By Tony Attwood

We’ve already covered the covers of this song in the article in the “Beautiful obscurity” series where you’ll find recordings by Hard Nutz, the White Stripes, Robert Plant, Big Runga, Roger McGuinn with Calexico and Tom Jones.   So plenty there for you to listen to if you are a fan of the song.

But my task today is to ask, “could there be any more that are worthy of note?”   I’ve found three, although I think there probably are many more.

This live recording by Gallie digs out every grain of emotion in the song, without overdoing it.  I love the harmonies in the chorus.

And there is more – this by Jessica Rhaye and The Ramshackle Parade in which again every ounce of feeling within the song is explored without it ever being overplayed or pushed too far.

In fact I think that is the key point; there needs to be an element of retraint here. Lose that and you lose the song.

Just one more as we have had so many excellent versions already.  Jessica Rhaye and The Ramshackle Parade

And that really shows what this is all about – keeping an understanding of the piece while taking it somewhere else.   The melody is changed and the rhythm is unrelenting, and as a result I’m not totally sure about this version but I can see where it is going, and admire the way they have found something else to do, despite all the other versions.