In 1992 Columbia Records put together a massive collection of artists to celebrate Bob Dylan’s recording career. As I say in my review, at the time it must have seemed like a capstone to a long career. One that seemed like it was dying (I rather like some of Dylan’s output in the 1980s, but from a record company standpoint it certainly wasn’t his strongest decade).
The concert is pretty great, even if I haven’t listened to it since writing this review in 2014. You can read all of my thoughts from back then here.
Folsom Prison Blues Get Rhythm When You Get the Blues Sunday Morning Coming Down (Ghost) Riders in the Sky A Cowboy’s Prayer > Oh, Bury Me Not I Never Picked Cotton Unchained Rowboat Rusty Cage Southern Accents Memories Are Made of This Ring of Fire Intros > Walk the Line I’ve Got Jesus in My Soul Jackson* If I Were a Carpenter* %cuts Wabash Cannonball* Wildwood Flower* June yakking > I Used to Be Somebody** Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye)** Big River I Still Miss Someone Orange Blossom Special I’ll Be Waiting*
1-1 Kate 1-2 Grandfather’s Clock 1-3 Amazing Grace 1-4 Lily Of The Valley 1-5 Are You Washed In The Blood 1-6 My Ship Will Sail 1-7 Beautiful Memphis 1-8 Sanctified 1-9 Temptation Featuring – June Carter Cash 1-10 Wandering 1-11 I Can’t Go On That Way 1-12 The Greatest Cowboy Of Them All Featuring – Waylon Jennings 1-13 I Still Miss Someone Featuring – George Jones (2) 1-14 I Got Stripes Featuring – George Jones (2) 1-15 I’m Never Gonna Roam Again 1-16 Movin’ Up 1-17 Doin’ My Time 1-18 Do You Ever Feel This Way 1-19 St. Louis Blues 1-20 How Great Thou Art 1-21 It Is No Secret 1-22 When I’m Gray 1-23 Man Gave Names To All The Animals 1-24 I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day 2-1 The General Lee 2-2 Ben Dewberry’s Final Run 2-3 The Battle Of Nashville 2-4 Out Among The Stars 2-5 After All 2-6 The Chicken In Black 2-7 I Drove Her Out Of My Mind 2-8 I Came To Believe 2-9 I Know You Love Me 2-10 If I Told You Who It Was Featuring – Minnie Pearl 2-11 You Give Me Music 2-12 My Elusive Dreams 2-13 Baby Ride Easy Featuring – June Carter Cash 2-14 Call Your Mother 2-15 Man In White 2-16 Love Is A Gambler 2-17 Lady Of Love 2-18 One Wish 2-19 Love Is A Gambler Featuring – Rosanne Cash 2-20 Like A Soldier 2-21 Soldier Boy 2-22 Hello Out There 2-23 Poor Valley Girl 2-24 The Wanderer Featuring – U2
Set I
1. One Too Many Mornings
2. Mountain Dew
3. I Still Miss Someone
4. Careless Love
5. Matchbox
6. That?s Alright Mama
7. Big River
8. Girl From the North Country
9. I Walk the Line
10. You Are My Sunshine
11. Ring of Fire
12. Guess Things Happen That Way
13. Just a Closer Walk with Thee
14. Blue Yodel
15. Blue Yodel No. 5
Comment
Johnny Cash (guitar)
Bob Dylan (guitar)
Carl Perkins (guitar)
Bob Wotton (guitar)
Marshall Grant (bass)
W.S. Holland (drums)
Highwaymen
It Is What It Is
Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line
Folsom Prison Blues
Me And Bobby McGee
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
Live Forever
I’ve Always Been Crazy
Ring Of Fire
Sunday Mornin’ Comin Down
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Still Is Still Moving To Me
Everybody Gets Crazy Now And Then
Will The Wolf Survive?
Get Rhythm
Shipwrecked In The Eighties
Undo The Wrong
Wild Ones
Ain’t No Good Chain Gang
Bird On A Wire
Here Comes That Rainbow Again
An End To Understanding
Set II
(Ghost) Riders In The Sky
Orange Blossom Special
Between Heaven And Hell
Night Life
Good Hearted Woman
Chase The Feeling
Desperados Waiting For A Train
Always On My Mind
Big River
I Do Believe
Death And Hell
Why Me Lord
Editors Note: Once again I originally wrote this post many years ago. I don’t know that I would pick these same songs were I to pick my favorite cover songs now. But these are all good choices. I haven’t thought about some of these songs in years, so this was a fun stroll down memory lane.
Top 10 Cover Songs
A few rules. To be a cover song the song could not have been written specifically for that artist. Therefore the Monkees “I’m a Believer” will not work because Neil Diamond wrote it for their TV show. Likewise, Neil Diamond’s version of that song doesn’t count even though many think of it as a cover, because well, he wrote it. To count for my list the cover has to be of an already generally known song. So Jimmy Hendrix’s version of “Hey Joe” doesn’t count. Because there’s a dispute over who actually wrote the song and whoever heard the versions by any of those guys?
1. Satisfaction by Otis Redding.
Original by the Rolling Stones
Many people consider the Devo version to be a much better cover, and I totally dig it too, but Otis just blows it away. He’s got that killer Otis soul, jumping rhythm and even horns! Keith Richards has been quoted as saying the Otis version is how he meant the song to sound.
2. All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix.
Original by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan himself changed his way of playing this song after he heard Hendrix
3. I Will by Alison Krauss.
Original by the Beatles
We played this song at our wedding. It’s a beautiful McCartney number slowed down, and sung even more beautifully by Ms. Krauss.
4. Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies.
Original by the Velvet Underground
I actually prefer Lou Reed’s solo live versions of this song more than the original Velvet Underground’s studio recording. But the Junkies make what is a rowdy, dirty rock and roller into a softer, peaceful lullaby.
5. Not Fade Away by the Grateful Dead.
Original by Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly’s sweet rockabilly tune is turned on its head by the masters of jam. Often the Dead would churn this tune into a grinding 15-minute spectacle.
6. RESPECT by Aretha Franklin
Original by Otis Redding
Aretha gets back at Otis here. Otis does some amazing vocals on his version, but Aretha takes it a step further and nails it on its head.
7. Cold, Cold Heart by Norah Jones
Original by Hank Williams
Norah turns this forlorn country song into a sultry, sexy croon.
8. Stardust by Willie Nelson.
Original by Hoagy Carmichael
Transforming a huge big band tune into its most simplistic melody Willie Nelson makes this song his own.
09. Bizarre Love Triangle by Frente
Original by New Order
The orignal was a big dance hit, but Frente break it down into a beautiful acoustic number.
10. Hurt by Johnny Cash
Original by Nine Inch Nails
The heartbreaking video adds a lot of texture to this version but in the end, it’s Johnny Cash’s voice that brings out more meaning into this song than ever meant by Trent Reznor.
There are certainly many more great covers out there that I thought of and didn’t think of that could have been included. I tried to pick songs that followed my mentioned rules and that broke away from the original. For instance, I think the harmonies on CSN’s version of “Blackbird” elevate it far above the Beatles version, however, they didn’t make it a different song and thus it wasn’t included. Got covers, not on my list? Comment them!
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