“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bryan Ferry.

You’ve just named 5 Dylan songs that were vastly improved by the artists performing them. Bob Dylan isn’t a vastly talented MUSICIAN–he is a supremely gifted song and word smith. Elizabeth, you probably write about 90% of your sycophant crap to cover up for your embarrassing musical taste.

Mary Lee’s Corvette – Blood on the Tracks – Live at Arlene’s Grocery –

Live it!
Learn it!
Love it!
(But the original is where it’s at!)

You act like no one has ever done a full album of Dylan covers before.

“its all over now, baby blue” by van morrison

“one more cup of coffee” – the white stripes

I thought GNR butchered Knockin on Heavens Door. They even got one of the chords wrong. U2 did All Along The Watchtower better than Hendrix I thought.

I Shall Be Released-The Jerry Garcia Band

Robyn Hitchcock’s “Robyn Sings”. 2-CD set of Dylan covers. Fantastic.

I have to agree with Adam – try and find anyone who prefers Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” to the Byrds. And Dylan HIMSELF admits that Hendrix did a superior version of “Watchtower” – so much that it’s the Hendrix version that Dylan has done in concert for decades!

“The Mighty Quinn” by Manfred Mann!

oh my god! no way!

“Subterranean Homesick Blues” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Tomorrow is a long time, recorded by Elvis Presley. Even Dylan liked it best of any of his done by someone else.

While maybe not the greatest Dylan cover, and certainly not better then the original, I’ve always really liked Edie Brickell’s version of “Hard Rain”.

isis – white stripes
threw it all away – white stripes
outlaw blues – white stripes
one more cup of coffee – white stripes

How could we forget the many Dylan songs that the Byrds cover? Johnny Winter’s “Highway 61 Revisted” was great. Also, Ferry’s cover of “Hard Rain” is one of the best Dylan covers of all time. Looking forward to the album.

Dudes, the byrds’ “My Back Pages” is way better than “Mr. Tambourine Man”

No one beats the Bob.

Maggie’s Farm-Rage Against the Machine

Make You Feel My Love – Joan Osborne

Subterranean Homesick Blues covered by the red hot chili peppers has to be one of the worst covers of all time..the red hot chili peppers where never really a good band and their current music is boring and repetitive..they should be remembered for one thing and one thing only…they have the great ability to put out the worst cover ever.

“I shall be released” sang by The Band (does it count?)
“Its All Over Now Baby Blue” sang By Van Morrison
“Foot of Pride” sang By Lou Reed
“What Was it You Wanted” sang By willie Nelson

worst dylan covers: “Lay Lady Lay” by Ministry, “Knockin on Heavens Door” by Avril Lavigne

oh yeah, I can’t believe no one has said “going, going, gone” as covered by Richard Hell…he took a great song and made it even better..It’s a wonderful cover and should be loved and listened to by all.

All Along the Watchtower – Micheal Hedges check it out

richie havens just like a woman

i love the guns n roses cover of knocking on heavens door

its always been a favorite of mine

Springsteen- I Want You

the replacements did a great job massacring ‘like a rolling stone’ into ‘like a rolling pit’

It’s tough to better Bob’s originals for the most part, though the Hendrix, Them, and Byrds cuts do it, to my ears. And at least one more — Fairport Convention’s take on “I’ll Keep It With Mine.”

“Like A Rolling Stone,”, by Sebastian Cabot

Stevie Stiletto Band (Florida):

Positively Folsom (4th)Street

13th Floor Elevators; “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”.

ricky nelson did a good ’she belongs to me,’ but i agree with whoever mentioned richard hell’s version of ‘going going gone’ – it’s my favorite in terms of dylan covers, and it’s acres better than the original.

“A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” – Bryan Ferry

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight – Norah Jones
Down Along the Cove – Johnny Jenkins
Emotionally Yours – The O’Jays
Walk Out In The Rain – Eric Clapton
I Threw It All Away – Yo La Tengo
To Make You Feel My Love – Billy Joel

I’ve always preferred PJ Harvey’s “Highway 61 Revisited” to Dylan’s own.

another joan osbourne;man in the long black coat

“One More Cup of Coffee” by the White Stripes

…it actually manages to out-do Dylan’s intensity, revealing an incredible song underneath the creamier duet Dylan did on ‘Desire’.

Ministry’s Lay Lady Lay is neat. And Trampled by Turtles do a raucous version of Outlaw Blues.

Johnny Rivers, “Positively 4th Street”

masters of war – pearl jam

This band from Seattle that no one’s heard of does a great version of “Country Pie.” No joke…

Oh yea — the band from Seattle is called “Beer Sandwich” seriously. They also cover Neil Young’s “Love to Burn”

Ah, but it has already been done. Steve Howe released the wonderful Potraits of Bob Dylan years ago. The opening track is Sad Eyed Lady with fellow Yes-man Jon Anderson on vocals. Great track.

I’ve always hated Johnny Cash’s cover of “Girl of the North Country”. Always! I love Johnny Cash, don’t get me wrong, but his voice and delivery are way too heavy handed to effectively find any emotion in that song, I think. I eagerly awaited my torrent of the Dylan/Cash sessions to download, but when it came I found Dylan easily adapting to Cash’s music, with Cash stumbling all over Dylan’s more delicate songs. But it’s CASH MAN!!!!!! Yea, I love him too, he’s not Dylan, and brings nothing to the Dylan picture, although his use of the melody to “The Wayworn Traveller”, titled “No Earthly Good” is done with a reverence Dylan’s voice could never hope to achieve when he used that melody on “Paths of Victory” and later “The Times Are A-Changin”. There, I’ve said it.

How about Ryan Adams doing “You’re A Big Girl Now” on his website? It’s a strange cover but all the more interesting.

Hendrix did a pretty cool cover of “Like A Rolling Stone,” though it doesn’t compare to Dylan’s version.

I’ll 2nd Mark C’s nomination of Bryan Ferry’s A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall. That’s the best Dylan cover ever.

Others:
16 Horsepower: Nobody ‘Cept You
Television: Knocking On Heaven’s Door
Tom Petty: License To Kill (From the Bob tribute concert)

I would like to add Byran Ferry’s own cover of “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” from his first solo album. Awesome. Gene Clark’s cover of “Tears of Rage” from the White Light album and Siouxsie & the Banshee’s version of “This Wheel’s On Fire”. Amy Rigby did a cover of “Hurricane” on a self-released disc that was quite passionate. And Adam, Dylan is a vastly talented musician, just as Joan Baez is a vastly talented guitarist; it’s just that those chops are sublimated to the song.

Byrds, Hendrix, Havens, Manfred Mann, Baez, Collins, Harrison- lot of great covers. Guns n Roses was by far the worst. Horrendous. My cat does better- in heat or not.

But nobody does Dylan like Dylan does Dylan.

When I Pain My Masterpiece – Grateful Dead

i often do rainy day women #12 & 35 at karaoke, and it almost always goes over great…

“It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” at the end of a Grateful Dead concert is just right.
Likewise, “Mighty Quinn” by Phish before 1993.
Worst cover–a cracked-out Nick Drake mumbling about 1/4 of the words to “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”

George Harrison’s Absolutely Sweet Marie was pretty cool, but definitely not better than the original

Has Pat Boone covered Bob Dylan? I don’t think so. Therefore, Bob Dylan does not matter.

In fact, deep down, I bet Bob Dylan wishes he was Pat Boone.

Hasn’t Eric Clapton done a few?
Love Minus Zero No Limit

Also – House of the Rising Sun by the Animals? (Or is that an Animals original?)

It Ain’t Me Babe- Johnny Cash
If You Gotta Go Go Now- Manfred Mann
If Not For You- George Harrison
Masters of War- Pearl Jam
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue- Byrds(unreleased version)

It said slow down cowboy even though this is my first post today.

Sheryl Crow “covered” Mississippi (from Love and Theft) before Bob Dylan actually recorded it. I think it was sort of a throwaway from Time Out of Mind, gave it to Sheryl Crow (it’s on her Globe Sessions), then decided to do it anyway.

It’s a great song, kinda like hers better, then again it’s the one I heard first of course.

oh yeah, ifit hasn’t been said, Man in the Long Black Coat by Joan Osbourne.

Like a Rolling Stone – Drive by Truckers

Just as a side not…Subterranean Homesick Alien by Radiohead is a tribute to Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues….And hey not all chilli peppers covers are bad, I mean Higher Ground (stevie wonder) was good, and roller coaster…was….wasnt it…wasnt it…wasnt it….(tears start flowing)…..wasnt it….(paranoia sets is)…..wasnt it…but but but but……(here is comes) I WANT MY MOMMY! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHH WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Pearl Jam – Masters Of War

great live cover

youve gotta be kidding if your telling me that dylans version of all along the watchtower isnt as good as hendrix. jimi took it to another level. dylan version is nothing special, just another dylan song.

Wanted Man- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.Never heard Dylan’s original & I’m not sure where it appears but Cave’s version is awesome.

Jimi Hendrix – Like a Rolling Stone

DMB feat. John Popper and Trey – All along the watchtower

Just like Tom Thumb’s blues -
Neil Young backed by Booker T and the MGs at Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert on Madison Square Garden in 1992.

All along the watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

White Stripes: Isis, Outlaw Blues, One more Cup Of Coffee.
RATM, Maggies Farm.
Hendrix of course

Nina Simone’s ‘Ballad of Hollis Brown’ is pretty amazing,
and The Faces doing psych on ‘Wicked Messenger’ just plain rocks.

What about masters of war Eddie Vedder and Mike Mc Cready on th e 30th anniversary concert very compelling stuff .. very compelling actually there are a lot of good covers done during that concert. I also always loved the rolling stones cover of like a rolling stone. call me crazy but mick and the boys are awesome.

Highway 61- PJ Harvey

Possibly better than the original

I Shall Be Released by the Tom Robinson Band is incredible. So is All Along the Watchtower by Dave Mason.

Has anyone ever heard of a little band called the Dave Clark Five…I think you know what I’m saying.

“It’s all over now baby blue” by the 13th Floor Elevators. But, they call it simply “Baby Blue.”

“All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix is a much better version than Dylan’s, I’m sure even Dylan would agree with that. “Can You Please Come Crawl out your Window” by Hendrix on the BBC sessions is amazing, as well. Recorded live its like two voices: Jimi’s and the guitar’s. “Like a Rolling Stone” by the Rolling Stones is pretty good, too.

“Tomorrow Is a Long Time” by Nickel Creek. They kind of own the song now. It’s on “Why Should the Fire Die.”

I also believe Dylan said that “All Along the Watchtower” was no longer his after hearing Hendrix’s version.

And not better, but Indigo Girls do a great “Tangled Up in Blue” on 1200 Curfews.

Sting and the “Secret Police” (which included Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck) did a great “I Shall Be Released” on the Secret Policemen’s Other Ball soundtrack.

The Guns and Roses cover of “Knoockin’ on Heaven’s Door” is crap. Clapton’s reggae version is SOOO much cooler! And while Hendrix’ “Watchtower” is the greatest Dylan cover ever, Neil Young/Crazy Horse’s version of “Just Like Tom thumb’s Blues” isn’t far behind.

It’s “Like a Rolling Pin” not “Rolling Pit.”

Bruce: Chimes of Freedom
Fairport Convention: Percy’s Song
But most of all, check out (if you can find it!) an album by Coulson, Dean, McGuiness and Flint (no, not a law firm) called “Lo and Behold.” Ten great Dylan covers, including a perfect version of “Lay Down Your Weary Tune.”

In 1970 I sang the whole of Stuck inside of Mobile out loud while I was walking into work in Manchester. It sounded great to me but you had to be there.

come on adam you are obviously not a musician yourself if you believe bob dylan is not a “vastly talented ” musician. perhaps you write 100% crap

does anyone remember”words and music by bob dylan” a 12 song album by the hollies?

Shawn Colvin’s You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall by Leon Russell

I’m dating myself here, but Jason and the Scorchers do an absolutely killer version of Absolutely Sweet Marie.

anything bad that happens to axl& gnr,is probably a result of their terrible cover of knockin on heaven’s door.you just can’t do shit like tha t and expect no consequences. HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY ! what a pisspoor interpetation

Nobody Except You, covered by Sixteen Horsepower on their album Secret South. Great arrangement, great performance.

Maggie’s Farm by Rage, and although it doesn’t really count, the live version of knockin’ on heaven’s door with Tom Petty is good…his weird voice and Bob’s weird voice make for a wonderful marriage………Avril Lavigne also covered it? Jesus, I think I’m about to puke.

…remembered in my sleep that doug sahm did an ill version of “wallflower.”

Tryin’ to Get to Heaven by Bowie

I’m baffled by anyone who thinks Dylan isn’t a vastly talented musician. That’s just–I can’t even understand how someone’s mind works to come up with that one.

“tomorrow is a long time” – rod stewart 1971

and hello? ferry’s challenge is going to be finding dylan songs he hasn’t already covered — he’s done buttloads on his solo albums: first solo hit was “hard rain,” had 2 dylan covers on “frantic”

Bryan Ferry – It’s All Over Now Baby Blue
Ron Wood – Seven Days
Rod Stewart – Only A Hobo; Tomorrow is a Long Time; Mama You Been On My Mind

Neil Young/Crazy Horse’s version of “Just Like Tom thumb’s Blues” isn’t far behind. …

Neil Young has recorded/performed this song twice I know of: once with Booker T and the MGs (at BobFest), and once with Firefall (at a Firefall/Spirit show, in which spirit covers “LARS” and Neil tries to join them onstage and Randy California pushes him away from the mic.) Not aware of any NY/CH versions – where/when?

Is it just me or does the Rolling Stone Website seem to be written by the editorial staff of Maxim?

Johnny Thunders: Like A Rolling Stone, It Ain’t Me Babe, Joey. Saw him do “Like A Rolling Stone” live once too.

Jerry Reed: Dont’ Think Twice, It’s All Right.

Waylon Jennings: Don’t think twice it’s all right

That Mime-like guy in tights with the carboard guitar, from the Twyla Tharp musical based on Dylan songs: “Like A Rolling Stone.”

How about Bob Dylan’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Gonna Change My Way of Thinking”? Or is that a re-recording? Either way, he improved on his original version

Pontiac Brothers-If you gotta go, go now

Flying Burrito Brothers-If you gotta go, go now

“You just better start sniffin’ your own rank subjugation Jack ’cause it’s just you
against your tattered libido, the bank and the mortician, forever man and it wouldn’t be luck if you could get out of life alive”

im so gay

I think any cover The Byrds ever did took the piss out of it. They pussified everything they touched. I would like to say Neil Young’s version of Blowin in the Wind off of “Weld” was awesome though.

gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygaygay gaygaygaygaygay

im so gay im so gay im so gay im so gay

i should cover ice ice baby by vanilla ice……..i could never do it better than the god known as vanilla ice

…and RATM’s version of Maggie’s Farm is better than the original

hey ‘i’m so gay’; (see postings below) a friend of mine back in high school used to think robert plant was gay because of what he did with his hands onstage in the song remains the same video my friend was a porn fantasizing masturbatory virgin at the time (and he is now a christian pastor) and robert plant was off getting his dick sucked twenty times a day, so go figure…

NO ONE CAN IMPROVE ON DYLAN!!!

One more: “The Times, They Are…” by the Brothers and Sisters, a gospel chorus, available on Ode records, and I believe, also on CD…find it, it is fantastic.

There’s a cd called “Positively Twelfth and K”, a live recording of various N. Cal. musicians singing Dylan songs that features Jackie Greene and Sal Valentino that’s worth checking out…and just like I’d rather see a real Van Gogh than a copy, it’s Dylan for me all the way.

“senor (tales of yankee power)” the jerry garcia band (which also includes a kicking-ass version of the Beatles “dear prudence”) and a white stripes cover of “outlaw blues” from “under blackpool lights”

Gordon Lightfoot did an amazing cover of Ring Them Bells about 15 years ago. And Bob himself is a huge fan of Lightfoot.

When The Stones covered “Like A Rolling Stone” a few years back, Bob responded with a smokin version of “Brown Sugar.” Does this mean he’ll be covering “Virgina Plain” or “Avalon” on his next tour?

Dylan actually said that Hendrix’ version of “All along the watchtower” was better than his

Eddie Vedder with or without Pearl Jam does a spectacular job with Masters of War

I haven’t heard it yet but Maria Muldaur beat Bryan to the punch with her latest album, a collection of Dylan “love songs.” It’s called Heart of Mine. Featuring some of the same musicians as on “Midnight at the Oasis.” What’s with the Slow Down Cowboy shit anyway?

Sophie B Hawkins’ version of “I Want You”, specifically that point where she pulls her jacket off and lets everyone in Madison Square Garden feast upon the sight of her tumescent, milky globes straining like racehorses against the paddock-gates of her bodice. (or some such shit).

“Up to Me” covered by Roger McGuinn. And among the innumerable covers by Dylan’s ever-true girlfriend Joan Baez, “Farewell Angelina” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” stand out.

Sevral awesome covers in the 30th anniversary cd, but also:

Legendary live Just like a woman by Van the man Morrison
Excellent I’ll keep it with mime by Fairport / Sandy Denny
I Shall be released by tOM rAPP.

AND OTHERS.

Dylan is beyond suppremely gifted as a songwriter and musician, but admits he records his songs as “documentation”. With the number of masterpieces he released, he could not spend the time required to squeeze the best of each … so in many cases he left them out there for the others to perfect …

Blind Willie McTell
Barb Jungr

BILL.I.AM | 1/5/2007, 8:57 am EST

Has anyone ever heard of a little band called the Dave Clark Five…I think you know what I’m saying.

I have no idea what you’re saying – what dylan song did they cover?

Melanie
Don’t think twice.

I haven’t heard it in a gazillion years, but I remember it on a Birthday tribute show back in the mid or late 80’s.
It was haunting.

Comes from an album called “I see it Now.”
I can’t find it anywhere.
not even an MP3.

The Roots – Masters Of War – 11-09-2006 – Lincoln Center – Dylan Tribute.

Have you ever heard Tim O’Brein’s “Red on Blonde” album? The Byrds’ “Spanish Harlem Incident” comes to mind, as well as Lou Reed’s version of “Foot of Pride” (tops even Dylan’s version!)

The Hollies did a bunch of Dylan covers, the best being “My Back Pages”

CHIMES OF FREEDOM from Senegalese singer/songwriter Youssou NDour

Leon Russell, as a whole, covered Dylan better than any other artist…Train to Cry…Love Minus Zero….Hard Rain…and many more. The Byrds of the flip side, took the heart and soul out of EVERY Dylan song they covered. No way…their sterile version of Tambourine Man compared to Bob’s. As Far as Hendrix version of Watchtower…I am not so sure it better….just very different. Dylan’s version was not supposed to be a kick out the jams styled song, like Hendrix did. And Bob does the Henrix version in concert NOT because he feels it’s superior or inferior…but as a tribute to his friend.

positively 4th street by jerry garcia live at keystone is classic.
sad eyed lady by joan baez is classic.
there are many classic covers ,that is part of what makes dylan amazing.. his songwriting is definitely second to none.

add to that up to me by roger mc guinn and wheels on fire by manfred mann. the list goes on and on.

Highway 61 – Johnny Winter
I think even Dylan would say, as as he did about Hendrix’ version of Watchtower, that this is the definitive version of Highway. Winter “blazes” on the “Second Winter” version.

No one covers Dylan like roots rocker Jimmy LaFave. Check out his covers of “Shelter From the Storm,” “Positively Fourth Street,” and “Buckets of Rain,” among others. (BTW — in concert he does an amazing version of the Band’s “The Weight.”)

I think covering Dylan is an easy enough thing for many musicians…because there’s such a large catalog of songs to choose from ANYONE can find something they like and/or feel. That’s the beauty fo Bob. Although I would 95% of the time rather hear a Dylan version of a song, some of the covers I like are…

Ritchie Haven’s JLAWoman from Anniversary Concert.

Leon Russell’s Baby Blue.

Michael Hedge’s Watchtower.

Of course Hendrix’s version of Watchtower.

My version of Tangled Up In Blue…Jeremy Mayle @ mp3.com

Mostly though I really enjoy it when Dylan covers OTHERS songs. I would not have hardly half the musical influences today if I hadn’t heard Bob sing one of their songs…Hank Williams, John Hiatt, Robert Johnson, Woody Guthrie, Shel Silversteen…etc etc

lol yeah Dave, I remember when McGuinn told me that covering a Dylan song was great because you feel almost like you wrote it because the words hit home so hard. And everyone knows it’s easier to sing a song you wrote rather than someone elses.

neil young did a kick ass version of “all along the watch tower” which i felt was up to par, if not better than jimmy’s version. lemme see… van morrison’s version of “just like a women” and “its all over, baby blue” rod stewart’s “forever young” or joan baez’s version of it. screw the byrds. “masters of war” pearl jam. “girl from the north country” johnny cash, though the duet with dylan was better.

although I could do without any of the Byrds’ versions of Dylan tunes I wouldn’t altogether say screw em…the likeability of theirs and PP&M’s covers made Dylan practically a household name when he didn’t even have a decent album under his name…but as we know, the rest is history

ADAM said “Bob Dylan isn’t a vastly talented MUSICIAN”

You must be kidding…or you’re not a musician. Bob Dylan is a chord dictionary, a musical-phrasing thesaurus, a melodical Einstein. Listen to the vastly different 40+ ALBUMS and say that. When the guy was 23 years old he was playing blues as good as Robert Johnson and Charlie Patton. Point of reference….”Broke Down Engine” from the “World Gone Wrong” album…ever TRY to play that one…or “In The Garden”…or “Soon” from the Gershwin Gala….you get my point LOL. As for instruments other than the guitar listen to “Ring Them Bells” and “Father Of Night”, the Harp playing at the end of “What Can I Do For You” and “Percy’s Song”….

“Girl From the North Country” live, by Leon Russell and Joe Cocker from the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album.

Goodman you are such a moron. If Peter, Paul and Mary hadn’t done Blowing in the Wind, Dylan would not have been sustained. Likewise, The Byrds cover of Tambourine Man introduces Dylan to the followers of “Beat Groups.” Of course Dylan should be covered, constantly.

” going going gone” Bill Frisell,Robin Holcomb,Wayne Horvitz from “Rubaiyat” electra records’ 40th anniversary compilation 1990.

iwas in grade school listening to A M radio when i first realized tha t the guy with all the hair was writing these great songs.manfred mann and the byrds introduced me to “Electic Bob Dylan” words & melodies that have never left my head. the n came “Like A Rolling Stone” and even though i couldn’t grasp all of it’s meaning or depth,i understood that it was something important.not that anyone mentioned it to a 4th grader.top forty radio on the A M band was the only outlet for music that most people had in the60’sso any Dylan was a blessing. hats off to the Byrds those who were there remember them kindly

the best dylan covers are by william shatner….really.

This isn’t a straight cover but the performance of “My Back Pages” from the Dylan 30th Birthday Celebration is, in my opinion, one of the best live performances of all time. Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and George Harrison all on one stage playing together!

How about anything from Nina Simone’s album “To Love Somebody” and of course Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Joe Cocker & Leon Russel. Can’t go past it.

I’m surprised there’s barely a mention of the Dead here (they managed to play one or two Dylan songs in almost every one of their concerts toward the end). Anyhow…how about:

One Too Many Mornings – Jerry jeff Walker

The Times They Are A-Changin’ – James Taylor, Carly Simon & Graham Nash (someone finally nailing the obvious harmonies in this song)

Gotta Serve Somebody – Shirley Caesar

Every Grain of Sand – Emmylou Harris

With God On Our Side – Neville Brothers

Ballad of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest – Jerry Garcia & David Grisman

When I Paint My Masterpiece – yep, the Dead

And by the way, with all due respect to everyone’s tastes being different, I cannot believe anyone had the guts to even mention Avril Lavigne in this list. Please….

Adam Sandler has a new movie coming out and he character reminds me a lot of Dylan. I think that Sandler would do great in the part of Dylan in a biopic.

The only covers of Dylan songs that I really love our by Miss Joan Baez. Her album of Dylan covers, Any Day Now, is brilliant.

baby blue by the 13th floor elevators.

groovy texans…

Hmm… should I dare say it? Yes. I think this generation of f&^%-ups should be more worried about making their own originals and doing them well before they tackle a cover… otherwise they risk insulting the greats… which is all-too-often the case.

Another thought some people are saying this-and-that cover versions are better than this-and-that original.., People, a cover is never better than the original because the greater part of the battle is actually writing the song, something 90% of this sh1tty generation of bands outsources most the time.

People, stick to your own sh1t, and keep sticking to it until its not sh1t anymore… “Artists” of the late 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s, I’m talking to YOU.

i thought great music or great art was about taking risks. i’ll bet if Dylan covered one of your songs you’d be happy.How about removing arbitrary rules of conduct for musicians, and allow each artist to play what he feels. we don’t need to punch the timeclock and labor over our own product all the time. some times we have to play what feels right.there is NO accounting for taste !

my favorite cover of a Dylan song is probably Joan Baez doing “Love Is Just a Four Letter Word,” though that may be because Bob himself never actually performed the song.
As for the Dead covering Dylan–I recall once seeing Garcia doing “Tangled Up In Blue” and thinking “this is my [then] favorite musician playing my [then] favorite song. How come I’m not enjoying it more?” The conclusion I came to was that Garcia was never very good at doing Dylan songs, and Weir was (and remains) worse. Both simply lacked the bite necessary to make a Dylan tune work.

note to whoever mentioned Rod Stewart doing “Forever Young”–it’s not a cover, is’s a lame rip off that he claimed as his own song

More covers of dylan are needed. Imagine Springsteen behind Dylan’s lyrics

Johnny River’s cover of “Positively 4th Street.” It’s hard to find, but worth the look. Dylan said this is the only cover he thought was done completely right.

andrew–Springsteen did “I Want You” back in the early ’70’s. It’s available on live bootlegs (though I kind of thought Bruce missed the point by turning it into a torch song, as did Sophie B. Hawkins. The song’s about lust, not love–”…true love they’ve been without it/but all their daughters are puttin’ me down ’cause I don’t think about it”)

People have been “re-doing” since he started, usually because his voice isn’t “good enough” to makehis terrifics songs big hits. I love his voice, but the masses never seemed to warm up to it. There has never been a song by Dylan that is as good or better than the original, simply because it is nothing without his voice.

question already answered: Specials covering “maggie’s farm.” Better than the original.

white stripes- “one more cup of coffee”
rage against the machine- “maggie’s farm”
beastie boys- have some nice samples of dylan in various songs

As much as I feel Dylan should be praised at every turn, NOBODY should come out with a cover album. It’s a cop-out, the easy way out. The only thing worse is using a cover as a single.

If Jerry Garcia can do it, I do’nt why Bryan Ferry can’t.

Well, it has to start with The Band doing “When I Paint My Masterpiece” and then later “Blind Willie McTell”, but also includes Buck Owens’ version of Love Minus Zero/No Limit and Sertab doing “One More Cup of Coffee”. She actually makes the song more effective than Dylan did…
Sophie Zelmani does a pretty nice job with “Most of the Time” and finally there’s Articolo 31 doing “Like a Rolling Stone”

I love Dylan as much as all of you and i think that he appreciates the covers more than you would imagine, he’s a bluesman at heart and in the blues songs are covered by arists who give it their own iterpretation. Having said this I really haven’t found many that are comprable to Dylan in his power, but often many are very good.

Absolutely Sweet Marie by Jason and the Scorchers in mid 80s,better than Dylan even though I dig Dylan

In my oppinion there is most definatly no one who could re-do a Dylan classic and it be better. The original of anything is always better whether it be movies,music, or just somthing being said in real life. People can interpret their own version of a song by the great Bob Dylan but it most likely will not compare in any way to the original, Artists can do a good job but still, I don’t think its as amazing as Dylans. But thats just my oppinion so don’t freak out.=]

i loved the guns n roses cover of knocking on heavens door

“just like a woman” Jeff Buckley on the live at sin e albums. Its like dylans words through organ pipes

Chris Whitley – “Spanish Harlem Incident”

Heard Ani Difranco do “Most of the Time” live – that was pretty stupendous.

Manfred Mann- Mighty Quinn ; lovely little flute bit by Klaus Voorman

C’mon, the best cover of Dylan of all time is Mr. Tambourine Man from William Shatners album The Transformed Man!

Many good mentions above. Also, listen to Rod Stewart’s take on “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind.” It’s on “Never a Dull Moment” (1972).

Rod Stewart’s version of “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind.”

Van the Man doing “Just like a woman” is by far the most epic dylan cover. Does anyone know if it’s on a record?

Girl From the North Country -Conner Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward
My Back Pages – the Hollies
One More Cup of Coffee – White Stripes

if someone like simon cowell liked bob dylan i would be worried that dylan had lost his edge.

hendrix’s version of like a rolling stone, from monterey. classic!

..hey no one mentioned ‘The Everly Brothers’ cover of ‘Lay Lady Lay’
Not better, but less harsh than the original. Its on that album they released after finally getting back together after decades of fall out…blah blah
Also, songs beat rapping any day!!

kt tunstall did a very good tangled up in blue cover in a dylan tribute concert.

buddy guy covers laylady lay on his newest cd. hoyt axton also did it about 30 years ago. rita mae gets special attention from jerry lee lewis. his new cd ”last man standing” is worth some attention. it features many of the big players from the sixties. rita mae isn’t on this cd.

I’ve been listening to hundreds Dylan covers recently. Some of the best I heard are:

Planxty – I pity the poor immigrant (live 1980)
Barb Jungr – Things have changed
Robin Hitchcock – Not dark yet (live)
Jeff Buckley – Mama you’ve been on my mind (Grace outtakes maybe)
Renee Safier – Senor (Dylan covers contest online)

In general my opinion is that Dylan versions are always the best possible. No-one can even imagine to sing better than Dylan.
Someone can try to add a surplus-value by extending the boundary of the songs in terms of arrangement or instrumental virtuosism (ie. J.Winter) but the positive results are very rare.

IMHO Brian Ferry simply can’t do Dylan covers!
IMHO Johnny Winter’s Highway 61 is the best Dylan cover ever, the only one that can match to Hendricks’ Watchtower

Trevor Lucas, formerly of Fairport Convention, doing “Forever Young”