\"Mr. Tambourine Man\" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, which was released on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home (see 1965 in music). The Byrds also recorded a version of the song that was released as their first single on Columbia Records and which reached #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. The Byrds' version was also the title track of their first album, Mr. Tambourine Man. The Byrds had access to an early version of the song recorded by Dylan and Ramblin' Jack Elliott during the session for the 1964 album Another Side of Bob Dylan. Because of their early access to the song, The Byrds were able to release their version just two weeks after Dylan's. The Byrds' recording of the song was influential in initiating the musical subgenre of folk rock, leading many contemporary bands to mimic its fusion of jangly guitars and intellectual lyrics in the wake of the single's success.
This song has been covered by many artists, including Judy Collins, Odetta, Melanie, and William Shatner. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been included in multiple Dylan and Byrds compilation albums. It has been translated into several languages, and has also been used in television shows and films, and referenced in several books.
The song has a bright, expansive melody and has become famous in particular for its surrealistic imagery, influenced by artists as diverse as French poet Arthur Rimbaud and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. The lyrics call on the title character to play a song and the narrator will follow. Interpretations of the lyrics have included a paean to drugs such as LSD, a call to the singer's muse, a reflection of the audience's demands on the singer, and religious interpretations. Dylan sings the song in four verses, but only one of these was recorded by The Byrds. Dylan's and The Byrds' versions have appeared on various lists ranking the greatest songs of all time, including an appearance by both on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best songs ever. Both versions also received Grammy Hall of Fame Awards.
In other news, I have added the lyrics to this song so you can sing along, or perhaps learn the song! This is how I learned my first Byrds song! Enjoy :)
