10 Greatest Covers Of Bob Dylan Songs
8. Johnny Cash And June Carter - It Ain’t Me, Babe
“It Ain't Me, Babe” was an early indication from Dylan that he was an artist capable of - and insistent upon - constant evolution. To this point he was known better as an acid-tongued protest singer, but here he turned his attention to a more personal depiction of romantic feelings and disappointments.
It’s a song about a man who feels he isn’t good enough for the woman he loves, and to that end it’s easy to see why Johnny Cash would pick it up. The hard living Cash was reaching the end of his wildest years, and here he duets with the woman whose partnership would help him tackle many of his demons.
Cash and Carter singing together is always golden, and this is one of the most complimentary tunes for their disparate voices. Cash’s baritone reflects Dylan’s weary acceptance of love lost, while Carter’s gorgeous countermelody offers a forceful rejoinder, a partner on equal footing.
Through reimagining the song as a conversation of sorts, two flawed individuals on the same page, it turns a breakup track into something far more complex.