Is there a Dylan cover more beautiful than Fairport Convention's 'I'll Keep It With Mine'?

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Several of Byrds' numerous takes on Bob-ness are amongst the finest there are, methinks.
As per Fairport's covers -- hey, not even trying to think 'bout the greatest here, but as the most fabulous (and certainly one of the finest) must rank their "Si Tu Dois Partir".

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:48 (twenty years ago) link

Nick Drake's version of "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright", primarily because it's Nick Drake singing.

On the "poignant as beautiful" end, Warren Zevon's recent cover of "Knocking on Heaven's Door", which really hits home when the fellow singing it is dying of cancer.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:50 (twenty years ago) link

a good'un, tho i'd pick Rainy Day's "I'll Keep it with Mine" as definitive over the Fairports' rendition. Hoffs was just made for this song. and v/v.

and i think these covers are better than either:

Heron's "Only a Hobo"
13FE's "(It's All Over Now), Baby Blue"

has anyone pulled off (or even attempted) a decent cover of "Visions of Johanna" or "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands?"

― summerslastsound, Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:50 (twenty years ago) link

(x-posts galore)

"I Shall Be Released" is as much The Band's as it is Dylan's, I think.

(Regarding "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere":) That is a good one Tom, one of the real bright spots on an album I generally find a bit less than its reputation.

As for the F.C. tune, I think it's the equal of the Nico version and a bit less than their version of "Percy's Song"--but it's definitely better than the Dylan version (which is, to be fair, just a demo).

As for the best Dylan cover, I dunno, but Elvis's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" is really pretty.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:54 (twenty years ago) link

Where's Nick Drake's "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" available?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:54 (twenty years ago) link

I also agree that by the end of the song in question, Sandy is a bit too blustery. She had that tendency on a lot of stuff, to treat a song like a showstopper.

N: isn't it on that Tanworth-in-Arden bootleg that was supposed to see official release this year?

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:55 (twenty years ago) link

Correct, it's on "Tanworth at Arden".

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:57 (twenty years ago) link

Ah ok. If anyone is able to put an mp3 up somewhere I'd be v.grateful. I'm supposed to be singing this song myself in a couple of weeks.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:57 (twenty years ago) link

Johnny Cash's version is real nice too.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:58 (twenty years ago) link

VoJ seems more 'coverable' to me than 'Sad Eyed Lady' - I think somebody did it on that Uncut Dylan covers CD that came out a year or two ago, but I doubt they did it well.

Intuition tells me that electronics would be the way to go if tackling 'Johanna'.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:59 (twenty years ago) link

Here's a link to MP3s of the entire Tanworth sessions. Hopefully the official release will clean the sound up a bit:

http://sydtech.com/nickdrake2/NickDrake.htm

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 24 July 2003 15:59 (twenty years ago) link

Nico's version of "I'll Keep It With Mine" is better.

― Pabst Blue Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:01 (twenty years ago) link

good call! it'd be interesting to hear someone from that quadrant tackle VoJ. Köhn? SchneiderTM/Kpt.Michi.Gan? Postal Service, maybe?

― summerslastsound, Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:02 (twenty years ago) link

i like bettie serveert's cover of "i'll keep it with mine" but i'm indie so hey

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:02 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah - I found that site Nom De Plume. Unfortunately all the links to mp3s are actually dead.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:03 (twenty years ago) link

Nico's version I find far too strident and monotone after a while.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:05 (twenty years ago) link

Sorry about that -- I'd downloaded them a while back. I'll keep digging around for you.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:05 (twenty years ago) link

Nico sounds a bit like she's singing along with a metronome, which has its advantages and disadvantages. The guitar figures on that version are real nice.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:06 (twenty years ago) link

AMG lists a few different covers of "Visions of Johanna", including Robyn Hitchcock, Marianne Faithfull, Lee Ranaldo, and the Grateful Dead. The only one I've heard is the Michael Moore version, and that's an instrumental.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:19 (twenty years ago) link

Michael Moore??

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:26 (twenty years ago) link

yeah, and none of them quite cut it, no matter how well intentioned or earnest. it's a bear of a song. aside from Townes van Zandt, i can't think of anyone who might do it justice.

― summerslastsound, Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:27 (twenty years ago) link

Michael Moore the American expat, longtime resident of the Netherlands, member of ICP Orchestra, reedist extraordinaire. His version is quite lovely actually.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:36 (twenty years ago) link

"Visions of Johanna" b/w "Can You Please Tell Me How to Get to Philip Knight's Office?"

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:38 (twenty years ago) link

I've always loved Coulson, Dean, McGuinness, Flint's take on "Eternal Circle" from their all-Dylan cover album from 1972, Lo and Behold.

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:47 (twenty years ago) link

Van Morrison's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" deserves a mention.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:04 (twenty years ago) link

Rod Stewart does great versions of "Only a Hobo" and "Tomorrow is a Long Time" too. "Si Tu Dois Partir" is just genius though.

― abeta, Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:06 (twenty years ago) link

VM's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue was the other one I was thinking of. The inspired backing totally lifts the song to somewhere else.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:15 (twenty years ago) link

I forgot about that one. But to split hairs, that's Them actually, not VM solo.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:17 (twenty years ago) link

hey man you forgot about Fairport's version of "Million Dollar Bash" where they all take a verse!

― roger adultery, Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:24 (twenty years ago) link

That song and "Si tu dois partir" are a little too jaunty for me.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

Nick; a bit off topic, but you might want to pop to HMV where you can currently pick up Sandy Denny's "The north star grassman and the ravens", which is brilliant, and it's only a fiver in the sale.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:59 (twenty years ago) link

I think the Byrds' "Bells of Rhymney" might be my favorite, with their "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" right up there. They were really his greatest interpreters. Although their "This Wheel's on Fire" is unpleasant and depressing.

ALso another vote for Fairport's "Percy's Song".

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 24 July 2003 18:13 (twenty years ago) link

"Bells of Rhymney" is a folk song that was adapted by Pete Seeger.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 18:41 (twenty years ago) link

Or perhaps it was originally a poem? Anyway, it's to do with Pete Seeger, not Bob Dylan.

But it is pretty beautiful in the Byrds rendition.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 24 July 2003 18:42 (twenty years ago) link

I meant "Chimes of Freedom". From the first record. My mistake, i mistyped it.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 24 July 2003 18:45 (twenty years ago) link

Lots of great stuff listed above - i'll add Karl Wallinger's World Party cover of All I Really Want to Do.

― christoff (christoff), Thursday, 24 July 2003 19:21 (twenty years ago) link

Springsteen's version of 'I Want You' is absolutely chilling. Available only on bootlegs.
I second Rainy Day's 'I'll Keep It With Mine'.

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Thursday, 24 July 2003 20:04 (twenty years ago) link

Cat Power's "Moonshiner" is very nice and mournful, but Dylan's is slightly better.

― David A. (Davant), Thursday, 24 July 2003 20:08 (twenty years ago) link

Hey Keith - ta. Maybe I'll do that - that's where I got 'What We Did On Our Holidays' for a fiver in the first place.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 24 July 2003 20:43 (twenty years ago) link

Nina Simone's version of 'Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues' is pretty fuckin' beautiful too

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Thursday, 24 July 2003 20:57 (twenty years ago) link

Another vote for Rainy Day's "I'll Keep It With Mine," although the outtake from Bringing It All Back Home is way the best version. Fairport's is boring.

There are NO good versions of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" except the Basement Tapes original, which has to be one of his five or so best songs.

There really aren't all that many good Dylan covers. A couple: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" by Van Morrison and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" by Bryan Ferry.

― Burr (Burr), Thursday, 24 July 2003 21:06 (twenty years ago) link

Ida's "Boots of Spanish Leather."
Marion Williams' "Wicked Messenger."

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 25 July 2003 04:54 (twenty years ago) link

I think I prefer their "Percy's Song" too.

And I know Hendrix's "...Watchtower" is an obvious choice but it is marvellous.

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 25 July 2003 07:25 (twenty years ago) link

The Byrd's did a great versh of It's All Over Now Baby Blue. But nothing new with mentioning them. SO how about Paul Weller's I Shall Be Released?

― tigerclawskank, Friday, 25 July 2003 07:51 (twenty years ago) link

Anybody heard "Who Killed Davey Moore" by R. Stevie Moore? Not beautiful but brilliant - in fact the album it's on, "Teenage Spectacular", is one of those great lost gems no-one's ever heard.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 25 July 2003 09:17 (twenty years ago) link

Percy's song is better, I think. Denny does get a bit too OTT towards the end.

― RickyT (RickyT), Friday, 25 July 2003 09:39 (twenty years ago) link

The best Dylan cover I've heard is Johnney Cash doing Girl of North Country. He's got the sort of voice that makes the son as believable as Dylan makes it.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Friday, 25 July 2003 11:23 (twenty years ago) link

Hey, It's great to hear from KEITH WATSON, who I'm sure will agree with me that Olivia Newton-John's version of 'If Not For You' takes a lot of beating. It's from when she was a little bit country.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 25 July 2003 15:21 (twenty years ago) link

Hi MR MILLER... Likewise with you, you cheeky young chappy. I don't know about Olivia Neutron-bomb's one - I only remember the Grease stuff and "Physical", which was great.

Nice to hear she went country, like that Monkee guy - getting back to her roots.

I dunno about Dylan covers. I like The Byrds' This Wheel's on Fire, obivously any of them by Jimi are cool too. To be honest, I actually skipped the Dylan ones on the Fairport LP's last time I listened to them, maybe I'll give them another go thanks to Nick.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Friday, 25 July 2003 15:38 (twenty years ago) link

i've always liked nico's version much more than fairport convention's version. nico often sounds like she's involved in a fierce struggle with her voice to get it to convey traditional vocal feeling, which i like, whereas something about sandy denny's voice just sets my teeth on edge.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 25 July 2003 16:08 (twenty years ago) link

Skipping 27 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

nico's > FC's, but "my back pages" by the byrds is my fav dylan cover of all time.

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 18 November 2004 21:01 (nineteen years ago) link

Bob Shaw beat me to my favorite, YLT's "I Threw It All Away."

― the apex of nadirs (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 18 November 2004 21:06 (nineteen years ago) link

FC's, but "my back pages" by the byrds is my fav dylan cover of all time. -- peter smith

O yeah. Though upthread I also was one of those who spoketh their fondness of Fairport C's French language finess, the Byrds' "Back Pages" I just love something rotten.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 18 November 2004 22:41 (nineteen years ago) link

that one has a lovely guitar solo

― amateur!!st, Thursday, 18 November 2004 23:32 (nineteen years ago) link

very economical

― amateur!!st, Thursday, 18 November 2004 23:32 (nineteen years ago) link

Lloyd Cole's 'You're A Big Girl Now' is better, for me.

― the bellefox, Friday, 19 November 2004 13:09 (nineteen years ago) link

That is my favourite Dylan song. I am somewhat wary of hearing this Lloyd Cole interpretation.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 19 November 2004 13:17 (nineteen years ago) link

I can't be arsed to look upthread to see if it's been mentioned but Them's 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue' is staggering.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 19 November 2004 13:22 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh yeah Dr. C has hit the nail on the head there. The 13th Floor Elevator version is great too, The Byrds' one is pretty rubbish.

― De Doo Doo Doo De Da Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 19 November 2004 13:24 (nineteen years ago) link

'It's All Over Now Baby Blue' much praised upthread, yes.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 19 November 2004 13:40 (nineteen years ago) link

four months pass...

My fave Dylan cover has always been 'Blowin in the Wind' by Stevie Wonder. Its not a very original thought, I know, but I've always thought that Dylan songs ar egnerally better sung by other people.

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Friday, 15 April 2005 09:06 (nineteen years ago) link

What I like about Nico's voice is that her "lack of feeling" proves something about how affecting the natural inflections in language and music can be, how certain songs are so well-written they kind of do all the work for the vocalist... and Nico's material, whether she was doing covers or originals, extracted some really beautiful intonations from that cold Nordic voice.

I have to say that I don't find Nico cold at all. I've only got Chelsea Girls, but there are songs on that that are absolutely, gut-wrenchingly emotional. In a good way. Sort of. If you want your guts wrenched.

I'd have to say her cover of "I'll keep it with mine" - together with MELANIE and her cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man".

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Friday, 15 April 2005 10:13 (nineteen years ago) link

I've never been the biggest Cat Power fan, but "Paths of Victory" is quite nice.

― Will(iam), Friday, 15 April 2005 12:41 (nineteen years ago) link

Does the fact that Fairport Convention covered 'I'll Keep it With Mine' mean they were fans of Nico & hence the Velvets? I ask because I've always heard a VU type guitar drone in some of their early stuff (eg A Sailor's Life).

I've never seen it mentioned - we are led to believe that the only people in Britain who liked VU were Bowie & Eno etc

― bham, Friday, 15 April 2005 14:46 (nineteen years ago) link

John Cale & Richard Thompson both play on Nick Drake's Bryter Layter.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 15 April 2005 14:58 (nineteen years ago) link

also, as i mentioned upthread Bettie Serveert's cover of ICIWM is ace, Peter Visser's exit solo especially is pretty "out".

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 15 April 2005 15:01 (nineteen years ago) link

My version of "Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love?)."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 15 April 2005 15:24 (nineteen years ago) link

Actually, every Bryan Ferry cover of a Dylan song rivals the original (especially "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall").

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 15 April 2005 15:24 (nineteen years ago) link

Lou Reed did a spectacular "Foot of Pride."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 15 April 2005 15:51 (nineteen years ago) link

Someone did mention it upthread (in 2003) but I'm partial to Joan Baez doing Percy's Song in the hotel room in Don't Look Back, and I don't even really like Joan Baez. I also second I Shall Be Released done by the Band.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 16 April 2005 03:16 (nineteen years ago) link

Worth a mention: Robert Forster's "Tell Me That It Isn't True", a lovely sounding thing.

― Taylor, Saturday, 16 April 2005 20:12 (nineteen years ago) link

Another real good one is a band called 16 Horsepower. They do a cover of Nobody 'Cept You from Bootleg Series, always been one of my favorite Dylan covers.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 16 April 2005 20:47 (nineteen years ago) link

The version of 'Down in the Flood' by Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson on "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens" is freakin' awesome.

― J (Jay), Saturday, 16 April 2005 20:52 (nineteen years ago) link

three months pass...

I heart ALL of FC's Dylan covers but think "Million Dollar Bash" is the most fun!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Saturday, 6 August 2005 05:52 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

i like nico a lot but the fairport "i'll keep it with mine" is the keeper

― gershy, Monday, 17 September 2007 06:24 (sixteen years ago) link

fairport one is one of the best songs ever

― chaki, Monday, 17 September 2007 07:13 (sixteen years ago) link

No love for the Turtles' "It Ain't Me Babe"? or the Burritos' "If You Gotta Go..."?

― bham, Monday, 17 September 2007 07:43 (sixteen years ago) link

No Julie Driscoll's "This Wheel's on Fire"? No Peter, Paul, & Mary's "Too Much of Nothing"? No NEIL YOUNG??!!??! This thread is broken.

― Nubbelverbrennung, Monday, 17 September 2007 09:36 (sixteen years ago) link

13th Floor Elevators - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"

― sexyDancer, Monday, 17 September 2007 16:43 (sixteen years ago) link

I'd like to second Amateurist from waaaay earlier on Elvis' version of "Tomorrow Is A Long Time". It's hazy, the aural equivalent of a mid 80s Penthouse photoshoot, with soft lighting and a quaalude glow. This song is Exhibit #1 for the value of prescription drug abuse by musicians.

― Euler, Monday, 17 September 2007 16:57 (sixteen years ago) link

ELVIS DOING DON'T THINK TWICE, ferry doing don't think twice, indigo girls(with baez) doing don't think twice, magnet doing lay lady lay.

there's more.

― MRZBW, Monday, 17 September 2007 17:00 (sixteen years ago) link

robyn hitchcock's "tryin to get to heaven before they close the door"

― ciderpress, Monday, 17 September 2007 20:00 (sixteen years ago) link

<i>No Julie Driscoll's "This Wheel's on Fire"?</i>

^^^no diggity.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 17 September 2007 20:28 (sixteen years ago) link

sexyd otm.
though the charley d & milo version is "i'll keep it with mine" is awesome too. borrows fairly heavily from the fairport version, i think.

― ian, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 20:35 (sixteen years ago) link

Robyn H kind of owns Not Dark Yet for me.

― Jon Lewis, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 20:41 (sixteen years ago) link

Emmylou Harris doing "Every Grain of Sand" is quite nice.

Re: Nico. I can never get over how out of tune she is. Was.

― dally, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 20:47 (sixteen years ago) link

I actually had a pretty hard time deciding which version of "I'll Keep It With Mine" was better - Dylan's, Fairport's or Nico's. It's a hypnotic and haunting song regardless.

― Bimble, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 01:28 (sixteen years ago) link

Johnny Rivers' take on "positively 4th street" is grand. and i reckon i'd call it beautiful. in its own way

― outdoor_miner, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 03:21 (sixteen years ago) link

Olivia Newton-John's "If Not For You" is beautiful in much the same way that Olivia Newton-John's hair is beautiful.

Nina Simone's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is beautiful in much the same way that blood trickling down a drain can be beautiful.

― Douglas, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 04:10 (sixteen years ago) link

four years pass...

How do folks feel about "Eastern Rain", the Joni cover on WWDOOH? Having pulled out the album for the first time in a while, I'm just mesmerized by this one. Don't feel I've paid it the proper attention before on an album with "I'll Keep it With Mine" and "Meet on the Ledge", etc.. Denny in full-throated mode, but still her singing (and the instrumentation, too) manages lovely delicacy at the same time.

― softspool, Sunday, 29 July 2012 04:17 (eleven years ago) link

the guitar solo in "Eastern Rain" is unfortunate.

― starfish succulents (unregistered), Sunday, 29 July 2012 04:27 (eleven years ago) link

I've always loved it fwiw.

― Trip Maker, Sunday, 29 July 2012 04:45 (eleven years ago) link

haha, i like the solo, but think i understand where you're coming from. xp

― softspool, Sunday, 29 July 2012 05:00 (eleven years ago) link

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