Thursday 12 January 2012

DYLAN COVERS # 31 - Billy Joel/Phil Collins - The Times they are a changin' Part 1

BILLY JOEL - The Times they are a Changin'(1987)

This as taken from the album 'Kohliep' (1987) - Live in Leningrad before the collapse of Communism. Well done Mr Joel!


PHIL COLLINS - The Times they are a Changin' 1996

This taken from Phil Collins album 'Dance into the light' (1996) and is actually very good, so there!

YOUR FIRST TIME !!

Do you remember your first time, did the Heaven's open, did the Earth move, well it did for me and I am feeling the repercussions to this day.

It was 1965 a Sunday night 2300hrs, Radio Luxembourg played the top 20 best singles (there was no MTV. very few radio stations played 'pop' or 'rock') how did we manage ?. I had my little 'tranny' and small ear phone (one ear) I managed to get reasonable reception that night. An advert for 'Peter Stuyvesant' being cool had just finished, straight in at # 8 was 'The Times they are a Changin' by Bob Dylan. Wow! I nearly fell of the bed , this was amazing, this world weary voice hit me hard with these amazing lyrics which were ideal for a 15 year old to identify with.

'Don't criticise what you don't understand' .

I had to hear it again. I had to get more Dylan, it was all I thought about. I had to get more!!

How was it for you ? let me know!

To be continued in Part 2   
An uptown trio

More Dylan Covers a changin'

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DYLAN COVERS # 31 - Billy Joel/Phil Collins - The Times they are a changin' Part 1
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Oleh

6 comments

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Anonymous
12 January 2012 at 21:04

I'll have to say I don't like these versions but, then again, I have a natural revulsion to anything Joel or Collins do (apart from his drumming on early Genesis albums!), so it's probably just me. Top marks to Mr. Joel for singing it to the Soviets, though. Sadly, I can't remember the first time I heard 'The Times..' by Bob - probably on the radio somewhere but I wasn't hip enough to dig it until I was about 16 or 17. It's not a song I really desire to hear that often, to be honest, as his 'finger pointing songs' don't do much for me. Of course, it is a great and historical work of art, though.

I well recall trying to listen top Radio Luxembourg, though. The tinny transistor, the terrible reception, the ear-piece. Why did we bother? I know why - because of the awesome power of great pop music. It was worth the effort and the wait for them to play something great. How times have changed, indeed. For the better? I cannot tell.

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12 January 2012 at 21:55

SB - Cant say am great Lover of Joel. saying that, Just the way you are is excellent. I did like the first 2 solo albums of Collins.

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12 January 2012 at 22:37

I'm a slightly envious of those listening to the transitor days, trying to pick up a good reception. It just makes it that little bit more special waiting to hear a particular song on the radio again, let alone buy it. It's all more accessible these days, thankfully but it's all somewhat a bit disposable now. Anyway, ok versions, Phil Collins is a bit naff and Joel is forgiven as he did 'New York State of Mind'. Sock it to those Ruskies!

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12 January 2012 at 22:48

No no no, I take it back. Phil Collins did 'If Leaving Me Is Easy', now if you've been in love, that's a song! He's still a bit naff though.

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14 January 2012 at 00:17

I'm with Singing Bear. :-) Billy Joel I find especially grating on the nerves, overall.

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14 January 2012 at 08:14

Thank you Gina check out:- http://tunedr.blogspot.com/2011/09/dylan-cover-14-cliff-richards-engelbert.html
That will sort you out....but sit down first?

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