Dylan Cover of the Day: Changing of the Guard

By Tony Attwood

I was quite looking forward to this afternoon’s break from the day job, knowing that the next song on the agenda for “cover of the day” was “Caribbean Wind” and although I found two covers, neither really added anything to Dylan’s recordings of the song.  They’re perfectly fine, but simply don’t take us somewhere new in our understanding of the song.  A shame, but then we do have multiple versions from Bob himself.

But if you know a cover of the song that really does give a new perspective, and which is on the internet, please do write to me: Tony@schools.co.uk

So I move on and having moved I thought for a moment I was going to run into the same problems with the next title: “Changing of the Guards”.   For here again I found just a few covers that really are just reiterating the original.

However, then I stumbled across this

At first I wasn’t at all convinced, but I am really glad I stayed with it, as it became more interesting, more enjoyable and basically more entertaining as it developed.

Elsewhere, I was not sure Patti Smith’s cover was her strongest contribution but of course, I left it playing and certainly it does develop gently and grows and certainly needs a listen.  The accompaniment changes, harmonies are added, and all the time that constant rhythm guitar keeps us so aware that no matter how the guard changes, underneath it is all the same.

So, somewhat later than usual I feel I’ve found a couple of new insights.  I hope you enjoy them.

The series so far…

• Dylan cover of the day: Number 1. The song with numbers in the title.
• Dylan cover of the day. No 2: Ain’t Talkin
• Bob Dylan cover of the day No3: All I really want to do
• Dylan cover of the day No4: Angelina
• Dylan covers of the day No 5. Apple Suckling and Are you Ready.
• Cover version of the day No 6: As I went out one morning
• Dylan cover of the day No 7: Ballad for a Friend
• Dylan Cover of the Day No 8: Ballad in Plain D
• Dylan Cover of the Day No 9: Ballad of a thin man
• Dylan cover No. 10: The stunning reworking of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
• Dylan cover of the day No 11: The ballad of Hollis Brown
• A Dylan cover a day No 12: Beyond here lies nothing
• Dylan cover of the day No 13: Blind Willie McTell
• Dylan Cover of the Day 14: Black Crow Blues (more fun than you might recall)
• Dylan Cover of the Day 15: An unexpected cover of “Black Diamond Bay”
• Dylan Cover of the Day 16: Blowin in the wind as never before
• Dylan Cover of the Day 17: Bob Dylan’s Dream
• Dylan Cover of the Day 18: You will not believe this… 115th Dream revisited
• Dylan cover of the day 19: Boots of Spanish leather
• Dylan cover of the day 20: Born in Time
• Dylan cover of the day 21: Buckets of Rain
• Dylan cover of the day: 22 Can you please crawl out your window
• Dylan cover of the day 23: Can’t wait

Untold Dylan was created in 2008 and is published daily – currently twice a day, sometimes more, sometimes less.  Details of some of our series are given at the top of the page and in the Recent Posts list, which appears both on the right side of the page and at the very foot of the page (helpful if you are reading on a phone).  Some of our past articles which form part of a series are also included on the home page.

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