Bob Dylan covered: my top 100 Dylan cover songs by Moondance (2022) 
This chart reveals/uncovers the incredibly rich and diverse realm of Bob Dylan cover songs. Some estimates put the number of cover songs to be over 105,000! So, to make a chart of 100 Dylan cover songs is both hard & easy.
To fully acknowledge and represent this diversity and to cover Dylan's entire 60 year recording career, I set certain parameters:
* Limit any artist to only one cover song;
* Limit any Dylan tribute album to only one cover song ~ Note: the number/diversity of Dylan tribute albums discovered during the making of this chart has amazed me. Despite having over 40 tribute albums listed in this chart, I have only scratched the surface {elsewhere on the BEA site I am aware of a user who has a 'top 100 chart of 100% Dylan cover albums'; and during my research, I stumbled across a website that listed over 400 albums comprising between 50% - 100% Dylan cover songs};
* For Dylan albums with only a small number of original songs (eg Bob Dylan; Greatest Hits Vol II; Self Portrait; Masterpieces; Knocked Out Loaded etc), this chart includes at least one cover song to showcase those albums;
* For each of the 27 Dylan albums that contain all original songs, this chart includes between two - four cover songs;
* In other words, every Dylan album that includes, in part or in full, original songs is referenced in this chart (at last count, that added up to 40 Dylan albums);
* Some songs written/co-written by Dylan but never recorded by Dylan have been included in this chart (eg Clapton, Goffin, O'Keefe);
* Dylan side projects (eg Traveling Wilbury's, movie soundtracks) have also been included in this chart, to give this chart the most comprehensive feel that I could put together.
The order of the chart listing will be chronological - based on the release date of the corresponding contemporaneous studio album or the recording date for those songs that were released much later on compilation albums (GHVII, Masterpieces), the 1975 Basement Tapes or the various Bootleg Series albums.
The only exception to the chronological order is the #1 entry by Linda Mason. It has now been recognised that Linda's 1964 album was the first to be released that was 100% dedicated to covering the songs of Bob Dylan.
For the period 1961 - 1991, I am grateful to Michael Krogsgaard's 'Positively Bob Dylan', for providing the research that details the actual recording dates of Dylan's original songs, as well as dates/locations as to when Dylan first played his yet to be released songs in public.
- Chart updated: 13 minutes ago
- (Created: 05/22/2022 06:40).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There is 1 comment for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Bob Dylan covered: my top 100 Dylan cover songs has an average rating of 88 out of 100 (from 2 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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"Farewell" was recorded by Dylan in early 1963 as a Witmark & Sons demo and live recordings from the same period have been in circulation on various unofficial recordings (eg A Rare Batch Of Little White Wonder). The song was officially released on Dylan's 2010 Bootleg Series Vol. 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-1964.
Despite the lyrical sentiment, I don't think a 21 year old Dylan would have ever imagined how far from reality his journey would contradict this line: "With my hands in my pockets and my coat collar high, I will travel unnoticed and unknown". [First added to this chart: 06/05/2022]
"Song To Woody" was recorded on 20 November 1961 and released on Dylan's debut March 1962 'Bob Dylan' album {track 5, side 2}. Of the 13 songs on the album, only 2 were original songs - the other original song being "Talking New York". The belated first live performance of 'Song To Woody' appears to have been at Chicago Stadium on 3 January 1974.
Despite its early genesis, the 20 year old Dylan's genius pokes up its head with a line reflecting on the state of the world (that is perhaps more true now than it was a short 60 years ago): "It looks like it's a-dyin' an' it's hardly been born". [First added to this chart: 05/23/2022]
"Baby I'm In The Mood For You" was recorded by Dylan at Columbia Studios on 9 July 1962 and appeared on unofficial recordings such as 'Talking Bear Mountain'. The song was officially released on the 1985 'Biograph' box set - which originally consisted of 5 LPs, with "Baby I'm In The Mood For You" landing at track 1 of side 2 on the 4th LP in the set. It appears that Dylan has never given a live performance of the song.
Lyrically, the song is a ramble of images where the rhyming scheme seems to dictate where the next line leads ~ however, it is interesting to note that the third line of verse 4 contains: "Sometimes I'm in the mood, I wanna fly like a cannonball". Very shortly after, Bob revisited the 'cannonball' image when in line 5 of verse 1 of 'Blowin' In The Wind' he wrote: "Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannonballs fly...". I'm guessing these are the only two instances where Dylan penned 'cannonball' in his songs. [First added to this chart: 05/26/2022]
The earliest known Dylan performance of "John Brown" is from the Gaslight Cafe, NY in late 1962 and the first studio recording dates from February 1963 for Broadside Ballads Vol 1 (an album showcasing the songs of NY based folk singers of the time - eg Seeger, La Farge, Turner, Traum, Spoelstra) - although the song is ascribed to Blind Boy Grunt (aka Bob Dylan attempting to avoid contractual issues with Columbia Records) The early importance of 'John Brown' to Dylan's repertoire is the inclusion of the song in Dylan's first major concert - Town Hall, NY on 12 April 1963.
The song would not surface. officially, until a Witmark & Sons demo recorded in August 1963 was released on the 2010 Bootleg Series Vol 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-1964.
Dylan's reflections on war can be viewed through these lines: "And I couldn't help to think, through the thunder rolling and stink, that I was just a puppet in a play"; "But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close, and I saw that his face looked just like mine". [First added to this chart: 05/22/2022]
There is a home recording of Dylan singing 'Tomorrow Is A Long Time' from August 1962, but the publicly available 'live' recording took place on 12 April 1963 at Dylan's first public concert (Town Hall, NY). This 'live' version was released on Dylan's 1971 'Greatest Hits Vol II' double album at side 4, track 3. In fact, tracks 3 - 7 were all previously unreleased songs - which remains an interesting Dylan trademarks for 'greatest hits/compilation albums'. Dylan did a studio recording of 'Tomorrow Is A Long Time' for the Witmark & Sons Demos in December 1962, however this version was not released until the 2010 'Bootleg Series Vol 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-64'.
My favourite line from this song: 'Only if she was lyin' by me, then I'd lie in my bed once again' - and delivered perfectly, yearningly, by Dylan. [First added to this chart: 05/23/2022]
It has been estimated that 'Blowin' In The Wind' has been covered by over 375 artists.
'Blowin' In The Wind' was written by Dylan in early 1962 and the first live recordings date from May 1962 (WBAI-FM Radio; Gerde's Folk City). The studio recording took place on 9 July 1962 and released as the opening track on Dylan's May 1963 "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album and on subsequent Greatest Hits & compilation albums.
Surprisingly, given the celebrated status of "Blowin' In The Wind", Dylan did not perform the soong at any of his major solo concerts (eg Town Hall NY, Carnegie Hall NY, Town Hall Pa, Philharmonic Hall NY) leading up to or following the release of "Freewhellin' Bob Dylan". The song was performed live at the 1 August 1971 'Concert For Bangla Desh' and then became a regular inclusion for live performance (with a new arrangement & vocal delivery) from the mid 70's and thereafter.
If you have any further questions on this topic, then "the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind". [First added to this chart: 05/23/2022]
'Girl From The North Country' was recorded by Dylan on 24 April 1963 and released one month later (side 1, track 2) on the May 1963 'Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' album. The first public performance of the song by Dylan was probably on the Canadian "Quest" TV program - aired on 10 March 1964.
"Remember me to one who lives there, she was once a true love of mine" [First added to this chart: 06/15/2022]
'Masters of War' was first recorded by Dylan for the Witmark & Sons Demos in early 1963 and a 'live' version from this time also circulated on unofficial recordings. The official studio version was recorded on 24 April 1963 and released (side 1, track 3) on Dylan's May 1963 "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' album.
(Note: This year ~ 2022 ~ marks Dylan's 60th year as a singer/songwriter/recording artist/performer.)
Among a host of memorable couplets/images, my favourite line: 'All the money you made will never buy back your soul'. [First added to this chart: 05/25/2022]
The first known performances by Dylan of 'A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall' can be tracked to late 1962 and the studio recording took place in December 1962 and released (side 1, track 6) on the May 1963 "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan".
So many stark & vivid images in this one song, and so I will simply settle on this one: 'I heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley'. [First added to this chart: 05/22/2022]
'Walls Of Red Wing' was first performed live by Dylan at his first Town Hall, NY concert on 12 April 1963, with a studio recording talking place 12 days later (24 April 1963) as part of 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' sessions, although the recording was not included on final studio album. The studio recording was finally released on the 1991 'Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased)' 3 CD boxset, on CD1, track 14.
"The night aimed shadows through the crossbar windows" [First added to this chart: 06/05/2022]
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Bob Dylan covered: my top 100 Dylan cover songs composition
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1930s | 0 | 0% | |
1940s | 0 | 0% | |
1950s | 0 | 0% | |
1960s | 15 | 15% | |
1970s | 15 | 15% | |
1980s | 2 | 2% | |
1990s | 20 | 20% | |
2000s | 26 | 26% | |
2010s | 12 | 12% | |
2020s | 10 | 10% |
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Various Artists | 17 | 17% | |
Manfred Mann | 1 | 1% | |
Ramblin' Jack Elliott | 1 | 1% | |
George Harrison | 1 | 1% | |
Lucinda Williams | 1 | 1% | |
Peter Case | 1 | 1% | |
Johnny Rivers | 1 | 1% | |
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49 | 49% | |
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23 | 23% | |
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18 | 18% | |
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5 | 5% | |
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2 | 2% | |
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1 | 1% | |
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1 | 1% | |
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