4 Bob Dylan Songs From the ’60s That Changed the World

Where would the world be without Bob Dylan? Not just the world of popular music, rock music, folk music, protest music, and poetry, but the entire globe as we know it. Where would we be without the songwriter known as The Bard? The Minnesota-born artist helped change the landscape of song when he came to New York City in the ’60s.

Here, we wanted to explore four songs from Dylan that aided his efforts in turning songwriting on its head. Dylan brought new images, content, subject matter, and ways to say certain things to the table before anyone else. He helped usher in electric rock music before it was cool. And he wrote scathing, brilliant protest songs that raised eyebrows.

Indeed, these are four essential Bob Dylan songs from the ’60s that changed the face of the world as we know it.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)

The song that made Bob Dylan a star. While the artist released his self-titled debut album in 1962, it was his follow-up a year later that really put him on the map. And it started with the song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” For years, so many folk artists sang traditional songs—tunes that had been around for decades, centuries.

Dylan wrote brand new songs that only sounded 100 years old. He also wrote songs so beautiful and poetic that they were only made better by the fact that they sounded like they were handed down from on high. With this song, Dylan made the divine seem possible.

“The Times They Are a-Changin’” from The Times They Are a-Changin’ (1964)

For someone who was thought of as the next great folk artist, Dylan sure put a lot of time and effort into eschewing that designation. In fact, he wrote an entire song about how the world was changing. Not staying the same, not remembering its roots.

Bob Dylan put change on front street. Makes sense, the only thing that remains constant in life is change. So, why not write the anthem dedicated to that idea? Well, that’s what Dylan did. He wasn’t afraid of moving forward, not worried about finding his niche, for his niche was always further down the road. And he made that cool.

“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” from The Times They Are a-Changin’ (1964)

This song gets to the heart of injustice. And not every world-famous singer wanted to talk about it then, just as not everyone wants to talk about it now. But Dylan wasn’t scared. He plucked songs right out of the headlines, including this song about a 51-year-old African-American woman who was murdered by 24-year-old William Devereux “Billy” Zantzinger.

But it wasn’t the murder that was most unjust. It was that Zantzinger only got a slap on the wrist for it. And Dylan sings about that for millions to hear. The song, which is on one of his most popular albums, is still heard by many today. Thank goodness.

“Like a Rolling Stone” from Highway 61 Revisited (1965)

Perhaps more than any other song Dylan wrote, released, and performed, “Like a Rolling Stone” changed the way people thought about music. The man had risen to fame with his acoustic guitar. Now he was going to trade it for an electric? He’s going to insult all the folk fans who lionized him? But Dylan didn’t care, and he showed his peers and those who followed just how not to care either.

It’s not about what the masses want from you. It’s what you want from you. That’s an important, timeless lesson. And Dylan taught it early and often.