The reference advising to "stay away from those That carry around a fire hose" is about the use of fire hoses to control protests/riots (see Watts Protests in the 60s, etc.).

Believe it or not, this was a Top 40 hit in 1965 .. yup .. you could turn on the radio, hear a Frank Sinatra tune and then this revolutionary sound would play next. #theMaster

This isn’t Dylan “trying out rap.” He wrote this in 1965. But I’m really happy you’re introducing this to your audience. Love it.

This isn't his only song that presages rap, he had several that were of a style known as "talking blues", which was also a style often used by Woody Guthrie, who was arguably Dylan's primary musical influence.

NOBODY was writing songs like this in 1965. He was so ahead of his time. Still is.

The video is worth finding .

For 30 years I used Dylan and Bob Marley to help teach poetry. The kids into rap always got it.

I knew that once rap music fans heard this tune they’d recognize Dylan’s genius & range. Folk, protest, rock, country, rap, he does it all. Happy to see you get to this tune. Great reaction.✌️❤️🎶

Bob Dylan was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize for literature. You have almost but not quite heard a teeny, tiny bit of Dylan's output. Keep it up.

The 60s protest/anti-war group called “The Weathermen” took their name from the line in this song, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

The music video for this track is iconic - and has been ripped off so many times. In the background of the video you also see Allen Ginsberg, an American beat poet best known for Howl. Dylan was definitely ahead of his time. I love the comic nature of this song.

The “ Talking Blues “ was a style way before current Rap. Dylan is a lyrical genius .

Talkin blues....the godfather of rap. 13 years before the first real rap song. Also, in the late 60s a radical splinter group of the SDS, took the name Weathermen from this song

I'm an old guy; I was listing to everything Dylan in the '60s and after. I would memorize dozens of his songs and perform them for my friends. When Rap and Hip-Hop came around I wondered if anyone was drawing the connection with some of the verses of Bob Dylan. It's also interesting to see that much of his poetry is just as relevant as it was when he composed it.

You're chillin on it like we did 50-60 years ago. Makes it classic.

As much as I can't fault you listening to Dylan during his hey day, he also has a lot of later day masterpieces that are just as impressive even if they're not as well known: Ain't Talkin', The Man in the Long Black Coat, Most of the Time, Mississippi, Not Dark Yet, Highlands, Every Grain of Sand, Tempest, and even several songs from his last album (his best in years): I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You, Black Rider, Key West, and Murder Most Foul.

This has always felt to me like he was dispensing wisdom to young people while jumping rope. Iconic song. Cool reaction.

What an amazing song to do. Analyzing Dylan is like finding an electron. Not in any one place until you analyze, and then it is your own perspective that most affects the measurement.

Check out "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream", from the same album. It's one of my favorites of his lesser-talked-about works. It doesn't have quite the same flow as Subterranean, but I think it's one of his funniest songs. It's the best surreal scramble of Columbus, Moby-Dick, and American history you'll ever hear! Also I dig the Samurai Chambloo ED beat at the end of the vid! Now I have to go listen to the whole song...

Check out Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream ~ off the same album. Hilarious too.

Bob Dylan wasn't "trying" to rap. Rap didn't exist in 1965. Bob Dylan was doing Bob Dylan. RAP SOUNDS LIKE DYLAN!! Not he other way around.

The Inkwell was a folk club in Boston that Bob used to hang around.

I second Tombstone Blues to do next. During his pure "folk" era Dylan wrote a lot of songs that tackled specific political issues directly, and after he went electric and his lyrics got more metaphorical he was accused of selling out. But the political angle never left - this, It's Alright Ma, Tombstone, Stuck Inside of Mobile and so many more are stuffed with social commentary. The freeing up of his writing style just meant he could tackle *everything* at once - violence, religion, the police, government authorities, race, imperialism, corruption, hypocrisy, you name it.

Bob Dylan- Winner of the Nobel prize in Literature!

I'm so used to hearing this with the visual of Dylan's video, it was weird not to see it while listening.

His video of the song “ Subterranean Homesick Blues” is the first music video ever, followed years later by MTV, in which he was the first artist on MTV music. Hats off the genius of Bobby Dylan! Thank you for your insightful commentary of the song. No wonder why George Harrison said to Johnston ( Nashville studio producer) : You’ll hear Bob Dylan in the next 500 years. Please Check out “ I Want You”, “ Hurricane “, “ The death of Hattie Carroll”, “ Winterlude”, “ Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, “ Forever Young”, “ Just Like A Woman”, “ Blowing In The Wind” if you did not cover them in your channel. God Bless

“Tombstone blues” is Dylan’s third “proto-rap” masterpiece of 1965, check it out....and ive been waiting for u to do this song, thanks, i needed a good thing to happen, my day has been crap.

You would def get a kick outta the 'music video' that goes along with this song. 👍 Ps: Suggested the vid before you said it..😎

I'm so glad you found this and enjoyed it! It really is hip hop what sixty years before it's time? You gotta see the official video and maybe do another take on this.

I memorized this around 30 years ago and enjoyed hearing you break it down.

You should have done the video of the song; as IT is iconic, parodies of it showing up in commercials, TV shows, movies, and other forms of media.

I am glad you appreciate Dylan’s sense of humor. So many people don’t realize how funny he is.

You should listen to Maggie's Farm too, it's from that same album

If you listen to the band, it's hilarious how they don't know when the chord changes will come, so they're simply following Dylan's lead and hoping for the best!

There is the long rambling semi rap of Brown'sville Girl mainly seemingly about a Gregory Peck western . Bob being batty but brilliant

Was waiting and hoping for you to do this one ‘cause I was certain that you would like it! Brilliant track way ahead of time and as usual a great reaction! I’m crossing all my fingers that you will do ‘Desolation row’ next as it is fantastic and I’m convinced you’ll appreciate that one too! Greetings from Sweden.

It's dope that you see the similarity to hip-hop, I always tell people this was the first rap song. I grew up listening to Hip-hop and first heard Bob Dylan in high school. I immediately fell in love with his music because of his lyricism. He was my gateway from Hip-hop to all the other fantastic music out there and is my all time favorite musician.

If you want to hear some vocal acrobatics check the Monkees "Goin' Down."

I chuckle at this 'cause I did this at a Karaoke club and a person asked me, ”Was Bob Dylan 'rapping' on this song?"...I told him that nah, it's his 'folk flow'! Great vid, sir!

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind...

Bob Dylan's 115th Dream is worth a listen.

"Dylan was a big hip-hop fan-ever since rapper Kurtis Blow turned him on to artists like N.W.A and Public Enemy. 'These guys were definitely not bullshitting, Dylan wrote in "Chronicles." 'They were beating drums, tearing it up, hurling horses over cliffs.' "It's All Good" is his most gangsta moment: He adopts a Howlin' Wolf growl to flip the hip-hop catchphrase, kissing off a collapsing world where it isn't all good at all" (Rolling Stone "Bob Dylan: The Complete Album Guide" p. 67).

The song is called “Blowin in the Wind.” 😁

I love your show The Dylan stuff the most. Thank you

My two sons love rap I always point them to this track, both love Dylan too just goes to show brainwashing works ha. The first song I put on for them both in car ride home from hospital? Forever Young.

Oh this was my favorite when my Dad got me a Dylan CD in high school - maybe second only to Blowin in the Wind ❤️

Bob Dylan inspires a great deal of artistry and shocked his mostly folk/protest fans when he 'went electric.' You're absolutely correct about Dylan's music being an influential part of the roots of many Hip Hop artists.

Another fantastic video sir thanks 😊 I love your analysis 😀 syed respect 🙏 this songs 🎵 story still rings true today

These way before rap! What a genious! A huge influence and friend of the beatles.

Walk This Way by Aerosmith 1975 was rap before rap. But the first rap record was a 1949 record called Gospel Boogie by LeRoy Abernathy. It's total rap and they sing this song in churches a lot more these days since people think it's rap. But it was 1949!! Just search the song and there you are, the first rap record. The Pilgrim Travelers covered Gospel Boogie with Lou Rawls but it was original to LeRoy Abernathy who wrote it in 1947.

Great reaction Syed. I have been waiting for you to stumble upon this gem. I believe the song you were trying to remember in reference to the wind blows is "Blowing in the Wind". Keep up the good work. ✌️😊

Fascinating take on this song. It’s nice to see the song analyzed like this and an appreciation for the lyrical structure. I always believed that the line “weather man” was a reference to the Weather Underground but perhaps not. And the fire hoses as a reference to thebold police actions to quell protestors by using wayer hoses and water cannons. Anyway, count me in as a new subscriber i like your style

Check out the song..Bob Dylan's 115th dream... probably his funniest song.

Fire hoses were used on civil rights marchers in the 1960s

No, the fire hose was a reference to the fact that back then, the police, especially in the South, would use fire hoses at full force to break up demonstrations. We used to see it on TV regularly….mainly black young people being knocked over by the force of the water.

I'm on the pavement, thinking about a Dylan rap. It sounds so hilarious, I never get enough of it.

You have to watch the video!

Bob Dylan was one cool cat. Remains a key element in Rock -Folk history spawned by the Vietnam War (police state) era. . . Protect the Constitution 📜🎸 Rock on, for Posterity . . .

This is one of the rare songs you should actually watch the video - Dylan made a promotional film for this back in the day

Big fan of your channel, my friend! Maybe now check out 'Pump It Up' by Elvis Costello, who has said that SHB was a direct influence...then listen to 'Born Slippy' by Underworld to see it all come full circle in a 90s dance style...the Chuck Berry song is "Too Much Monkey Business' if you want to see how all this started...great reaction as always to Bobby D!

No one was doing this in the 1960s except for Bob Dylan.

Great you're getting into Bob's lyrics and delivery. In a similar style is 'Tombstone Blues' which sounds like a rap delivery with a fast paced blues backing. It contains several excellent short vignettes all with tremendous lyrical description. .....the sun's not yellow, it's chicken...🤣

"those that carry around a fire hose" - reference to the Police/Military who used fire hoses against people protesting/fighting for their civil rights in the '60s.

I remember this song being described as 'Dylan doing arithmetic with words'

I always heard this as Dylan singing about things people said to him, or other young people, rather than him giving advice to others.

Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of hearts by Dylan please!

Great reaction again.. This might have been 1st music video!!

The Weather Underground was a far left militant group in the 1960s that Dylan may have been referring to when when he says you don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows.

I'm old school Bob Dylan fan, but i really Love your analysis. Take no notice of the haters 😊

To folkies of the day this is an amped up exponent of the "talkin blues" category. Another talkin blues of dylans is his song " if dogs run free" which is more beatnicky from his "New Morning" album.

I adore your perspective on Dylan!! I think you would really enjoy his cadence in the song "Tombstone Blues" and would love to see you analyze it. Loving this channel, keep up the good work!

Hey man. I think your interpretations are awesome. Don't take any crap from anyone. You are articulate, insightful, and truly appreciative of the great music you are discovering. I enjoy your perspective. Good stuff!

This song was done in 1965 - way earlier than hip hop or rap No one was doing anything like this at the time

Dylan did a rap again in 1990 called TV.Talkin song

Dylan has praised public enemy

I'm 47 and I'm NOW FINALLY listening to Dylan and Velvet Underground better late thrn never .. Dylan is really like many say a genius best poet ever . Amazing Great KZfaq channel bro keep it up

So hard to have a favourite Dylan track because there’s so much quality and so much variety, but this is right up there. Like you say, the subject matter, the rhythm is all so modern - put his vocals over a different beat and it’s hip hop. Fun connection for you too - Radiohead have a track on OK Computer called Subterranean Homesick Alien which references this.

"You don''t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows", was the motto of the Weather Underground. (SDS)

Chuck Berry did a song called "Too Much Monkey Business" although I first heard it on the album "Five Live Yardbirds". Eric Clapton was in the group. Their name was a tribute Charlie Parker.

The song you may have been trying to remember in the second verse is "Blowin' In the Wind" ("The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. . .") Also, some have contended that the far-left militant group, The Weather Underground, got their name from this line.

Glad you like it .

5:25 Hes referencing Police tactics on crowd control in the South in the '60s. They often turn firehoses on civil rights protesters. 🌈✨

There is no truer lyric in all music than: “20 yrs of schoolin’ & they put you on the day shift”

You should react to Dylan's entire "Blood on the Tracks" album.

Listen to Dylan's Hurricane. I love listen to your analysis, and I always learn something I didn't know about songs I knew everything about!

There was a 1960's very Radical group, the Weathermen, that took their inspiration for their name from the line in this song "A domestic radical protest group called the Weather Underground or originally called the Weatherman or the Weathermen, a name taken from a line in a Bob Dylan song, the Weather Underground was a small offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS, a group created in the turbulent ‘60s to promote social change. When SDS collapsed in 1969, the Weather Underground stepped forward, inspired by communist ideologies and embracing violence and crime as a way to protest the Vietnam War, racism, and promote other radical aims. “Our intention is to disrupt the empire ... to incapacitate it, to put pressure on the cracks,” claimed the group’s 1974 manifesto, Prairie Fire. By the next year, the group had claimed credit for 25 bombings-including at the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, the California Attorney General’s office, and a New York City police station plus many others..."

I have to admit I'm surprised that you know that was Alan Ginsberg in the background of the video. That video was actually the opening of "Don't Look Back" which is considered one of the best music movies ever. Worth a look.

You have to think of lyricist like this as making paintings. Its not about the actual words but the feeling they along with the music convey, or paint.

Who's Maggie in this song you may ask? Try Maggie's Farm by Bob Dylan.

Love how excited you got about this one. I had to stand up and pace around because I got into with you. And I first heard this 30yrars ago. I think this is on Highway 51. If so, I'm telling you every song on that album is a classic.

Try "Murder Most Foul", even in his 70's, still amazing, the 60's, in a long song!

"....carry 'round a fire hose" could refer to fire hoses used to break up demonstrations as was common in the 1960s.

When people said the word rap in the sixties it meant to really talk to each other. It meant to talk to others on a deep level.

Now do "Bob" by Weird Al. Al parodies this tune brilliantly

I "knew" this song long before I ever heard it as my dad always used to quote "don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows" and "pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handle."

He wasn’t trying out rap, dude, he was pre-rap.

The fire hose reference is actually about fire hoses. In the 60s in was the usual tactic of the authorities to get the fire department to use water to disperse crowds.

i think the reference to those who carry round the fire hose-the cops used to turn fire hoses on protesters.

Fabulous Dylan. Words to burn in an alley with flash cards & Allen Ginsberg. Michael Bloomfield on terrific Telecaster. Biting the airwaves with Dylan.

There had been nothing like this song before it came out. It was astounding. And it made a stunning introduction to his groundbreaking album "Bringing it All Back Home" in 1965. The interesting thing was, when Dylan moved away from writing "topical" songs or "protest" songs about specific incidents and issues...as he had done in his 2nd and 3rd albums...and it had made him the darling of the New Left at the time...he actually began writing songs which were either very personal....or which, in effect, protested just about *everything* that was happening in society. Rather than focusing on one specific issue, songs like "It's Alright, Ma", "Gates of Eden", and "Desolation Row" (to name just three of them) were taking aim at almost every aspect of the dominant culture at the time. They were, in fact, far more revolutionary in their nature than the more overt "protest" material that had preceded them....and at the same time, they were far more personal. He had the gift of writing in a way that could hit many different targets and on many levels, all at the same time. Joan Baez said later that he was "so good with words, and at keeping things vague" in her own brilliant song "Diamonds and Rust", which is about her and Bob Dylan back then. You should review that song some time. "Diamonds and Rust" Joan Baez.