Rock’s Greatest Covers II: Bob Dylan’s Progeny
A few years ago, the Rolling Stones covered the greatest song in the history of rock n’ roll. No, this list isn’t about that. It’s about the guy they covered - probably the most covered song-writer in the last 45 years: Bob Dylan, of course, our national poet. And if the Stones didn’t get the irony of covering Like a Rolling Stone (they probably thought the song was about them, didn’t they, didn’t they?) they certainly knew they were joining a long, long list of musicians who’ve found musical inspiration and lyrics worth repeating Dylan.
To follow up on the weekend’s excellent thread of greatest rock covers, I thought I’d drill down here on the man whose works were mentioned the most by newcritics readers.
OK, so most people would say All Along the Watchtower is the greatest Dylan cover. The Hendrix version rearranges the Dylan original, famously adding the cigarette-lighter slide licks and some screaming wah-wah solo work. It was the only Top 40 song of Hendrix’s living career. Heavy virtuosity aside, the song remains essential Dylan - the joker and the thief, the evocative chapters and the overall set piece. And that’s true of all the Dylan covers.
I love a bunch of Dylan covers - from George Harrison’s wonderfully sweet If Not For You to Guns n’ Roses glammy Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (hey, hey, hey-hey-yaaaah). Some were hits - would The Byrds have had a career without Dylan? - and others are curiosities: remember Nancy Sinatra’s sterling It Ain’t Me Babe, William Shatner’s Mr. Tambourine Man, or Natalie Cole’s Gotta Serve Somebody?
Here are some of my faves - you probably have your own.
If Not For You - George Harrison
One More Cup of Coffee - White Stripes
Masters of War - Pearl Jam
I Shall Be Released - The Band
Quinn the Eskimo - Phish
Foot of Pride - Lou Reed
It Aint Me Babe - Johnny Cash
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go - Shawn Colvin
Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Sandy Denny
I’ll Keep It With Mine - Marianne Faithfull
The last three tracks are chapters in the long, proud history of women covering Dylan, and adding new perspective in the process. Colvin’s track is bright, Denny’s is sad and folky, and Marianne’s is - well - Marianne’s. Knowing. Experienced. Informed.
Alright, there are hundreds more out there - whatcha got?
Bonus videos:
Masters of War - Pearl Jam (two of ‘em, anyway)
One More Cup of Coffee - White Stripes
One More Cup of Coffee - the original…
My Back Pages from the 90s tribute concert, hat tip to the Viscount…
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Pops Staples - Masters of War (the definitive version I think)
Jerry Garcia - Senior
Sheryl Crow - Mississippi (is it a cover, it was released a coupla years before Dylan's version; she does it the way Dylan would have in 1966)
Them - It's All Over Now Baby Blue (famously sampled by Beck)
Rob Stoner - Seven Days (RTR bass player give it a scalding arrangement)
Of course the Byrds' Chimes of Freedom
If you really want to make yourself crazy there's a DB of more than 17,000 Dylan covers here.
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17K!!!!
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The full-band version of My Back Pages done Byrds-style
featuring Roger McGuin, Tom Petty, George Harrison (brings tears to my eyes(!),) Neil Young, Clapton, and of course Bob Dylan has to be one of the coolest things I've ever experienced at a concert.
Check it Out.
[Tom - maybe this video deserves to be promoted to the bonus videos in the mail post?]
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You can even listen to it here:
http://jasonandthescorchers.com/diesel_cafe/die...
I'm also partial to Steve Earle's "My Back Pages", but I'm an Earle freak.
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I shouldn't have left off Nico's track - that's a good one.
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Unlike other songs mentioned here, it's not just a cover, it's reclamation. Van redefines the song, wraps in silk and soul and proclaims here - here is heartbreak. It is, like most of Astral Weeks, celestial.
Once heard you cannot listen to Dylan sing it without thinking of the Morrison version. It's like there are two different songs from one source - both equally stunning and essential.
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Cassandra Wilson's cover of Shelter From the Storm is sublime. She also does wonderful covers of The Weight, Last Train To Clarksville, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, and If Loving You Is Wrong, among others.
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1. Johnny Cash - Hurt (Nine Inch Nails)
2. Sublime - Scarlett Begonias (Grateful Dead)
3. Fall Out Boy - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
4. Chris Carabba - Woe (Say Anything)
5. Pearl Jam - Keep On Rockin in the Free World (Neil Young)
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Van Morrison's "Just Like a Woman" (live 1971)
Roseanne Cash's "License to Kill" (saw that live in LA in 2003)
Odetta's "Masters of War"
Joan Baez's "Farewell Angelina"
and a million more...
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Madeleine Peyroux: You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You GO
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I think even Bob would say this is the definitive version, jusr like Hendix's Watchtower.
Richie Havens - Just Like A Woman
Tom Petty - License To Kill
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Bruce Springsteen - Chimes of Freedom (mini CD released, I think, with the live box set)
The Band - Blind Willie McTell
Emmylou Harris - Every Grain of Sand
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Track Title Artist Album
I Don't Want to Do It Harrison, George Porky's