--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when…" description: "\"I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the village. He used to come and see me and sing songs for me, saying they ought to go into my nex..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/alan-lomax-39375_bobby_i-knew-bobby-dylan-back-in-the-days-when_190761.jpg" --- # I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the… ![“I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the village. He used to come and see me and sing songs for me, saying they ought to go into my next collected book on American folk music.” quote by Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/alan-lomax-39375_bobby_i-knew-bobby-dylan-back-in-the-days-when_190761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/alan-lomax-39375_bobby_i-knew-bobby-dylan-back-in-the-days-when_190761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/alan-lomax-39375_bobby_i-knew-bobby-dylan-back-in-the-days-when_190761.jpg) > “I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the village. He used to come and see me and sing songs for me, saying they ought to go into my next collected book on American folk music.” [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lomax recounts a personal encounter with Bob Dylan, highlighting Dylan’s early folk roots and his willingness to share songs for scholarly work. **In simple terms:** Lomax met Dylan and Dylan offered songs for a folk music collection. Key Takeaway Preserve and study early folk contributions. Themes folk music history collaboration culture archiving Mood nostalgic reflective Type historical anecdotal When to use this quote - musicology research - song collection - archival projects - documenting oral traditions Key Concepts Ethnomusicology artist‑scholar exchange cultural preservation Questions to Reflect On - How do personal memories shape historical narratives? - What responsibilities do archivists have to artists? A Different Perspective Dylan’s later commercial success may color recollections of his early humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Folk music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Village](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/village/) ## Related quotes > [“There’ll be people better and smarter than you, Adam. There always are. Your strength must be to want it more, and let nothing get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-north-patterson/there-ll-be-people-better-and-smarter-than-you-adam-there-always-are/) [Richard North Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-north-patterson/) > [The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-beatles-influence-on-american/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [Skiffle was a name that was attached to what was, in essence, American folk music with a beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/skiffle-was-a-name-that-was-attached-to-what-was-in-essence-american/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I'm not a fan of Dylan's music, per se, but I'm not a hater. I like the American folk music tradition, and I'll listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/i-m-not-a-fan-of-dylan-s-music-per-se-but-i-m-not-a-hater-i-like-the/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [I read a lot - surveys of vernacular music. A lot of it is the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music, which I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-read-a-lot-surveys-of-vernacular-music-a-lot-of-it-is-the-harry/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [ He \[Alan Lomax\] started right off trying to find people who could introduce folk songs to city people. He found a young actor named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/he-alan-lomax-started-right-off-trying-to-find-people-who-could/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [When you listen to the Anthology of American Folk Music, or anything like that - a compilation of garage bands from the Northeast in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/when-you-listen-to-the-anthology-of-american-folk-music-or-anything/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [I always thought I was singing American folk music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-donegan/i-always-thought-i-was-singing-american-folk-music/) [Lonnie Donegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-donegan/) > [Jazz I regard as an American folk music; not the only one, but a very powerful one which is probably in the blood and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gershwin/jazz-i-regard-as-an-american-folk-music-not-the-only-one-but-a-very/) [George Gershwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gershwin/) > [It seems to me that the American popular song, growing out of American folk music, is the basis of the American musical theater… it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-weill/it-seems-to-me-that-the-american-popular-song-growing-out-of-american/) [Kurt Weill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-weill/) > [My main influences are pop and folk music - Bob Lind, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, the Motown collection, The Zombies, Elliott Smith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-salpeter/my-main-influences-are-pop-and-folk-music-bob-lind-neil-young-joni/) [Greta Salpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-salpeter/) > [ Folk music had long been political but \[Bob\] Dylan's poetry took it to a new level. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/folk-music-had-long-been-political-but-bob-dylan-s-poetry-took-it-to/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Folk Music is the map of singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/folk-music-is-the-map-of-singing/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [The first songs I learned were 'It Takes a Worried Man' and Woody Guthrie's 'Grand Coulee Dam,' 'Rock Island Line' - those kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/the-first-songs-i-learned-were-it-takes-a-worried-man-and-woody/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) ## More by Alan Lomax > [The dimension of cultural equity needs to be added to the humane continuum of liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and social justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/the-dimension-of-cultural-equity-needs-to-be-added-to-the-humane/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [People were saying that Southern folk song was dead, that the land that had produced American jazz, the blues, the spirituals, the mountain ballads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/people-were-saying-that-southern-folk-song-was-dead-that-the-land/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [The modern computer with all its various gadgets and wonderful electronic facilities now makes it possible to preserve and reinvigorate all the cultural richness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/the-modern-computer-with-all-its-various-gadgets-and-wonderful/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [“The essence of America lies not in the headlined heroes ... but in the everyday folds who live and die unknown, yet leave their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/the-essence-of-america-lies-not-in-the-headlined-heroes-but-in-the/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [We now have cultural machines so powerful that one singer can reach everybody in the world, and make all the other singers feel inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/we-now-have-cultural-machines-so-powerful-that-one-singer-can-reach/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [The British ballads became a new kind of form in their hand. And out of them came the blues, a new kind of song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/the-british-ballads-became-a-new-kind-of-form-in-their-hand-and-out/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [Folk Music is the map of singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/folk-music-is-the-map-of-singing/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [He learned through the way that my father and I felt about his songs, his country songs, that they were great songs. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/he-learned-through-the-way-that-my-father-and-i-felt-about-his-songs/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [You could hear him, literally, half a mile away when he opened up. He was at his peak then. He was, naturally, dying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/you-could-hear-him-literally-half-a-mile-away-when-he-opened-up-he/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [And the thing that I always tried to do with important singers when I met them was to sit down and record everything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/and-the-thing-that-i-always-tried-to-do-with-important-singers-when-i/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) [Explore all 11 Alan Lomax quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) ## More Bobby quotes > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) > [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [All of our early hits, 'Danke Schoen' and 'Red Roses,' were produced by Bobby Darin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-newton/all-of-our-early-hits-danke-schoen-and-red-roses-were-produced-by/) [Wayne Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-newton/) > [It's my show bitch! -Bobby Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boondocks/it-s-my-show-bitch-bobby-brown/) Boondocks > [My mom's always been a good cook, so I took a lot of stuff from her, but most of the stuff I took from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-kane/my-mom-s-always-been-a-good-cook-so-i-took-a-lot-of-stuff-from-her/) [Christian Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-kane/) > [We did 'Jack & Bobby' in the middle of the Kerry/Bush election. It hurt it a little bit. No matter what we did, everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-berlanti/we-did-jack-bobby-in-the-middle-of-the-kerry-bush-election-it-hurt-it/) [Greg Berlanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-berlanti/) > [The first thing I would do when I saw Bobby coming down at me was to say a little prayer if I had time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-bower/the-first-thing-i-would-do-when-i-saw-bobby-coming-down-at-me-was-to/) Johnny Bower > [Perhaps you should bite me", Bobby Pendragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/perhaps-you-should-bite-me-bobby-pendragon/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [I haven't heard from Bobby since May when we had our conversation, but then this thing broke last week, where they arrested him, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-bond/i-haven-t-heard-from-bobby-since-may-when-we-had-our-conversation-but/) [Tommy Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-bond/) > [Bobby was one of the few people I had ever known who really wanted to do something for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-was-one-of-the-few-people-i-had-ever-known-who-really-wanted-to/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) > [“If Bobby can get a place to live, I think, then I can get a life worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/if-bobby-can-get-a-place-to-live-i-think-then-i-can-get-a-life-worth/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [Bobby Heenan to me, he was the best. Of all the guys that have been managers that can pick up a microphone and talk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dibiase-sr/bobby-heenan-to-me-he-was-the-best-of-all-the-guys-that-have-been/) [Ted DiBiase Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dibiase-sr/) > [He was so dominant. Bobby was the greatest defenseman who ever played the game as far as I'm concerned. I believe in my heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-esposito/he-was-so-dominant-bobby-was-the-greatest-defenseman-who-ever-played/) Phil Esposito > [I would actually like to play Bobby Brown. To me, he was just the King of R&B at one point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-gross/i-would-actually-like-to-play-bobby-brown-to-me-he-was-just-the-king/) [Lance Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-gross/) > [When I die, I want to come back as Bobby Layne's chauffeur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meredith/when-i-die-i-want-to-come-back-as-bobby-layne-s-chauffeur/) [Don Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meredith/) Browse all 174 Bobby quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the village. 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