by Jochen Markhorst
In this series, we shine a spotlight on a thriving, fascinating, and polarising 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: “For this cover, I’ve opted for a long, acoustic build-up featuring acoustic guitar, piano and a simple drum track. Vocals by Fons. Halfway through a bass line comes in, with a broad electric guitar part in the background. This set-up is maintained right through to the end. Enriched with a guitar solo supported by ‘strings’ (an organ on the far left and a ‘ping wave’ from the Korg EX M1R on the far right. Great spatial effect). Lovely vocals by Fons Havermans.”
Jan Barten – I Pity The Poor Immigrant:
The melody, the simple accompaniment and the power of the opening line are irresistible. Fellow musicians gratefully picked up the song right after the release of John Wesley Harding and have been covering it to this day. Judy Collins and Joan Baez recorded the song within a year (on Who Knows Where The Time Goes and Any Day Now respectively). Thea Gilmore’s rendition is, as usual, beautiful (both live and on her tribute album John Wesley Harding). Taj Mahal infuses it with soul (recorded in 1969, released in 2012 on The Hidden Treasures Of Taj Mahal) and Richie Havens produces a weirdly unstable yet captivating version, also 1969 (released on Richard P. Havens, 1983, the double album featuring a Beatles cover on each side).
Richie Havens’ voice usually saves any cover he tackles, but this time he’s beaten on that front by Gene Clark. The former Byrd performs a beautiful, if perhaps not overly imaginative, up-tempo version of Poor Immigrant, which only appeared on the compilation album Flying High (1998), demonstrating the same magic as on his cover of “Tears Of Rage”: how that heart-rending, thin, plaintive voice elevates a Dylan song to ethereal heights.
The two finest covers are in a league of their own. Gospel legend Marion Williams sings many Dylan covers, but her “I Pity The Poor Immigrant” towers above them all – a soulful gospel arrangement with a slow, dramatic build-up in a Muscle Shoals-style setting; much like what Otis or Elvis might have made of it, with Jerry Wexler at the controls. The closing track of her brilliant album The New Message (1969), the album that opens with her equally superb version of “I Shall Be Released”.
The other highlight is instrumental and illustrates Dylan’s statement from Chronicles: “Musicians have always known that my songs were about more than just words.”
Jazz maestro Michael Moore and his trio Jewels And Binoculars lovingly and passionately delve into Dylan’s catalogue – “Explorations of the music of Bob Dylan for reeds, bass and percussion,” as he calls it. He delivers a masterpiece, the highlight of both the album Jewels And Binoculars (2003, which also features a breathtaking “Dark Eyes”) and of the Poor Immigrant covers overall. The bassist and percussionist lay down a blood-curdling, unsettling foundation; Moore’s lyrical, melancholic and narrative clarinet steps in and then wordlessly shares his interpretation of the enigmatic lyrics: there he lies, the feverish, hallucinating immigrant on his deathbed, delirious,
Who passionately hates his life And likewise, fears his death.
Amidst all these greats, Jan holds his own with ease. Remarkably, he is one of the few to remain fairly true to the original: the country-folk vibe, the austerity and the loneliness of the immigrant – Musicians have always known that my songs were about more than just words.
To be continued. Next up Jan’s Take 8: Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You