Everyone covers Dylan: "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"

"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" is an absolutely ridiculous song with a strip-tease beat. Found on Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde, I'm pretty sure none of the musicians on the record are sober.

The original:


I love the laughing through the singing thing though.

A 1991 cover by the classically rock and roll Black Crowes:


No really, could they be more rock 'n' roll?

Fellow old-man, talk singer Tom Petty does a rendition in 1992


That guitarist almost looks familiar. Should I know who that is?

Apparently a version by the Beatles. It's quite short:


Good ending though.

For some lady-action, here's Ana Cañas spare 2007 version:


Interesting, no?

And for pure obscurity, "Pietre" by Antoine. It's not a straight cover, but it was influenced by "Rainy Day Women." Probably. Google translation is tricky. 1967 in Italy:


Nice 'stache though.

Everyone covers Dylan: "Tangled Up in Blue"

Inspired by Cubism, "Tangled Up in Blue" attempts to defy time and to bring multiple perspectives into one song. All I know is that it paints a lovely picture. It was released as a single on the 1975 album, Blood on the Tracks.


1974 performance in which Bob Dylan has a case of cocaine face:


No really, what's on his face?

The Indigo Girls from their live album, 1200 Curfews (1995). I love how the words sound coming from women:


Sorry it cuts off early. It's lovely.

More lady singer action with KT Tunstall. Love her voice:


I wish I liked her original work as much as I like her covers.

Great White (yes, that Great White) tangled up on their 2002 cover album, Recover. Surprisingly mellow:

Shark attack?

The Jerry Garcia Band in 1990. It's pretty long, but it's a good cover:


Who knew I'd liked Jerry Garcia?

Everyone covers Dylan: "It Ain't Me Babe"

This weeks Dylan adventure, 1964's "It Ain't Me Babe" from Another Side of Bob Dylan. This song seems to change meaning with every cover.

Dylan himself from a delete scene from Don't Look Back (released 1967):

Have you ever run after a celebrity?

1. The Turtles with their fun-loving 1965 pop cover.

When did the vocal style in the "no, no, no" part go out of style?

2. I kind of always want to punch Joan Baez in the face, but I have to admit that I like the melancholy tone of her cover as performed in 1965.


Douchiest introduction to a song ever?

3. Johnny Cash and June Carter originally recorded a version in 1965. Here they are performing their flirtatious version live.

Where can I get June's dress?


4. From a 2009 BBC Session with Fleet Foxes, Robin Pecknold soloing a straight forward cover:

I just found out this guy is basically the same age as me. That's all.


5. Silvertide's generic '00s rock cover that appeared in the Lady in the Water (2006) soundtrack:

And just because it made me love them despite their pretentiousness, a wacky version with both Bob Dylan and Joan Baez!

Everyone covers Dylan: "Just Like a Woman"

From Bob's 1966 Blonde on Blonde, "Just Like a Woman." It's the sort of song that blends sexism and affection in such a way as to make it kind of romantic (see also: "She's Always a Woman" by Billy Joel).

Here's Bob Dylan's version as performed at the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. George Harrison and Leon Russell play with him.


When beards stop being attractive and start getting whimsical.

Manfred Mann's poptacular chart topping 1966 version:

I don't think I could make this more British if I tried.

Richie Haven's 1974 performance. "Just Like a Woman" starts about halfway through, but I love it in combination to Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey."


So soothing.

The Hollies in concert, 1969. I daresay they make the song beautiful in a polished sort of way.


You look great in suits, have I told you that yet?

I couldn't find any information on the internets about Marie Cain, although a vinyl copy of her 1976 album is rather expensive. Here's an interesting version of the song that gives it different undertones with a female vocalist.

The album is called Living Alone. Just like a feminist, am I right?

Beres Hammond...because I gotta get at least one reggae cover per post.


Unfortunately, I couldn't find any other information about this version except it appears on Is It Rolling Bob? A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan, Volume 1. That's right. That's an album.

Don't Look Back (1967)

So I watched Don't Look Back (1967), the documentary about Bob Dylan's 1965 European tour, a couple days ago in an effort to try to understand the legend/enigma that is Bob. Things I gathered:

1. Bob Dylan was like any other pretentious 20-something, but somehow he became a spokesman for a generation.

2. Sitting around watching a movie about people wasting time by doing douchey things and getting in douchey fights is just as terrible as watching it happen in person.

3. Same goes for watching people noodle around on instruments. If you're the one sitting there watching it happen and not the one playing, it's incredibly dull. Occasionally I'm anti-social, can you tell? And no, I won't watch you play videogames.

4. Bob Dylan has (had?) a rather charming stage presence. You see this at the end of the movie right as you want to not like the guy.

5. I've had the Boston song of the same name stuck in my head ever since. I like it better than this documentary.



Thus ends another well thought out review.

Everyone covers Dylan: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

Bob Dylan wrote "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" for the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. I have never seen this movie, but seeing as how is stars James "Tex" Coburn, Kris "Beardily Hot" Kristofferson, and Bob "He's in Movies?" Dylan I don't know how I haven't. Apparently the 1988 director's re-edit of this film is awesome.

Anyway, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" isn't my favorite Dylan song, but it's one I really enjoy the original of and it's pretty hard to screw up. I mean, even Avril Lavigne's cover isn't bad. Lucky for you, I chose to give you other options than Canada's little angry girl.

The original version of the song:

1. Eric Clapton sometimes feels a little reggae:


You know I chose this 1977 video mostly for Yvonne Elliman.

2. Here's a special rendition that only 80s metal could create that Australia's own Heaven rocked in 1985.

Are they in a canyon?

3. But you really can't beat GnR's classic 1992 rendition. Slash kills his solo.


Best backup singers ever?


4. Randy Crawford recorded her own version in 1989. Here's a soullicious 1993 live performance in Vienna.


SAX!


5. The Alarm, a Welsh band I've don't know much about, frequently performed the song live in the mid-80s.


If you don't do "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" as a power ballad, are you only left with a reggae beat?

Everyone covers Dylan: "I Shall Be Released"

So Bob Dylan, right? Great songwriter, terrible singer. More often than not, I enjoy covers of his songs rather than his versions, since his voice tends to kill a song for me. Lucky for you, I'm willing to scour the YouTubes to find you 5 of these great covers of a Dylan song each week. This is an impossible task, especially since the 60s were a time when people unabashedly covered songs and released them as singles or performed them on all those variety shows. All I can guarantee are a variety of versions that are good.

First up, "I Shall Be Released." This song was written by our man Bob in 1967.

Bob Dylan's version was recorded in in 1971 for Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II:



Although the first recording of it (according to the 'pedia) was in 1968 by the Band, Dylan's band for a time.

1. Here's the Band at the Express Festival of 1970:




2. Nina Simone's version (1969) gives it some soul:




3. Sting at The Secret Policeman's Other Ball in 1981 reggae-ing it up. You know I love it:




4. The Jerry Garcia Band in 1990 giving a solid version of the song with good solos (organ especially) and mellow soul:




5. Jeff Buckley gets spare on his version on the 1993 album, Live at Sin-é.