Sings at the Clinton inaugural celebration

The concert at the Lincoln Memorial was a public celebration held in the days before Clinton took office, with a long list of performers. Dylan chose "Chimes of Freedom", a song from 1964, rather than one of his better known anthems. Clinton was the first president to come of age in the rock era, and the song's vision of freedom fit the evening's theme of a new generation taking charge. For Dylan, who had spent decades refusing the role of spokesman for anything, it was a rare appearance at an official political occasion. It also showed how far his early songs had moved from protest folk to national heritage. He returned to the White House years later, performing at a 2010 concert honoring the music of the civil rights movement.