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Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone is arguably one of the most famous rock and roll songs of this century. At the time it was a song which was refreshing and innovative. Written when he was only 24, this stream-of-consciousness songwriting and rich melody continue to inspire musicians.

Information
Singer and Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Genre: Rock, Pop, Folk
Year of Release: July 20, 1965
Length: 6:09 minutes

Other musicians on the track
Mike Bloomfield (guitar), Al Kooper (organ), Paul Griffin (piano), Josef Mack (bass), Bobby Gregg (drums)

Inspiration for the song
The basis of "Like a Rolling Stone" was a 20-page short story written by Dylan. He said it was "just a rhythm thing on paper all about my steady hatred". Originally composed on the piano, the chords Dylan used came from Ritchie Valens' song "La Bamba." Dylan was also inspired by Hank Williams' Lost Highway with lyrics that start with: "I'm a rolling stone, I'm alone and lost; for a life of sin I've paid the cost."

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Why was it so popular?
The organ, piano, electric guitar and bass, drums, harmonica and tambourine are all working together to create a rich, whole sound. Bob's distinct nasal voice and his contrast against the background accompaniment complement each other in a unique way. While the sound is rich and varied, it is never "too much".

Along with Bob Dylan's lyrics on the universal theme of loss, this was something new - but also something that everybody could relate to. In the song, he describes a life before and after a fall from fame and fortune, telling the stories of multiple people and speaking to them in conversation. The theme of this song is loss, whether is it loss of social status, money, or trust for humanity.

Lyrical analysis
The song addresses class division. First, the singer addresses a woman who has fallen from the upper class. Some event has caused this woman to fall from grace and be cast out from the upper social circles, joining the ranks of those with no material possessions. The singer later addresses a "mystery tramp" and a third person, a "Napoleon in rags". The important idea to note here is that the song is also about illusion, misunderstanding and deception. The woman described in the lyrics never saw the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns, thought people were joking when they said she was riding for a fall and failed to realize that a diplomat was using her.

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Influence on Music History
The song's 6 minute length was considered too long at the time and caused his record label Columbia Records to reject it as a single. Dylan's producer Bob Johnston released the song anyway. It gave more opportunities for future songs to be singles without a strict 3-minute time constraint.

He was a great symbol for the cultural, political, and generational changes taking place in the United States and the world at the time in the '60s. His role as a singer and in his lyrics was one of a person who observed life and was involved in life - but could step back and see the "big picture" and reflect/comment on reality.

Like a Rolling Stone has been covered by numerous musicians including Jimi Hendrix, The Rascals, Cher and The Rolling Stones. It has directly inspired famous musicians such as Bruce Springsteen.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the greatest song of all time.

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Image Credits
Rolling Stone
Irvine Housing Blog