Best Dylan Covers
 

The Bob Dylan mix tape thread got me thinking about the fact that, as much as I love Dylan as a performer, I love him more as a songwriter. For some reason, his songs seem to lend themslves to covers. So here's the question ... what are your favorite covers of Dylan songs? Do you prefer the covers to the originals?

For me, I'd have to say that I prefer:
Bruce Springsteen's version of "Chimes of Freedom"
The Byrd's version of "My Back Pages"

Honorable mention to the Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan duet of "Girl of the North Country," which I prefer to the solo Dylan version.

A couple of covers that I like a lot, but not as much as the Dylan originals:
Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower"
Guns 'n Roses' version of "Knocking on Heaven's Door" (except for that part in the middle where Axl makes a phone call)

I prefer Wire Train's version of "With God on Our Side" over Dylan's.

Jimi Hendrix: Like A Rolling Stone
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Subterranean Homesick Blues

anything off of the 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration CD

My faves are:
All Along The Watchtower - Neil Young
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Neil Young
It Ain't Me, Babe - Johnny Cash
Masters Of War - Eddie Vedder

Joan Baez has recorded a ton of Dylan stuff that's really great.

a couple of more obscure covers came to mind - concrete blonde did an amazing cover of Simple Twist of Fate on a compiliation disc a few years ago and Lee Renaldo from sonic youth does a great Visions of Johanna. i think robyn hitchcock also released an entire disc of dylan covers a few years ago and there was a pretty good Tangled up in Blue on there. and of course the rolling stones got around to covering Like a Rolling Stone on Stripped in '95.

Mr. Tamborine Man - covered by The Byrds

Although this next one isn't exactly a cover, it was played live and sung by quite a few legends (Harrison, Petty, Clapton, Neil Young) - making it much different (and better in my opinion) than the original:

My Back Pages - Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary album

Nazareth did a cover of Ballad of Hollis Brown on the Loud 'N' Proud album.

my personal favorite is Garth Brooks' version of To Make You Feel My Love.

Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" is, and forever will be, the penultimate Dylan cover.

That being said, I heard the Dixie Chicks do a great live cover of "Mississippi" off of "Love and Theft" a few years back.

Begs the big question... what would be the ultimate Dylan cover in your estimation?

Generally speaking, I don't think any of the covers have improved upon the original - with the possible exception of Hendrix's "Watchtower" - but there are many wonderful ones (and a load of horribles). My wife's favorite: Nancy Griffiths' cover of "Boots of Spanish Leather" (from her album "other voices/other rooms").

One of the loudest song I ever heard, I think I lost my hearing. :)

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As for me, one cover I really love is John Mellencamp's cover of Like A Rolling Stone. It opens that 30th Anniversary set with a bang. He's playing with Al Kooper on organ just like on the original. He trades vocals with Crystal Taliefero, who is an amazing back-up singer, now with Billy Joel. Kenny Aronoff provides a great drum track and Lisa Germano adds a fiddle solo that should be out of place and superfluous, but it actually fits into the song just splendidly. It's just a perfect rendition of a perfect song and maybe my favorite cover of all time.

Everyone knows/loves Hendrix's Watchtower, but I love, love, love his live cover of 'Like A Rolling Stone' from Monterey International Pop even more: "I'd like to bore you for six or seven minutes....excuse me for a moment while I play my guitar..."

Madeleine Peyroux has a beautiful cover of 'You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" on her Careless Love album.

Also, Concrete Blonde has good cover of 'Simple Twist of Fate'.

The Byrds' "Chimes of Freedom" is an improvement on Dylan's version, I think.