10 Greatest Covers Of Bob Dylan Songs
6. Nico - I’ll Keep It With Mine
Another track far better known for its subsequent covers, Dylan wrote “I’ll Keep It With Mine” in the mid-’60s, and repeatedly attempted to cut versions for his albums that decade. While it never made it to a studio record, the version that appears on his Bootlegs collection is a particularly sweet and sincere effort from the often spiky songwriter.
Nico’s version, recorded for her fantastic Chelsea Girl album, keeps much of the essence of Dylan’s blueprint, while sounding nothing like it. In each case it’s a relatively sparse instrumental track, headlined by harmonica on the original and insistent violins on the latter.
This gives Nico the chance to shine as a vocalist. Like Dylan, she’s not necessarily the most technically proficient singer, but has a voice of immense character and charisma. It’s a relatively simple lyric, and the long-sustained vocals over the cutting strings gives the song a real swell and release.
The simplicity of the track allows for the singer - either singer - to inject as much emotion as possible into their performance. Nico’s album is pure mournful beauty, and this is one of its high points.