Bob Dylan‘s contribution to the music industry has made him one of the most respected and valued musicians. His long-standing career of over 60 years has made him a distinguished figure in pop culture for generations. Dylan has sold more than 125 million records, with successful albums and chart-topping records. His success has brought him many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, ten Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe. He was also the first musician to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
His works in the 1960s, including the unofficial anthem for the civil rights movement, ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ have helped him spread his name worldwide and build a reputation as a musician and civil rights activist. However, his unpredictable success with the song has encouraged many people to come out of the woodwork to try to tarnish his skills and credibility as a musician.
Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ Was Allegedly Stolen
‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ was originally just a song Dylan played to Gil Turner in a coffee house, singing the lyrics he had jotted down on a piece of paper. It was a song Dylan claimed to have written in 10 minutes, so he never expected the track to be of value. However, the exact opposite happened, and the song became an anthem of fighting for people’s rights and equality, even though the musician claimed he didn’t write protest songs.
Although it achieved so much greatness in a short time, it also raised questions and accusations from several people. One of those who wanted to diminish Bob Dylan’s character and credibility was a New Jersey economics teacher, who claimed that his student Lorre Wyatt had penned the song at 15 years old and accused Dylan of buying the lyrics for a $1,000 donation to charity.
However, it was later discovered that only the name of Wyatt’s song ‘Freedom is Blowing in the Wind’ was similar. Wyatt later confessed that the song never existed, which proved to the world that the teacher was trying to frame Dylan, but the truth eventually came out. To this day, the track remains a classic representing the importance of human rights and equality.
You can listen to ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ below.
