The 100 greatest cover versions of Bob Dylan songs ever

 


Latest addition: Crash on the Levee by Tedeschi Trucks


 

Compiled by readers of Untold Dylan

For a few months in the first half of 2018 readers of this website, and of the Untold Dylan facebook page were invited to submit their nominations for the best cover version of a Dylan song.

Below we publish the full list of nominations that we have so far listed, in alphabetical order. (If I have missed a nomination out, please don’t shout at me, but just post it again at in the comments at the foot of this page and I’ll add it to the next update).   One group of nominations that came in while I was compiling this list is shown at the end.  We’ll be finding copies of these songs and integrating them into the list later.

What is particularly interesting and quite unexpected is that hardly any cover versions were nominated by more than one person.  It seems that everyone who wants to make a choice has their own choice to make – which I love, because this activity has introduced me to so many versions of Dylan songs I have never heard before.

If you want to nominate one or more songs please do so below, showing (obviously) the song and the performer.  If we can find a copy on line we’ll list it along with that group at the end not yet added to the list.

A thousand thank yous to everyone who so willingly took part and showed an interest in this project.   This page will be listed on the home page of the site so it is easy to find should you ever wish to come back to it.

Here we go: the 100 greatest Dylan covers nominated by readers of Untold Dylan, roughly provided in alphabetical order.

A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall by Jason Mraz .  Suggested by Jim

A Hard Rain;s a gonna fall from the TV series Peaky Blinders.  By Laura Marling, suggested by Tony

Absolutely Sweet Marie by Jason and the Scorchers, suggested by Dave Miatt.

Absolutely Sweet Marie by George Harrison, suggested by Imam Alfa Abdulkareem.

All along the watchtower – Brian Ferry.  Suggested by Diego D’Agostino

All Around the Watchtower: Yul Anderson.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Baby, I’m in the Mood for You – Odetta.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Blood on the Tracks by Mary Lee’s Corvette.  Suggested by Jerry Strauss.   The whole album is not on the internet at large but “You’re a big girl now” is  on line.  As is “Idiot wind” from the Blood on the Tracks Concert.

Blowin’ in the wind by McCrary Sisters.   Suggested by Johannes.

Blowin’ in the Wind.  Peter Paul and Mary.  Suggested Mike

Boots of Spanish Leather by Patti Smith, suggested by Matt Rude

Boots of Spanish Leather on Dylan på svenska suggested by Jesper Fynbo [Spotify] (This link will start the whole album – you have to move down to the track suggested to play it)

Changing of the Guard by Chris Whitley and Jeff Lang, suggested by Matt Rude

Country Pie by The Nice, suggested by Ken Willis.

Crash on the Levee by Tedeschi Trucks, suggested by Tony

De swalkers flecht (The Drifter’s Escape in Frisian).   Ernst Langhout & Johan Keus.  Suggested by Tony. The recording is on Spotify.

Desolation Row by Stan Denski.  Suggested by Stan Denski.

Dirge by Michael Moravek, suggested by Paul.  [On Spotify]

“Don’t Think Twice” by Eric Clapton, suggested by Rabbi Don Cashman.

“Don’t Think Twice it’s All Right”  Ramblin’ Jack Eliot suggested by Tom Felicetti.

De kweade boadskipper (The wicked messenger in Frisian) by Ernst Langhout & Johan Keus.     Suggested by Johannes

Emotionally Yours by The O-Jays suggested by Imam Alfa Abdulkareem

Every Grain of Sand: Emmylou Harris.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Foot of Pride.  Lou Reed.  Suggested by Laura Leivick

Forever Young by Joan Baez.  Suggested by Mike

Girl from the North Country by Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell.  Suggested by anonymous contributor.

Girl from the North Country by Walter Trout. Suggested by Darrin Ehil.

Going, Going, Gone – Richard Hell & The Voidoids.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Highway 61 Revisited – Johnny Winter.  Suggested by Laura Leivick

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight by Judy Rodman  suggested by Steve Perry.

I Believe in You by Sinead O’Conner,  suggested by Matt Rude.

I Threw It All Away – Yo La Tengo.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Idiot Wind By Luke Elliot, suggested by Matt Rude.

If not for you by George Harrison suggested by Larry Fyffe

It ain’t me babe by Joan Baez suggested by anonymous contributor

It Ain’t Me, Babe by Jesse Cook.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

It’s alright Ma (I’m only bleeding) by Bettina Jonic [Spotify], suggested by David Alexander-Watts.

It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue by Graham Bonnet, suggested by Matt Rude

Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – The Handsome Family.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Just like Tom Thumb’s Blues by Nina Simone suggested by Paul and separately by David Alexander-Watts.

Just like Tom Thumb’s Blues by The Tallest Man on Earth, suggested by Curtis Lovejoy.

Jokerman – Dylan.pl   Suggested by Anon.   Polish (“Arlekin”).  Available on Spotify.

Lay Down Your Weary Tune – Tim O’Brien.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Le ciel est noir (A hard rain’s a-gonna fall) by Nana Mouskouri.  Suggested by Johannes

Let’s keep it between us by  Bonnie Raitt.  Suggested by Johannes

Like a Rolling Stone – Articolo 31.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

Like a Rolling Stone by Spirit suggested by Davy Allan.

Lo and Behold by Coulson, Dean, McGuiness, Flint suggested by Mike Mooney

Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word – Joan Baez.  Suggested by Tom Haber.  The link is to the Untold Dylan review, which includes within it a recording of the song.

Love minus zero – The Walker Brothers.  Suggested by John Wyburn.

Maggie’s Farm by Solomon Burke, suggested by Ingemar Almeros Almeros.

Mama, You’ve Been On My Mind by Idiot Wind, suggested by Matt Rude

Mama You Been On My Mind.   Bettye Lavette.  Suggested by Laura Leivick

Man in the Long Black Coat – Mark Lanegan.   Suggested by Fred Muller.

Mississippi recorded live by Dixie Chicks, suggested by Tony

Moonshiner by Charlie Parr, suggested by Edward Thomas.

Mr Tambourine Man – Melanie Safka.  Suggested Ken Fletcher.

Mr Tambourine Man by The Helio Sequence suggested by Imam Alfa Abdulkareem

Tambourine Man by the Byrds.  Suggested by Mike.

Queen Jane Approximately by The Daily Flash suggested by Bill Shute.

She Belongs To Me by Nice, suggested by Ken Willis

To Ramona by Sinéad Lohan, suggested by Kurt-Åke Hammarstedt [Spotify – select track 9]

New Pony – The Dead Weather.  Suggested by Diego D’Agostino

One more cup of coffee – The White Stripes.  Suggested by Diego D’Agostino.

Positively 4th Street by Johnny Rivers suggested by Tom Haber.

Precious Angel by Sinead O’Connor, suggested by Matt Rude

Pressing On – Chicago Mass Choir with Regina McCrary.  Suggested by Johannes

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 by Old Crow Medicine Show.  Suggested by Vadim Slowoda.

Restless Farewell by Mark Knopfler, suggested by anonymous contributor

Seven days by Joe Cocker.  Suggested by Johannes.

She Belongs to me by Jerry, Phil and Bob, suggested by Edward Thomas.

Simple Twist of Fate by Sarah Jarosz, suggested by Matt Rude

Spanish Harlem Incident by Chris Whitley, suggested by Matt Rude

Tight Connection to My Heart by Sheila Atim (from Girl from the North Country) . Suggested by Tony Allen.

Tomorrow is a Long Time – Elvis Presley, suggested by Tom Haber

Tomorrow is a long time – Rod Stewart.  Suggested by Diego D’Agostino

Too Much of Nothing.  Peter Paul and Mary.  Suggested by Tony.

Visions of Johanna recorded live by Old Crow Medicine Show, suggested by Tony [Spotify]

Wallflower – Buddy & Julie Miller. [Spotify] Suggested by Fred Muller.

Walls of Red Wing. Joan Baez.  Suggested by Laura Leivick

Wanted Man by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.  Suggested by Matt Rude

What Good am I? – Solomon Burke. [Spotify] Suggested by Fred Muller.

With God on our side: Buddy Miller.  Suggested by Fred Muller.

What Good Am I by Tom Jones, suggested by Pat Sludden

When I Paint My Masterpiece by Chris Whitley and Jeff Lang, suggested by Matt Rude

Latest Additions to the list nominated by Ralph – links will be found and the songs added to the list at the next review

1. Eric Truffaz & Sophie Hunger: Dirge; ABSOLUTE BEST;
2. Joan Baez: Love is just a four letter word; SUPERB BAEZ;
3. Thea Gilmore: I dreamed I saw St Augustine; A whole album of great covers in fact
4. Alison Krauss: I believe in you;
5. Thea Gilmore: As I went out one morning;
6. Frazey Ford: One more cup of coffee;
7. Bonnie Raitt: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue;
8. Cat Power: Monnshiner;
9. Tom Petty: License to kill (Live, 30th anniversary);
10. Bruce Springsteen: I want You.

What else is on the site?

You’ll find an index to our latest posts arranged by themes and subjects on the home page.  You can also see details of our main sections on this site at the top of this page under the picture.

The index to the 500+ songs reviewed is now on a new page of its own.  You will find it here.  It contains reviews of every Dylan composition that we can find a recording of – if you know of anything we have missed please do write in.

We also now have a discussion group “Untold Dylan” on Facebook.  Just type the phrase “Untold Dylan” in, on your Facebook page or follow this link 

And please do note   The Bob Dylan Project, which lists every Dylan song in alphabetical order, and has links to licensed recordings and performances by Dylan and by other artists, is starting to link back to our reviews

 

31 Comments

  1. Hi Tony,

    So far I’ve collected about 9000 Dylancovers. Roughly 1200 are worth a second listen. Out of those 1200 there are (so far) 152 really, really good covers – some of them surpass the master. Here and now I’d select these 10 – tomorrow I would probably select ten others.

    1 Tangled Up In Blue – Indigo Girls
    2 Not Dark Yet – Severa Gjurin
    3 Down In The Flood – Derek Trucks Band
    4 Is Your Love in Vain? – Barb Jungr
    5 Acapulco – Jim James & Calexico
    6 To Ramona – Alan Price
    7 Visions Of Johanna – Chris Smither
    8 Clothes Line Saga – The Roches
    9 The Mighty Quinn – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
    10 Lord, Protect My Child – Susan Tedeschi with the Persuasions

    Groeten uit Utrecht,
    Jochen

  2. I don’t know if I can do it, but I will try and find these online and then publish the list on the site separately in one article. Although you might like today’s little update on The Might Quinn – there is a link from the home page.

  3. Tom Petty and the Heartbrekers – License to Kill at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert. Tom absolutely nailed it!!!

  4. The cover that replaced Hendrix’s Watchtower at number one for me is … Senor by Tim O’Brien (Red On Blonde). Smokin’ fiddle.
    I do like S Colvin’s You’re Gonna Make Me Lonsome. Good choice.

  5. Boots of Spanish Leather by Airborne Toxic Event will bring you to tears

  6. Changing of the Guards, by Patti Smith on Twelve. Wish the instrumentation in Dylan’s original was more like this; would have been an all time classic…

  7. For those who use Google Play Music. I have made up 2 playlists of Dylan covers. One is called ‘Dylan Cover – Deep Cuts’ (with over 750 songs) and another called ‘Dylan Covers – for those who don’t like his voice’ (with about 220 songs). In the process, I have listened to thousands of different versions to pick what I believe to be best. I have discovered some hidden gems. However, I’m always looking for more to add. Sometimes, you do find something, but it is only on YouTube, so it can’t be added. I will be going through the above mentioned songs and adding.

  8. A couple of questions about Dylan covers from someone who’s not deeply into music: It seems that whenever I hear a cover of a Dylan song, it’s always one of his oldest – mostly ones from the 1960s. Are many musicians covering his songs from the last 40 years, especially ones Dylan wrote in the last 20 years? If his newer songs are mostly neglected, why do you think that is?

  9. I think covers are made for many reasons – one because having a Dylan cover on your album can enhance sales, but only if it is a song everyone knows. Another is that it is often done because it is a song the artist really likes – and that again tends to be older songs – if you hear a new song you love you know that your affection may fade over time.
    And I guess many people on this site (certainly including me) are of a certain age and some of the older songs have been with us all our lives, so we have a great affection for them, and pick out covers of them more readily than of recent songs.

  10. How is The Jeff Healey Band’s cover of ‘When the Night Comes Falling From The Sky’ (Roadhouse closing credits) not on this list? It’s the best of all Dylan covers.

  11. To Make You Feel My Love – cover by Adele. Not sure if this song has already been submitted, but it’s a personal favourite of mine. Cheers!

  12. Maggie’s Farm – Rage Against the Machine

    they also have a cover of the stone’s ‘street fighting man’ which is worthy of a listen on the same album… (Renegades)

    (recommended that both tracks should be turned up to at least 85% volume)

  13. A couple of Sinéad O’Connor versions that haven’t been mentioned: “Property of Jesus” and “Meet Me in the Morning.” Both are outstanding.

  14. Man in the Long Black Coat by Joan Osborne. I get chills just thinking about it.

  15. Hi everyone,
    I may be wrong, but it seems that the covers of “Gotta serve somebody” are missing. There are so many of this song, done by pros musicians and amateurs.
    I found a new really good one through a video on internet, but unable to find the singer. If someone can help, I have an extract as mp3 file. Thanks to all.

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