by Jochen Markhorst
In this series, we shine a spotlight on a thriving, fascinating, and polarizing fringe phenomenon within Dylanology: the semi-professional cover artist. And more specifically, on a veteran from the southern part of a small country on the North Sea: Jan Barten from Breda, the Netherlands.
Jan: “The song starts with strings (an organ on the left, a Korg ping wave on the right) and piano (rubato, so without a steady rhythm). Next come an acoustic guitar and piano, plus a cowbell to tie everything together. Fons Havermans’ vocals differ from the original at the beginning. Meanwhile a Wurly has been added, along with various manual drum breaks (Roland RD600). For the finishing touch, there’s a spacious piano solo.”
At the time, Columbia Records president Clive Davis chose to release the song as a single. “I begged and pleaded with him not to. I never felt too close to the song, or thought it was representative of anything I do.” (Dylan, Biograph, 1985)
“I rewrote “Lay, Lady, Lay”, too.. (…) A lot of words to that song have changed. I recorded it originally surrounded by a bunch of other songs on the Nashville Skyline album. That was the tone of the session. Once everything was set, that was the way it came out. And it was fine for that time, but I always had a feeling there was more to the song than that.”
(Playboy interview, November 1977)
Whether Dylan has indeed found more to the song is debatable. During the Rolling Thunder Revue and in the Hard Rain version, a few lines have changed, that much is true. A hollow cliché like You can have your cake and eat it too has been replaced by the not much stronger You can love, but you might lose it, for example (but resurfaces on other nights on other places in the song). On Hard Rain a total of 78 (out of 171) words are different, so alright, a lot of words have changed. Plus: those performances are done with an overwhelming extra shot of love, with energy and a compelling urgency – which certainly benefits the song.
Anyway. the alleged missing warmth or “representativeness” is not that big an issue anymore, evidently; Dylan has played the song more than 400 times, still plays it in the twenty-first century, pushing “Lay Lady Lay” into his personal Top 50.
Enough colleagues who feel warmth for the song, too. “Lay Lady Lay” has fans like Madonna, The Everly Brothers and Duran Duran, apparently touching more artists than just the usual suspects like The Byrds, Richie Havens or Melanie. Many more artists even; the song is probably in a (non-existing) Top 20 of most covered Dylan songs.
Magnet’s nostalgic, dawdling version (with a wonderful guest contribution by Gemma Hayes, for the soundtrack of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, 2005) is rightly praised. The industrial grunge approach by Ministry is distinctive, to say the least (on Filth Pig, 1996) and actually has the Lure of the Forbidden.
But in the end, a laid-back, sultry approach fits the song best. Like Buddy Guy (Bring ‘Em In, 2005) or the one by Cher (for safety reasons changed to “Lay Baby Lay”), on her exquisite, staggeringly disregarded album 3614 Jackson Highway (1969), produced in the well-known Muscle Shoals Studio, Sheffield Alabama, by grandmaster Jerry Wexler.
The ultimate swoon away version should, obviously, have come from Barry White, but The Walrus Of Love breaches his duties. He is excellently replaced by Isaac Hayes though, on the beautiful tribute album Tangled Up In Blues, 1999. Granted, somewhat over the sultriest top, yes, but for once, only this one time, it is allowed.
Jan realises that he doesn’t need to try to emulate Isaac or become a Dutch Walrus of Love, and opts for a particularly tasteful, multi-coloured arrangement: from an atmospheric, ethereal intro to a dry, warm opening verse, to a joyful, irresistibly cheerful version of one of Dylan’s greatest hits. With a respectful and historically accurate tribute: Jan is one of the very few apostles to restore Dylan’s cowbell to its rightful place.
To be continued. Next up Jan’s Take 12: Forever Young
Previously in the series
- Jan’s Take 1: It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
- Jan’s Take 2: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Jan’s Take 3: 4th Time Around
- Jan’s Take 4: To Be Alone With You
- Jan’s Take 5: Ballad Of Hollis Brown
- Jan’s Take 6: I Want You
- Jan’s Take 7: I Pity The Poor Immigrant
- Jan’s Take 8: Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You
- Jan’s Take 9: You’re A Big Girl Now
- Jan’s Take 10: Sooner Or Later (One Of Us Must Know)