Eddie Vedder on Fatherhood and Rock, Springsteen on the American Identity and More Exclusive Audio

For our third Fortieth Anniversary issue, Rolling Stone is featuring audio excerpts from our interviews with notable artists, politicians, scientists and visionaries as they discuss the world they helped shape and the future. To hear Bruce Springsteen talk about his influences, Bill Clinton discuss the future problems facing this nation and more from Dave Matthews, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Bono and others, be sure to check out this special section right here.

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  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
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  MOVIES 'Great Gatsby' Is a Crushing Disappointment
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  TV Why You Should Watch 'Happy Endings'
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  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

More Song Stories entries »

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