Bob Dylan, 1965:
This blog post series is inspired a long time ago by @CarpeJamie. If you like, my blog post is a cover of his original blog post.
I'm going to choose five songs and argue that the cover is much better than the original version of the song. Obviously this post is all about opinion. And my opinion is no better (nor worse) than anyone else's opinion.
With the exception of covers played live, especially by tribute acts, a cover is only better than the original version if it is markedly different. Otherwise there's no point of a cover. It's a brave act that covers an original that was a big hit. It was brave and perhaps foolhardy of Bauhaus to cover T. Rex's Telegram Sam, The Stranglers to cover Dionne Warwick's Walk on By, and Doctor and the Medics to cover Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky.
I'm also excluding songs written by one established artist and given to another artist such as Frank Sinatra's My Way written by Paul Anka (who in turn had effectively covered Gilles Thibait's song Comme d'Habitude first performed by Claude François in 1967 - see my OL' BLUE EYES DIDN'T DO IT HIS WAY blog post), Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes written by David Bowie, Patti Smith Group's Because the Night written by Bruce Springsteen, and Scissor Sisters' I Don't Feel Like Dancin' mainly written by Elton John.
Also, I'm excluding songs which are clearly influenced by other songs. All songs are derivative to a lesser or a greater extent. Released in 1983, Girls Just Want To Have Fun written and performed by Cyndi Lauper, by her own admission, was very much influenced by a song of the same title written by Robert Hazard four years earlier in 1979.
Likewise, I'm probably not the first to recognise the similarities, especially the bass riff, between The Jam's Town Called Malice, written by Paul Weller, Daryl Hall & John Oates' Maneater and Phil Collins' You Can't Hurry Love. All three songs were released in 1982. Who covered who or perhaps they all covered a classic soul bass riff? Where does the influencing end and the covering start?
It's not easy deciding what the original version is. Is the original version when it was first written, first played live or first recorded?
First up in the series is Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. Taken from his 1967 album John Wesley Harding, the song's lyrics about a conversation between a joker and a thief have attracted considerable attention. Some reviewers believe the lyrics have biblical origins, while a few reviewers think the lyrics are just complete nonsense.
Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, 1967:
A Complete Unknown is a film very recently released about Bob Dylan's musical career. Bob Dylan is played by Timothée Chalamet and was significantly involved in the making of the film.
In 1968 The Jimi Hendrix Experience released a cover single of Bob Dylan's song. The single was a big hit in America, Britain and other countries. The song is consistently in Rolling Stone's 'The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time' compiled each year. And in 2000, the British magazine Total Guitar named the song as the greatest cover song of all time.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience's All Along the Watchtower, 1968:
Are there any cover versions of a song that you prefer over the original version?
Which version of 'All Along the Watchtower' do you prefer, Bob Dylan's or Jimi Hendrix's?
Are you a fan of the music of Bob Dylan and/or Jim Hendrix?
I'm not a fan of Bob Dylan's music - too folky and 'mumbly'. I certainly won't be going to see the A Complete Unknown film. Though not a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, I like some of his music. I think Jimi Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower original is far superior to Bob Dylan's original.
Below is a poll where you can anonymously select your most favourite version of the All Along the Watchtower song. Multiple selections are allowed for the poll.
Jimi Hendrix, 1969:
15
25 comments
Even though folk isn't my favorite genre, I do enjoy a lot of Dylan's earlier music. I think you should see A Complete Unknown, spunky. There are interesting historical aspects (like the Cuban missile crisis) and I enjoyed Dylan's rebellion against the folk "purists" like Pete Seeger. Timothy Chalamet is great (maybe a teensy bit too pretty though).
That said, I do think Jimi's version of this song is better. The guitar spices it up so much - Dylan's original is a teensy bit monotonous.
Anyway - c'mon, you've gotta give Bob credit for making what must have been one of the first MTV-like music films.
I've probably been a little mean towards Bob Dylan. Your clip made me feel bad. But my defence is that it took a great video clip to rescue the song!
@spunkycumfun small bit of trivia, the man in the background is beat poet Allen Ginsberg.
@smartasswoman I've got no problem with the beat poets.
I like most of Bob Dylan's songs ... except when he is singing them.
Your comment says it all about Bob Dylan. He may be a songwriter but he's no singer. But at least he got a Nobel Prize in literature.
I am truly not a Bob Dylan fan. Jimi took this song and made it his own. Whenever i think of Jimi i think specifically of this song.....FUN FACT: In regards to Cindy Lauper, her first album SHES SO UNUSUAL, her first number one was TIME AFTER TIME was co-written by Rob Hyman, the vocalist AND HOOTER player from the band THE HOOTERS, and he also sings the background vocals. The song was nominated for best song of the year in 1985 at the grammys. It was also produced by Rick Chertoff who also produced the Hooters. I saw/met the hooters when they came through DC when they were on tour with Loverboy as their opening act. I was a HUGE fan then and still am today as well. I had broken my ankle a week before that show but still went to an autograph signing at a record store that was in DC. There are pictures of me limping along with my crutches. I have a very close friend who worked for a local record store who ended up getting a degree in marketing and has marketed many acts since then in CA. The summer of 1985 we went to see the Hooters at Salisbury University in MD. It was just a hop skip and a jump from our vacation home. That day I got sunburned badly but i wasnt going to miss that show. Since the Hooters were on her rotation list for something, we had backstage passes. There is a picture of me and Andy King (Bass player, who woulda thunk lol) together and he was trying to put his arms around me and he didnt know how because i was so burned. the look on his face was priceless. Shit, spunky, i did it again, talked too much. but these are real life adventures of my music travels.
I think Bob Dylan's music is very over-rated. Dylan fans are going to lay into me now!
@staci_19702 I once walked out of a Van Morrison show for more or less the same reason you walked out of a Bob Dylan show. Van Morrison turned his back to the audience. I thought that was very disrespectful towards his fans even though his fans expected such behaviour.
@spunkycumfun i asked for and received van morrison concert tickets for my birthday. he's horrible in concert. i love him and his music but he was like a knob on stage AND he didnt do my favorite song Into the Mystic
@mysexualgoodtime Van Morrison is terrible live, and I've got no sympathy for his preciousness!
@spunkycumfun i will not make that mistake again. one and done...not quite like my love for Edwin McCain, who i've seen about 50x - next show for him is in March
@mysexualgoodtime I will never ever see Van Morrison live again. His music is quite good, but it's not that good.
I am not sure I have ever heard that song. If I did I never new the title or artist. Never been a fan of Bob Dylan. Always thought he mumbled through his songs so I can't say that I truly listened to the words.
I am not sure if I mentioned this before but I found a great series on Utube. The Professor of Rock. This guy does video posts about 20 minutes long about songs and or bands from the rock era. Many are very interesting.
@CarriedBack It is entertaining and has reminded me of some great music that I loved. It can also be addictive.
I've seen a few Professor of Rock clips. They are interesting though sometimes a bit long.
@spunkycumfun They are usually interesting but I agree that sometimes he can natter on too long.
@justskin1 I often 'cheat' and fast-forward!
@spunkycumfun So do I.
I like Dylan, but admit that many of his covered songs are more enjoyable than his original versions; 'My Back Pages' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man' (The Byrds), 'Blowin' in the Wind' (Peter, Paul and Mary), 'Knockn on Heavens Door' (Eric Clapton, Guns N Roses), and 'Forever Young' (Joan Baez) as examples.
That said, I've come to appreciate his music much more over the years and have a favorable opinion of his originals. He's the poet of a generation, not the crooner.
It seems Bob Dylan has been covered a lot. That can be taken two ways.
There's no way ever Bob Dylan can be seen as a crooner.
I prefer the U2 version from Rattle and Hum.
I've not heard that version or, probably more likely, I can't remember that version.
Thanks for stopping by.
Dave Mason
I've not heard Dave Mason's cover of All Along the Watchtower. Thanks for stopping by.
Bear McCreary's version from Battlestar Galactica is pretty darn good.
I've heard that cover is best before. I've not heard the original nor cover.
@spunkycumfun
I am more of a Dylan fan than Hendrix; I had several Dylan LPs but none of Hendrix's. Having said this, I don't recall Dylan's version but I am familiar with Hendrix's. I voted Hendrix for that reason alone. It's an "ok" song.
It seems Hendrix stole the show with Dylan's song.
@spunkycumfun And as the songwriter, Dylan has been laughing all the way to the bank all these many years . . .
@RUmytranny I suspect Dylan has made a lot of money from others covering his songs.
I voted for Hendrix. This is the first time I heard Dylan's version, but Jimi's is more ingrained. Coincidentally, a few scenes from the new Dylan movie were filmed near me. There is a small church that was used as a setting for a church in Georgia. I was cycling by, but had to detour because the police had the road blocked. I prefer a cover of Dylan's Sweet Marie by Jason and the Scorchers, who are known as a cowpunk band.
It's a shame you didn't get an extra's role in the film.
I very much like Jason & The Scorchers' cover of Dylan's song.
@spunkycumfun If they gave me vintage cycling clothes, I would ride by
@njfitguy1 The meanies!
I chose Jimi’s version. And I thought it was great when the Powerstation with lead singer Robert Palmer did the version of T’Rex’s Bang a Gong.
Bang a Gong is my favourite T. Rex song. It was first released and charted here as Get It On. I'm assuming the record label felt banging a gong would go down well in America!
Not sure if im correct but i read some ware that Dylan heard the Hendrix version and used it when he was playing live .
That wouldn't surprise me. Artists eat each other!
Bob Dylan for me
Yet again like your fisting response, I'm slightly surprised at your response.
@spunkycumfun I am a fan of Dylan ☺️
@AuraAviatik6 I hope you'll get to see the film about him.
@spunkycumfun fan… of his music 😀. Blowing in the Wind is one of my top 5 songs.
@AuraAviatik6 Hurricane is my favourite Dylan song.
@spunkycumfun Yes! A good one!
This is a great post however, I will be passing on this one my friend as I am not a fan of either but if I had to choose one it would be Jimi Hendrix.
I hope your Tuesday continues to treat you well..
I'm not a big fan of either but, like you, I'm going for Hendrix over Dylan.
Dylan wrote it but I feel that Hendrix had the definitive version. Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters that America has ever produced and his songs lend themselves well to interpretation by other artists. One of my favorite Dylan covers is Steve Hackett's version of "The Man in the Long Black Coat"
Like you, I think the Hendrix cover is the definitive version.
I did forget to say the only Bob Dylan song i can stomach is Lay Lady Lay....so sexy!
My favourite Bob Dylan songs are Hurricane and Like a Rolling Stone.
From Nottingham where I live, Jake Bugg is very Dylanesque. Below is his Trouble Town song. The clip was shot in Nottingham.