet her powerful message is still strongly stimulating.
The Byrds The times they are a-changin’
New elements added to Dylan’s original release by The Byrds include drums, electric bass, and guitars. A totally new sound matches the rock and roll revolution of the time. The Byrds, present this cover in their album. The Byrds had successfully released their own covers of various Bob Dylan’s songs. In their album Turn, turn, turn (1966), they presented their particular version of The times they are a-changing in their own unique rock format. Here we can appreciate how the song begins to drift from its original musical form. The lyrics are followed with no problem, and it constitutes a relaxing listening activity.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ – BY FORT NOWHERE (NEW Netflix Version)
Fort nowhere is a music company from the UK specialized in music production for films and TV Networks. They describe themselves as Dark Matter. Music for the end of times. Their songs have been used by Netflix, NBC, HBO, Sky TV, BBC TV, and 5star. This is an excellent music production for the third season of the Netflix series The Crown, which follows the life of Queen Elizabeth. Without doubt, this song has gone a long way from the original version.The musical theme is explored in more detail and is rendered in a more contemporary style.Still, it is an easy and accesible listening study to enjoy.
Isabella Lundgren The times they are a-changin’
Isabella Lundgren is a Swedish musician, mainly dedicated to the jazz scene. Her Bob Dylan album has been nominated for the 2020 Grammy awards. She also delves into blues and swing. Here she presents a compelling cover version of the Bob Dylan folk song. Possibly the version that offers the most insight into the possibilities of the original theme. Of note are the classical jazz solos of the instruments, notably the piano, violin, and drums. Each explores the potential of the message that the song is transmitting through its lyrics. Again, her clear enunciation provides us with an effortless listening exercise.
There are a variety of different voices singing the same beautiful lyrics. Each voice with its own pace, inflection, and personality. Listen to these different versions, and exercise your English listening skills, remember that learning is fun, so enjoy!
All photographs by ©edudelcorral
Talking easy, the English lessons The Listening Exercises