DYLAN COVERS # 52 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL - Blonde on Blonde Covered Pt 1 of 3

A smile of approval, thanks Bob

How do you cover Blonde on Blonde Dylan's Iconic masterpiece from 1966. There are so many great covers to choose from. I was caught between covers that sound like the original or covers that are completely different or simply the bizarre and there are quite a few of them. I decided to play it safe and went for the first one that hit me as I went through all my files of each song. (I may do a bizarre covers of B on B at a later stage).   The problem with B on B is that there are classics and they have many many covers of them and there are the less popular tracks where I have only found 2 or 3 covers. Anyway, I hope you like my choices, I am sure some may not be to your liking  and I am sure you may have chosen some others. Let me know what you think

JIMMY BUFFET - Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35

Don't really know too much about Jimmy Buffet but this is a live recording, Live at Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA on 8/30/08. It  has the same playful feel of the original so I have gone for it.  Tom Petty and Lenny Kravitz were contenders.



LUTHER JOHNSTON - Pledging My Time

Again I am not familiar with Luther Johnston, this is one of the less covered songs but I liked this immediately, it has that edgy feel of the original, it can be found on "All Blues'd Up - Songs Of Bob Dylan" (Tangled Up In Blues)(1999). Duke Robbilard, was my only other option, both are great takes but Luther edged it.


MARIANNE FAITHFUL - Visions of Johanna

I have always loved Marianne Faithful from the early sixties and I think she deserves the  honour of 'Visions of Johanna' which is in my top few Dylan tracks. There are several other great takes but I'm going for this one. Gerry Garcia and the Boys were hard to leave out. Maybe I better do a Volume 2 or should I say 'Blonde and Blonde Covers Revisited'. The MF take can be found on her album 'Rich Kid Blues' (1971)
There are a couple of other Dylan Covers on that one as well.


MICK HUCKNALL - One of us Must Know

I have always loved this song and have quoted it to death through out the years. This may be a surprising choice but believe it or not there are not too many covers out there. I have only 5 in my file. The Boo Radleys were a close second, but I think the production did it for Mick. It is taken from the outstanding (well in parts) 'Chimes of Freedom'(2012)


BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - I Want You

Yet another classic and I went for an original take by the Boss, a much different and slower version but it loses none of the magic. I was almost going with Steve Gibbons but changed my mind at the last minute.
You can find this on 'Nobody sings Dylan Like the Boss' click for the link.

Part 2 Next Week

For more Dylan Covers 



Comments

The Swede said…
My goodness, doesn't Bruce's 'I Want You' knock the other covers into a cocked hat? A beautiful, spellbinding interpretation.

I'd be interested to hear Marianne cover 'Visions' again, now that her voice is more cracked and worn - this is nice though, and new to me.

Time to play Bruce again I think.
Old Pa's Corner said…
The Swede - Yes the Bruce version is a bit special.....I agree a New Marianne version or whole album od Dylan would be most welocome....well Marianne what have you got to say ??
Anonymous said…
I like the Luther Johnson cover and I love that song. Played it over and over on my parents Hi Fi when I was in Jr High. The good old days. Got Dylan?
Old Pa's Corner said…
Anonymous - Glad it brings back the memory....top cover
Anonymous said…
Disagree with The Swede

I thought Bruce killed the song, rubbish.

Liked Marianne and Mick's a lot more

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