Let's create the ultimate Bob Dylan cover version mixtape.

Cafe Society
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Thirty years ago when Mrs; Dub and I were dating, I knew she was a Dylan fan and I put together a tape of Dylan Songs performed by other artists. It helped that I had an extensive record collection myself and that I lived upstairs from a used record store and was on good enough terms with the proprietor that he’d let me borrow for this purpose.
(Shoutout to Rich at Broadway Records in Lake Orion, MI. Still in business.)

But that was, as I said thirty years ago. There have been many covers done since and, of course, the master has not been idle himself either.

What tracks would you include on such a tape? No duplication of songs or artist. I will monitor the thread and note if anybody hits on artist or tracks I used.

YouTube links are always fun. As long as no one suggests William Shatner’s “Mr Tambourine Man”, we’re good.

Just to get you started here’s a few that were included.

Rick Nelson-“She Belongs to Me”.

Elvis-“Tomorrow is a Long Time”


Walker Brothers-“Love Minus Zero”

Take it away, Dopers…

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If you’re looking for stone musicianship, have a listen to Leftover Salmon’s version of “Tangled Up in Blue.” It’s on their live album called 25. Great mandolin, banjo, guitar, and roadhouse piano.

Jerry Garcia Band also did MANY raucous and virtuoso guitar versions of the same song.

Obviously, the Band’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”

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I have a lot, but let’s start with this: Audra Mae - Forever Young

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Start with Hendrix doing “All Along the Watchtower,” since Dylan loved it.

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I used Joan Baez doing “Forever Young”.

From Hendrix, I felt “Watchtower” was too overexposed so I used “Like a Rolling Stone” instead.

I did include "Watchtower" on the tape, but went with the lesser known version by Spirit.
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I thought this would lead off. The Byrds Mr Tambourine Man

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Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door - Guns N Roses

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Inclusion of a Byrds song is mandatory. I’m partial to “My Back Pages” though.

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Remembered the song, never saw the original video…

“Absolutely Sweet Marie” - Jason and the Scorchers

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Jo Harlow - Make You Feel My Love

Turley Richards - Love Minus Zero - No Limit

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Tim O’Brien - Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)

Willie Nelson - What Was It You Wanted

John Mellencamp - Farewell Angelina

I don’t think Chris Smither’s Desolation Row needs to go on the mix, but it does feature my favorite lyrical change in any Dylan cover. Dylan’s original includes different verses with Ophelia and Romeo. Smither combines them into one:

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Joan Osborne—“Highway 61 Revisited” & “High Water (For Charley Patton)”
Pure joy.

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I really enjoy two of the covers from Masked and Anonymous that are sung in other languages:

Magokoro Brothers - My Back Pages

Articolo 31 - Come una pietra scalciata

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Paste’s 50 Best Bob Dylan Covers of All Time

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I vote for “Chimes of Freedom”.

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One Too Many Mornings by Johnny Cash

Somewhere - I think on the Bootleg tapes, must check - is a duet with Dylan which is even better.

In fact, just found it here - but not eligible, I guess.

j

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Roger Taylor (yeah, from Queen) - Masters of War Done with a more synthetic sound - lots of quiet keyboards and drums he sort of quietly mutters the words and lets them carry the freight. Eh, I like it.

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It Ain’t Me, Babe, The Turtles.
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright, Peter, Paul & Mary

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And - Goddamn, I forgot it - Make You Feel My Love by Adele, which is so good it sounds like an Adele song. There’s not many that owned a Dylan song like that. Begging your pardon, Mr Hendrix.

j

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The Wicked Messenger by the Faces is… wicked!