The Times They Are A-Changing
The times they are changing are classic, timeless works of art that play the song of change. As times vary, those who choose to live in the past will struggle to keep up.
The first stanzas perfectly sum up what the song is concerned about. The world's people "recognize that the waters around [them] have become more" he means that change has come. If people like Putin do not accept evolution, he will drown in the past. It is interesting to note that written in 1964, given its history and present. At the time, sentiment against the Cold War was strong. Bob Dylan tries to show that those who want to preserve a previous culture will eventually fall as new changes increase rapidly with this call for change. It does not occur to Putin that the countries of the Eastern Bloc separated behind the communist curtain.
The second stanza shifts the focus of everyday people to writers and journalists. People who prophesy with their pens pay close attention to what happens when times change because you never know what might happen. The wheel is still turning, which means that many changes will occur, "the loser can win", and journalists and writers need to look at the world with sharper eyes. It's a universal idea for journalism, and we see it every day. Unforeseen events take place, and modern journalists should try to anticipate them because they can not turn back the time when they happened.
The third stanza focuses on the politicians responsible for the people's will. Many leaders are speeding up their interests. When people demand change, leaders like Putin "stand in the doorway, blocking the stage, waving false flags, telling lies and spreading misinformation. Although I think the opening stanzas are the best, they come because politicians are trying to get the truth to hide and will eventually lose because the demand for change (the furious battle on the streets) at the door will ultimately defeat even the strongest politicians.
The last group of people are parents. In the fourth stanza, he reminds parents that children are the future. As times change, parents have no right to criticize what they do not understand. He says parents should not try to steer their children on the path of a dusty, old road because they have not paved it. Boys and girls need to pave a new way, and if parents do not want to help, they need to come out of this cultural change. Contradictory because parents want the best for their children, and sometimes their "best" is different from the child's. Parents who hinder their children's decisions are on a dead-end street. Every child has dreams and aspirations, and every time the father gets in the way of a plan, the future becomes less bright. I know this is not a popular opinion among parents, as many dreams are far-fetched and risky.
True greatness often comes from taking risks. The last stanza shows the universal and constant nature of change. The current change will soon be a thing of the past from what we know today. It's strange to think of life as this rapid, linear movement of time, but it's true. Even if you are young now, you will also grow old soon, and what will support you is change. If you do not accept change at all stages of life, you will also "drown like a stone". This existential question of change must be acceptable to all!
In my opinion, "The Times They Are A-Changing" is Bob Dylan's best song, and it's one of my favourite songs because of the messages it conveys. He perfectly sums up why Bob Dylan wrote the song, from his memorable melody to the universal lyrics. Like many other artists, Bob Dylan had something to say about the world, and this song is his response to the universal changes around him.
Putin's attachment to the communist era, his lies, false flags and corruption have brought the world to the brink of chemical and nuclear war. Thousands of Russian soldiers, Ukrainian soldiers, and people have died in this senseless war, and more and more are about to die. Putin's actions could destroy Earth, and planet B does not exist.
Gather 'round people.
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You will drench to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
And you better start swimming
For the times they are a-changing.'
Come, writers and critics,
Who prophesizes 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-changing.'
Come, senators, men of Congress.
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-changing.'
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 agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changing.'
The line it is drawn.
The curse is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changing.'
Die Tye Wat Verander
Die tye wat verander is ‘n klassieke, tydlose kunswerk wat die lied van verandering speel. Diegene wat kies om in die verlede te leef, sal sukkel om by te hou, soos tye verander.
Die eerste strofe som perfek op waaroor die liedjie gaan. Die mense van die wêreld “erken dat die waters rondom [hulle] meer geword het”, hy bedoel dat verandering gekom het. As mense soos Poetin nie verandering aanvaar nie, sal hy in die verlede verdrink. Dit is interessant om daarop te let dat dit in 1964 geskryf is, gegewe die geskiedenis en die hede. Destyds was die sentiment teen die Koue Oorlog sterk. Bob Dylan probeer wys dat met hierdie oproep tot verandering, diegene wat ‘n vorige kultuur wil bewaar, uiteindelik sal val omdat nuwe veranderinge vinnig toeneem. Dit geval Poetin nie dat die lande van die Oosblok agter die kommunistiese gordyn geskei is nie.
Die tweede strofe verskuif die fokus van alledaagse mense na skrywers en joernaliste. Mense wat met hul penne profeteer, let noukeurig op wat gebeur wanneer tye verander, want jy weet nooit wat kan gebeur nie. Die wiel draai nog, wat beteken dat baie veranderinge steeds sal plaasvind, “die verloorder kan moontlik wen”, en joernaliste en skrywers moet met skerper oë na die wêreld kyk. Dit is ‘n universele idee vir joernalistiek, en ons sien dit elke dag. Onvoorsiene gebeure vind plaas, en moderne joernaliste moet probeer om dit te antisipeer, want hulle kan nie die tyd terugdraai toe dit gebeur het nie.
Die derde strofe fokus op die politici wat verantwoordelik is vir die wil van die mense. Baie leiers bespoedig hul eie belange. Wanneer mense verandering eis, staan leiers soos Poetin “in die deuropening, en versper die verhoog, waai vals vlae, vertel leuens en versprei verkeerde inligting. Alhoewel ek dink die openingstrofe is die beste, kom dit na vore omdat politici wat probeer om die waarheid weg te steek, uiteindelik sal verloor omdat die eis om verandering (die woedende stryd op straat) by die deur uiteindelik selfs die sterkste politici sal verslaan.
Die laaste groep mense is ouers. In die vierde strofe herinner hy ouers daaraan dat kinders die toekoms is. Soos tye verander, het ouers geen reg om te kritiseer wat hulle nie verstaan nie. Hy sê ouers moenie probeer om hul kinders op die pad van ‘n stowwerige, ou pad te stuur nie, want hulle is nie geplavei nie. Seuns en dogters moet ‘n nuwe pad baan, en as ouers nie wil help nie, moet hulle uit hierdie kulturele verandering kom. Dit is teenstrydig omdat ouers die beste vir hul kinders wil hê, en soms is hul “beste” anders as die kind s’n. Ouers wat hul kinders se besluite verhinder, is op ‘n doodloop straat. Elke kind het drome en aspirasies, en elke keer as die pa in die pad staan in van ‘n plan, word die toekoms minder helder. Ek weet dit is nie ‘n gewilde mening onder ouers nie, aangesien baie drome vergesog en riskant is, kom ware grootsheid dikwels uit die neem van risiko’s.
Die laaste strofe toon die universele en konstante aard van verandering. Die huidige verandering sal binnekort iets van die verlede wees van wat ons vandag ken. Dit is vreemd om aan die lewe te dink as hierdie vinnige, lineêre beweging van tyd, maar dit is waar. Al is jy nou jonk, sal jy ook gou oud word, en wat jou sal ondersteun is verandering. As jy nie verandering in alle stadiums van die lewe aanvaar nie, sal jy ook “soos ‘n klip verdrink”. Hierdie eksistensiële vraag om verandering moet vir almal aanvaarbaar wees!
Na my mening is “The Times They Are A-Changing” Bob Dylan se beste liedjie, en dit is een van my gunsteling liedjies, vanweë die boodskappe wat dit oordra. Van sy onvergeetlike melodie tot die universele lirieke, som hy perfek op hoekom Bob Dylan die liedjie geskryf het. Soos baie ander kunstenaars, het Bob Dylan iets oor die wêreld te sê gehad, en hierdie liedjie is sy reaksie op die universele veranderinge rondom home.
Poetin se gehegtheid aan die kommunistiese era, sy leuens, vals vlae en korrupsie het die wêreld op die rand van chemiese en kernoorlog gebring. Duisende Russiese soldate, Oekraïense soldate, mense het in hierdie sinnelose oorlog gesterf, en meer en meer is op die punt om te sterf. Poetin se optrede kan planeet Aarde vernietig, en planeet B bestaan nie.
