Dylan covers 1: top 100 Dylan cover songs
by Moondance 
This chart reveals/uncovers the incredibly rich and diverse realm of Bob Dylan cover songs. One estimate puts the number of Dylan cover songs to be over 105,000; however my own research suggests that the number of verified, publicly available number of Dylan cover songs is closer to 10,000! In any event, to make a chart of my top 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 listened to over 50 tribute album, including the 30 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 or mostly original songs, this chart includes between two - four cover songs with the exception of 'Under The Red Sky' ~ for which finding quality cover songs proved a challenge and thus only one cover song is included in this chart;
* 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 (Greatest Hits VolII, 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, which is recognised as the first album to be released that was 100% dedicated to covering the songs of Bob Dylan.
The data in this chart - eg number of times Dylan has performed a particular song in concert is as at June 2023.
- Chart updated: 02/01/2025 03:45
- (Created: 05/22/2022 06:40).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 2 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Dylan covers 1: top 100 Dylan cover songs has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 4 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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With God On Our Side: The Neville Brothers have released 9 studio albums over a career that spanned 1978 - 2004. At track 6 of their 4th studio album, Yellow Moon, Aaron Neville's voice & Daniel Lanois' production give this version of Dylan's 'With God On Our Side' a mesmerising atmospheric quality. The lyrics reflect the changes Dylan made to the original version in the mid-80s for his live performances (omitting verses 5 - WWII/the holocaust & 7 - nuclear weapons; but including a new verse 5 - Vietnam War). The album also includes a cover of Dylan's 'The Ballad Of Hollis Brown'.
As a side note, Daniel Lanois also produced Dylan's 1989 'Oh Mercy' album, with a similar touch of mesmerising atmospherics.
Dylan recorded 'With God On Our Side' in August 1963 and it was released (side 1, track 3) on his January 1964 "The Times They Are A-Changin'" album.
Dylan first performed 'With God On Our Side' at his first major concert - Town Hall, NY on 12 April 1963, some 4 months before the studio recording. Dylan has subsequently performed the song a further 47 times ~ although 36 of those were between 1963-65. The final performance was at The Edge, Fort Lauderdale, FL on 23 September 1995.
"For you don't count the dead/When God's on your side" [First added to this chart: 05/23/2022]
As a side note, Daniel Lanois also produced Dylan's 1989 'Oh Mercy' album, with a similar touch of mesmerising atmospherics.
Dylan recorded 'With God On Our Side' in August 1963 and it was released (side 1, track 3) on his January 1964 "The Times They Are A-Changin'" album.
Dylan first performed 'With God On Our Side' at his first major concert - Town Hall, NY on 12 April 1963, some 4 months before the studio recording. Dylan has subsequently performed the song a further 47 times ~ although 36 of those were between 1963-65. The final performance was at The Edge, Fort Lauderdale, FL on 23 September 1995.
"For you don't count the dead/When God's on your side" [First added to this chart: 05/23/2022]
5
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Ballad Of A Thin Man: The Sports, a well known Australian band of the late 70's, do an interesting and engaging take on 'Ballad Of A Thin Man'. The extended EP opens with a Donovan song, then follows 'Ballad Of A Thin Man'; then 3 further Dylan songs (including the unlikely 'All The Tired Horses' - released on the 'Self Portrait album). This recording is one of Stephen Cummings' last vocal performances with The Sports before the band split and Stephen began his own illustrious solo career.
Dylan recorded 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' on 2 August 1965 and it was released (side 1, track 5) 28 days later on his August 1965 "Highway 61 Revisited" album.
Dylan first performed 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Queens, NY on 28 August 1965 (two days before the release of the album) and its final performance was at The Anthem, Washington, DC on 8 December 2019.
Dylan has performed 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' on over 1300 occasions ~ making it the 6th most performed song from Dylan's vast anthology.
"Because something is happening here/but you don't know what it is" [First added to this chart: 05/30/2022]
Dylan recorded 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' on 2 August 1965 and it was released (side 1, track 5) 28 days later on his August 1965 "Highway 61 Revisited" album.
Dylan first performed 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Queens, NY on 28 August 1965 (two days before the release of the album) and its final performance was at The Anthem, Washington, DC on 8 December 2019.
Dylan has performed 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' on over 1300 occasions ~ making it the 6th most performed song from Dylan's vast anthology.
"Because something is happening here/but you don't know what it is" [First added to this chart: 05/30/2022]
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I Threw It All Away: Yo La Tengo are an American indie band with 15 studio albums released between 1986 - 2020. On their 3rd album 'President Yo La Tengo' the band record 6 original songs before slipping in a 7th track (the last on the album) ~ which is a delicate cover of Dylan's 'I Threw It All Away'.
Dylan recorded 'I Threw It All Away' in mid February 1968 and it was released (side 1, track 4) on his April 1969 "Nashville Skyline' album - his 9th studio album, unsurprisingly, recorded in Nashville. The album reached #3 in the US and #1 in the UK. The song was released as a single and achieved moderate success ~ #30 in the UK & #85 in the US.
Dylan performed the song for the first time at his Isle of Wight concert on 31 August 1969 but it made fewer than 50 subsequent appearances in set lists ! with its final performance on 2 May 2002 at Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Dylan did play the song at the WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Australia on 5 September 1998 & I can claim that 'I WAS THERE' on the night.
'Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand/And rivers that ran through ev'ry day' [First added to this chart: 07/18/2022]
Dylan recorded 'I Threw It All Away' in mid February 1968 and it was released (side 1, track 4) on his April 1969 "Nashville Skyline' album - his 9th studio album, unsurprisingly, recorded in Nashville. The album reached #3 in the US and #1 in the UK. The song was released as a single and achieved moderate success ~ #30 in the UK & #85 in the US.
Dylan performed the song for the first time at his Isle of Wight concert on 31 August 1969 but it made fewer than 50 subsequent appearances in set lists ! with its final performance on 2 May 2002 at Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Dylan did play the song at the WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Australia on 5 September 1998 & I can claim that 'I WAS THERE' on the night.
'Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand/And rivers that ran through ev'ry day' [First added to this chart: 07/18/2022]
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Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen Mt Love): At track 2 of this 5 track compilation EP, John does a most exquisite cover of Dylan's 'Tight Connection To My Heart'. John's cover version was also included on side B of his 'Angeline' single - which happened to be the FIRST EVER commercially available compact disc single (Island Records CID 265), released on 1 February 1986.
Dylan recorded earlier versions of this song (then known as 'Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart') in 1983, but the final studio version of 'Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)' was recorded between January-April 1985 and released as the opening track on his June 1985 'Empire Burlesque' album. The song was also released as a single in May 1985 with best chart results in NZ #8 & Belgium #38.
Dylan has performed 'Tight Connection To My Heart' in concert on 14 occasions ~ the first on 12 January 1990 (Toads Place, New Haven, CT); and for the final time on 17 November 1993 (Supper Club NY).
'What looks large from a distance/Close up ain't never that big'
Dylan recorded earlier versions of this song (then known as 'Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart') in 1983, but the final studio version of 'Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)' was recorded between January-April 1985 and released as the opening track on his June 1985 'Empire Burlesque' album. The song was also released as a single in May 1985 with best chart results in NZ #8 & Belgium #38.
Dylan has performed 'Tight Connection To My Heart' in concert on 14 occasions ~ the first on 12 January 1990 (Toads Place, New Haven, CT); and for the final time on 17 November 1993 (Supper Club NY).
'What looks large from a distance/Close up ain't never that big'
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank in 1986:
None
Rank in 1980s:
None
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 4. Page 1 of 1
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Dylan covers 1: top 100 Dylan cover songs composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
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| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 15 | 15% | |
| 1970s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1980s | 4 | 4% | |
| 1990s | 14 | 14% | |
| 2000s | 28 | 28% | |
| 2010s | 14 | 14% | |
| 2020s | 11 | 11% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Various Artists | 9 | 9% | |
| The Neville Brothers | 1 | 1% | |
| The Band | 1 | 1% | |
| Barb Jungr | 1 | 1% | |
| Johnny Rivers | 1 | 1% | |
| Pat Guadagno & Tired Horses | 1 | 1% | |
| Peter Parcek | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
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50 | 50% | |
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24 | 24% | |
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10 | 10% | |
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7 | 7% | |
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3 | 3% | |
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2 | 2% | |
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1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Dylan covers 1: top 100 Dylan cover songs chart changes
| New entries |
|---|
 Classic John Martynby John Martyn |
| Leavers |
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 Piece By Pieceby John Martyn |
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| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 100/100  | 07/17/2024 06:38 |  AlvaroIesus | | 77/100 |
| 100/100 | 08/14/2022 01:46 |  sssvnnn | | 83/100 |
| 95/100 | 05/31/2022 22:13 | arnellarsen | | 92/100 |
| 100/100 | 05/24/2022 10:30 | mikepen | | 93/100 |
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100/100
From AlvaroIesus 07/17/2024 06:38
AlvaroIesus 07/17/2024 06:38
Thanks.
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100/100
From mikepen 05/24/2022 10:31
Superb!
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