The 1963 Bob Dylan song that floored Robert Plant: “Summed it all up”
The eternal greatness of Bob Dylan has meant his lyrics from 1963 feel just as pertinent then as they do today, in 2026.
When he released The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan in ‘63, the political mood was tense. Driven by the ever-heightening sense of tension around the Cold War and the continued social injustices flaunted in the face of the civil rights movement, there seemed to be an endless sense of corruption that Dylan could uncover.
But in ‘63, there was a glimmer of hope amidst all of that. Dylan was one of many artists spearheading this cultural revolution that would eventually evolve into the counterculture movement, and there was a genuine feeling that this liberal resistance could shape the future. But as ever, bureaucratic powers found a way of abusing power, and so the decades rolled on with no real social change to remark on.
Dylan’s words continued to ring through the decades and became less of an account of a specific time in history and more an insight into the psychological nature of people in the Western world. Repeated patterns and dark motivations were exposed, and suddenly, Dylan’s on-the-nose portrayals of that made him the voice of a generation.
Any questioning of that school of thought ought to be immediately nullified by a quick scan around at the current socio-political climate. In 2026, tyrannical governments seemed to be on the rise quicker than they ever have been, and Dylan’s words feel less of a time capsule and more of a rally cry than ever.
“These really are ridiculous times that we live in,” Robert Plant mused, as he began to marvel at the undying genius of Dylan.
He continued, “And now, I think, more than ever, we hear the refrains of old come back. In other words, nothing’s really changed that much since Bob Dylan wrote ‘Masters of War’.”
In his tribute to the song, Plant focused on the opening verse where Dylan plainly states the people responsible for twisting the social order of the world, those that build bombs and hide behind desks as he made it clear that evil exists in all forms of a modern society.
But beyond that verse exists a song that is sadly timeless in its portrayal of the world. Despite Plant’s own songs living on eternally, he knew that nothing could come close to that. He said, “His eloquence throughout this song is in time immemorial. Nothing’s changing from Hannibal to what we’re dealing with now. He kind of summed it all up from the position of a young man looking at the inevitability of greed and power.”
Not only can that single track be traced through moments in history, but it can always be considered the blueprint for protest songs after it. Dylan gave permission for everyone in the ‘60s and ‘70s to follow suit and pen songs that never shied away from the crippling troubles of societal oppression, and that included Plant. But while many followed suit, no one came as close to the great songwriter and his original folk anthem.
Never Miss A Tale
The Far Out Bob Dylan Newsletter
All the latest stories about Bob Dylan from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.