Blowin’ in the Wind

Blowin’ in the Wind

Bob Dylan

From the album

16 Legendäre Hits (1994)

Written by

Bob Dylan

Key:G major
Duration:2:47

Listen to the Song

Summary

Defining the 1960s folk revival, this track transformed Bob Dylan into a global cultural icon and a reluctant spokesperson for social change. Its enduring power lies in its lyrical ambiguity, allowing it to serve as a universal protest song across various generations and social movements.

Acoustic FolkProtest Song1960sSinger-SongwriterPhilosophical

Musical Analysis

The song's power lies in its extreme harmonic simplicity, rooted in the American folk and spiritual tradition (specifically the melody of 'No More Auction Block'). By strictly using I, IV, and V chords, Dylan creates a structural 'call and response' where the…

Chords

verse:G - C - G - G - C - D - G - C - G - G - C - D
chorus:C - D - G - C - C - D - G

History

Bob Dylan reportedly wrote 'Blowin' in the Wind' in April 1962. Legend suggests it was written in just 10 minutes at a cafe near Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village. Dylan first performed the song live at Gerde's Folk City on April 16, 1962, where he introd…

“The version released on the album was recorded in a single take.”

Full Musical Analysis

The song's power lies in its extreme harmonic simplicity, rooted in the American folk and spiritual tradition (specifically the melody of 'No More Auction Block'). By strictly using I, IV, and V chords, Dylan creates a structural 'call and response' where the verse ends on a Dominant (V) chord to signify an unanswered question, while the chorus lands firmly on the Tonic (I) to signify the wind—the intangible answer. The lack of a vi (Em) chord in the original recording keeps the harmony grounded and austere, avoiding the sentimentality found in later pop covers of the track.

Bob Dylan reportedly wrote 'Blowin' in the Wind' in April 1962. Legend suggests it was written in just 10 minutes at a cafe near Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village. Dylan first performed the song live at Gerde's Folk City on April 16, 1962, where he introduced it as a song about the current state of the world.

Defining the 1960s folk revival, this track transformed Bob Dylan into a global cultural icon and a reluctant spokesperson for social change. Its enduring power lies in its lyrical ambiguity, allowing it to serve as a universal protest song across various generations and social movements.

Deep Analysis Available

Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.

Song DNA

Genre

Folk

Era

60s

Mood

Reflective

Tempo

Mid-tempo

Key

Major

Texture

Sparse

Sound

Acoustic

Feel

Straight

Explore More

Listen & Learn

Statistics

7.4M

Plays

1.1M

Listeners

753K

Genius Views

12

Annotations

100%

Popularity

2:47

Duration

4/4

Time

Credits

Written by

Bob Dylan

Produced by

John HammondTom Wilson

From the album Biograph

Compilations

  • Folk, Gospel & Blues: Will the Circle Be Unbroken1999
  • Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century1999
  • Bacobens Rock Top 5002007