10 Greatest Covers Of Bob Dylan Songs
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience- All Along The Watchtower
An obvious choice, sure, but it’s the only correct one. Dylan’s original, appearing on the oft-forgotten John Wesley Harding album, is certainly a strong song. The chords are bang on, the bass sounds great, the lyrics are mysterious enough to keep the debate rolling some 50-odd years later. It’s a smashing tune.
Hendrix’s rendition, though, is on a totally different level. Recorded just six months after Dylan’s, he gives you four bars to settle in, strumming the chords over light percussion. Then the lead guitar starts. It’s one of the all-time great instrumental introductions; rarely has a Stratocaster sounded this epic.
It’s a decent vocal performance by Hendrix - singing was never his strong suit, but he does well here - and then we’re back to the soloing. It’s simultaneously totally indulgent but entirely captivating. The texture of the guitar parts is perfectly considered; it rises to a clattering crescendo then dips into a softer section, before building to a wild conclusion; as we fade out, Hendrix is still shredding.
This immediately became the definitive version of the song, and Dylan was happy to accept defeat, quickly tailoring his live version to resemble this one. Not just the best Dylan cover, but one of the best covers full stop.