Bob Dylan Calls Sexual Abuse Lawsuit a ‘Brazen Shakedown’
Bob Dylan and his attorneys have responded to the ongoing sexual abuse lawsuit against the singer-songwriter via a complaint filed in court yesterday (January 6.)
The complaint obtained byĀ Rolling StoneĀ reads, in part, “This case ā based on plaintiffās alleged interactions with Bob Dylan more than 56 years ago ā is a brazen shakedown masquerading as a lawsuit. It was filed in bad faith for the improper purpose of extracting a huge payout on the threat of negative publicity. The allegation is false, malicious, reckless and defamatory. Mr. Dylan will not be extorted.”
The complaint further criticizes Dylan’s accuser writing, “According to her own website, plaintiff is a psychic who specializes in āchannelingā the deceased loved ones of grieving families ā for a fee.” Additionally, the complaint alleges the plaintiff said she was once abducted by aliens and says she claims to be a medium of sorts and “…speaks to cats, dogs and other animals ā alive and dead ā as well as insects and plants.”
In a statement toĀ Rolling Stone,Ā Peter Gleason, an attorney for the plaintiff, said in response to the complaint, “Neither my client or her counsel are going to be bullied…Some people refer to Bob Dylan as a prophet. People have labels. More than half of Americans believe in psychic phenomena. If youāre going to attack somebody for their beliefs, youāre encroaching upon very dangerous territory. This is what this country is based on, freedom of beliefs. It shouldnāt divert our attention from the allegations. This case is about the facts.”
As previously reported in August 2021, the plaintiff, who is now 68 and has only been identified in court documents as “J.C.”, accused Dylan of sexually abusing her over a six-week period between April and May of 1965 when she was a 12-year-old girl.
When the lawsuit was filed,Ā Page SixĀ noted at the time, “The suit was filed late Friday (August 13), on the eve of the closure of the New York Child Victimsā Act look-back window. The windowĀ allowed victims of childhood abuse to file suitĀ against their attackers and the institutions that protected them regardless of how old the claims were and whether they had since passed beyond the statute of limitations.”
Bob Dylan: The Best Versions Of His 80 Best Songs
80 Bob Dylan – āMozambiqueā from āDesireā (1976)
ShareAs close as Dylan ever got to Jimmy Buffett, this is a breezy tune about āmagic in a magical land.ā Itās the second song on āDesireā; the politically charged āHurricaneā was the first, so itās understandable that he might want to offset that song with something lighter.
79. Miley Cyrus – āYouāre Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Goā from āChimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring Amnesty Internationalā (2012)
ShareYes, Miley Cyrus. For just a moment forget everything you know about her. She was 20 when this came out, and she got off the wrecking ball for long enough to remind everyone what a great singer she is.
78. My Chemical Romance – āDesolation Rowā from the āWatchmenā soundtrack (2009)
ShareItās understandable that new generations of rock fans might reject Dylan; who wants to listen to their parentsā music. Or their grandparentsā music? But all it takes is a heavy band like MCR to bring Dylanās songs to new audiences.
77. Marcus Mumford and the Basement Tapes – āKansas Cityā (featuring Johnny Depp and Haim) from āLost On The River: The New Basement Tapesā (2014)
ShareThis album saw Mumford (at the peak of Mumford and Sons fame), Elvis Costello, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Rhiannon Giddens and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes composing music to newly uncovered Bob Dylan lyrics... from 1967. This song, featuring Johnny Depp on electric guitar and the Haim sisters on backing vocals, was the highlight.
76. Siouxsie & the Banshees – āThis Wheelās On Fireā from āThrough The Looking Glassā (1987)
ShareMost generations and scenes have some reverence for Dylan, but that wasnāt the cast for the post-punk/goth scene of the late ā70s and early ā80s. Indeed, when Siouxsie & the Banshees decided to cover this song, they didnāt realize that it was by Bob Dylan; they liked British singer Julie Driscollās version and didnāt think about who wrote it.
75. The Traveling Wilburys – āIf You Belonged To Meā from āVol. 3ā (1990)
ShareIt was always fun to try and figure out who wrote what in the Wilburys. But āIf You Belonged to Me ā was very much a Dylan song (and he did all of the lead vocals). Years later, when George Harrison showed up at a VH1 studio accompanying Ravi Shankar (to help promote Shankarās album), he agreed to grab an acoustic guitar and play a few songs, including this one.
74. Chris Martin – āShelter From The Stormā – from āSaturday Night Liveā April 11, 2020
ShareRecorded by Chris Martin for the first episode of 'Saturday Night Live at Home,' Martin's cover of "Shelter From The Storm" was comforting at a time when we needed that.
73. Bob Dylan – āStanding In The Doorwayā from āTime Out Of Mindā (1997)
ShareIt sounds like a stream of consciousness journal entry from someone drinking away his sorrows; he just canāt let go of the memory of the one who, according to the narrator, āleft me standin' in the doorway cryin'/Under the midnight moon.ā Meanwhile, heās got other troubles on his mind: āMaybe they'll get me and maybe they won't/But not tonight and it won't be here/There are things I could say, but I don't/I know the mercy of God must be near.ā
72. Bob Dylan – āIt Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cryā from āHighway 61 Revisitedā (1965)
ShareItās a rare laid back moment on the aggressive āHighway 61 Revisitedā album, but the last line is a kicker: āI wanna be your lover, baby, I donāt wanna be your boss/Donāt say I never warned you, when your train gets lost.ā
71. The Traveling Wilburys – āCongratulationsā from āVol. 1ā (1988)
ShareOr, āHow Dylan got his groove back.ā Itās not a stretch to say that as the ā80s went on, Dylan seemed less inspired, but by joining this supergroup ā which also included one of his idols, Roy Orbison, as well as George Harrison, Tom Petty and Electric Light Orchestraās Jeff Lynne, he seemed to find new inspiration. This was his best contribution to the first album (although the Springsteen parody āTweeter and the Monkey Manā was definitely funny).
70. Them – āItās All Over Now, Baby Blueā from āThem Againā (1966)
ShareDecades before Van Morrison became the musical equivalent of āman who shakes fist at cloud,ā Van fronted a pretty rocking band called Them. (OK, heās made a lot of amazing music in the decades since.) If Themās version sounds familiar, it might be because it was prominently sampled in Beckās 1996 song āJackass,ā from his āOdelayā album.
69. Bob Dylan – āThe Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carrollā from āThe Times They Are A-Changin’ā (1964)
ShareA harrowing account of the killing of Black barmaid Hattie Carroll by 24-year-old William Zantzinger, āwho at twenty-four years [old], owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres/With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him/And high office relations in the politics of Maryland, reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders.ā The song isnāt totally accurate: while Dylan sings that he was charged with first degree murder, he was actually charged with second degree murder. But other than that, he cuts to the heart of a painful and tragic story about race in America.
68. Bob Dylan – āWhen The Ship Comes Inā from āThe Times They Are A-Changin’ā (1964)
ShareLegend has it that Dylan wrote this song after being refused service at a hotel due to his messy appearance. When he wrote āThe sands will roll/Out a carpet of gold/For your weary toes to be a-touchin'ā maybe he was imagining that one day, heād sell his publishing catalog for hundreds of millions of dollars!
67. Concrete Blonde – āSimple Twist Of Fateā from āStill In Hollywoodā (1994)
ShareA song about a relationship that was never going to work out. Johnette Napolitano sings it as if sheās lived every word.
66. Rise Against – āThe Ballad of Hollis Brownā from āChimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring Amnesty Internationalā (2012)
ShareA devastating song about a farmer who succumbs to despair; things on the farm arenāt working out and heās got five children to feed. Thatās where the story starts, and it just gets darker from there. The timeless song was brought to a new generation with this punk rock cover.
65. Rod Stewart – āOnly A Hoboā from āGasoline Alleyā (1970)
ShareDylan originally wrote this song for āThe Times They Are A-Changin'ā but didnāt release it until 1991. Stewartās version is the definitive one, and the best of all of Rodās Dylan covers.
64. Elvis Presley – āTomorrow Is A Long Timeā from āSpinoutā (1966)
ShareLike everyone else of his generation, Dylan was profoundly influenced by Elvis, and he was thrilled that āThe Kingā recorded one of his songs. By 1966, though, Presley was only a shadow of his ā50s self. However, he seemed to summon back his mojo for this stripped-down ballad.
63. Derek Trucks Band ā āDown In The Floodā from āAlready Freeā (2009)
ShareDylan recorded a few versions of this song over the years, but DTB singer Mike Mattison does a commanding vocal take here, and of course, Derek Trucksā slide guitar is stellar.
62. Bruce Springsteen – āChimes Of Freedomā from the āChimes Of Freedomā EP (1988)
ShareA folk song that Dylan recorded for 1964ās āAnother Side Of Bob Dylan,ā Springsteen transformed it into a stadium anthem. The song provided the title for the 1988 Amnesty International tour that Springsteen headlined. Every night on the tour, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman and Yousou NāDour would join the E Street Band for a rousing version.
61. The Black Keys – āThe Wicked Messengerā from āIām Not There (Music From The Motion Picture)ā (2007)
ShareA song with lots of Biblical references, some believe that Dylan himself was āthe wicked messenger.ā The Black Keys give the song a bit of extra menace, turning it into a ragged blues stomp.
60. The White Stripes – āIsisā (they often played it live on their 2001 tour)
ShareThe White Stripes also covered āOne More Cup Of Coffeeā but this track ā originally from 1976ās āDesireā -- was their best Dylan cover. Had Dylan heard the White Stripesā covers of his songs? Maybe, and he was certainly familiar with the band: on March 17, 2004, Dylan had Jack White join him on stage for the White Stripesā āBall and Biscuit.ā Whiteās other band, the Raconteurs, opened for Dylan in 2006.
59. Tim Timebomb & Friends – āBuckets Of Rainā (single, 2012)
ShareRancid is one of the most consistently traditional punk rock bands of the post-Clash era but front man Tim Armstrong (sometimes known as āTim Timebombā) could also play beautiful acoustic jams, as he does here.
58. Chris Cornell – āI Threw It All Awayā (he played it on his acoustic tours)
ShareWow. It hits differently now. You can find it on YouTube.
57. Johnny Cash – āWanted Manā from āJohnny Cash At San Quentinā
ShareDylan could never sing this song with the authority that Cash brings to it, and certainly not to a captive audience at a prison.
56. PJ Harvey ā Highway 61 Revisited from āRid Of Meā (1993)
ShareāGod said to Abraham, 'Kill me a son'/Abe says, 'Man, you must be puttin' me on!'ā sounded scary when Dylan sang it, but terrifying when PJ Harvey growled it.
55. Susan Tedeschi – āLord Protect My Childā from āHope And Desireā (2005)
ShareDylan recorded it during the ā80s, but didnāt release it until 1991ās āThe Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3.ā This version by Susan Tedeschi, featuring her husband Derek Trucks and jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, has extra weight: Tedeschi was a new mother at the time. This recording was used in āNot My Life,ā a 2011 documentary about human trafficking.
54. Bob Dylan – āHigh Water (For Charley Patton)ā from āLove And Theftā (2001)
ShareāLove And Theftā has a sense of impending disaster, especially on this song. And it's absolutely haunting, in retrospect, that the album was released on 9/11.
53. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – “License To Kill” from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareA song from 1983ās āInfidels,ā it might be telling a story of one person who is āhell-bent for destruction, heās afraid and confused, and his brain has been mismanaged with great skill.ā But itās likely a metaphor for society addicted to violence and imperialism.
52. Willie Nelson ā āWhat Was It You Wanted?ā from āAcross The Borderlineā (1993)
ShareFrom Dylanās 1989 classic āOh Mercy,ā Willieās deadpan delivery fits the weariness of someone having yet another disagreement with their partner, knowing that the relationship is circling the drain.
51. Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples – āGonna Change My Way Of Thinkingā from āGotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs Of Bob Dylanā (2003)
Share'Gotta Serve Somebodyā featured gospel acts covering songs from Dylanās Christian phase. This song , from the āSlow Train Comingā album, sees Bob joining gospel legend Mavis Staples (who he proposed to in the ā60s; she turned him down). The song starts with a funny skit with the two bantering together, before they launch into a guitar heavy version of the song. Dylan clearly liked the arrangement ā he began playing this version on tour soon after this recording.
50. Bob Dylan – āStuck Inside of Memphis With The Memphis Blues Againā from āBlonde On Blondeā (1966)
ShareA surreal and cynical tune where Dylan looks at a number of seemingly untrustworthy characters. Thereās the Senator showing everyone his gun, handing out free tickets to his sonās wedding (the narrator asks, āand wouldnāt it be my luck to get caught without a ticket and be discovered beneath a truck?ā). The, thereās the preacher who walks around āwith twenty pounds of headlines stapled to his chestā (the narrator notes: āNot even you can hide ā you see, youāre just like me. I hope youāre satisfiedā). Or the family who talks about āhow badly they were shockedā by their grandpa at his funeral. Dylan just sets the scene and lets you judge the characters.
49. Ben Waters featuring the Rolling Stones – āWatching The River Flowā from āBoogie 4 Stuā (2011)
ShareFirst question: who is Ben Waters, and how did he get the Rolling Stones to guest on this song? Heās a boogie-woogie pianist who plays in some of Charlie Wattsā projects. This album was a tribute to the Stonesā late piano player (and road manager) Ian Stewart. This song features not only Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, but also former bass player Bill Wyman, playing with those guys on a recording for the first time in about two decades. They covered āWatching The River Flowā because Stewart allegedly said that it was āthe only decent thing Bob Dylan ever did!ā
48. Bob Dylan āJohn Brownā from āMTV Unpluggedā (1995)
ShareAn anti-war song written by Dylan in 1962, but he never released it on an album until his āMTV Unpluggedā in 1995. Itās a devastating story about a mother who happily sends her son to war. When he returns, the reunion doesnāt go as she expected.
47. Bob Dylan – āSong To Woodyā from āBob Dylanā (1962)
ShareGenerations of songwriters have looked up to Dylan, but he had his own heroes, including folk legend Woody Guthrie. This was one of only two originals on Dylanās self-titled debut.
46. Bob Dylan – āI Contain Multitudesā from āRough and Rowdy Waysā (2020)
ShareThe Dylan-based film āIām Not Thereā made the point that Bob Dylan has played so many ācharactersā over the course of his nearly-60 year career, so they cast a number of actors ā including Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger ā to play different incarnations. So yeah, Dylan does contain multitudes. And multitudes of famous names are dropped here: Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Frank, Indiana Jones, the Rolling Stones, Beethoven and Chopin.
45 Silversun Pickups – āNot Dark Yetā from āChimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring Amnesty Internationalā (2012)
ShareDylan was in his 50s when he wrote this song that looked at his own mortality. Silversun Pickups frontman Brian Aubert was in his 30s when he recorded this cover, and yet heās able to bring gravitas to a song that a 30 year old shouldnāt really be able to relate to.
44 Tom Morello – āBlind Willie McTellā from āChimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring Amnesty Internationalā (2012)
ShareTom Morello has gone on record (including to this writer) saying, āI may be the last person alive who still believes that Dylan sold out at Newport in 1965 when he went electric.ā And yes, this is Tom Morello from Audioslave and Rage Against The Machine. Yes, this is Tom Morello, one of the last true guitar heroes. On the other hand, Rage noted that there were "no samples, keyboards or synthesizers used in the making of this record" on their debut album, and here, Morello is using drum loops. But hey, we all evolve, Tom! Seriously, he does a great job with this classic jam, which Dylan recorded in 1983, but didnāt release until 1991ās āThe Bootleg Series 1-3.ā Tom's version sounds a bit like if Leonard Cohen fronted Massive Attack and they hired a face melting guitarist.
43. Bob Dylan and the Band – āBallad Of A Thin Man (live)ā from āBefore The Floodā (1974)
ShareThe Band helped Dylan to make his intimate songs into arena rock anthems on this album; it didnāt always work, but it definitely did with āBallad of a Thin Man.ā Of course, Dylan didnāt like the album.
42 Bob Dylan – āSilvioā from āDown In The Grooveā (1988)
ShareCo-written with Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead, and featuring the Deadās Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Brent Mydland on backing vocals, it became a hard rocking staple of Dylanās tours for years afterwards. It was also the first Dylan song in years to get radio play.
41 Bob Dylan – āLove Sickā from āTime Out Of Mindā (1997
ShareThe opening song from Dylanās classic 1997 album made it clear from the first notes that, 35 years into his career, he still had amazing songs in him. The song might be most famous for its use in a Victoriaās Secret commercial. Or for Dylanās performance at the Grammy Awards, where he was interrupted by āSoy Bomb.ā (Google it if you donāt know what weāre talking about.) The album went on to win three awards that night, including Album of the Year. It was also voted album of the year in the often-snobby Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.
40. Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead – āSlow Trainā from āDylan & the Deadā (1989)
ShareRecorded on the 1987 tour where the Grateful Dead was Dylanās backing band. Frankly most of the album was pretty lackluster, and allegedly, so was the tour. But āSlow Trainā somehow clicked and had a greater sense of urgency than the studio version from 1979ās āSlow Train Coming.ā This song is one of the definite highlights of his Christian era.
39 Jeff Buckley – āIf You See Her, Say Helloā from āLive At Sin-E, New York, NY (Legacy Edition)ā (2003)
ShareA solo live performance featuring the late Buckley accompanying himself on electric guitar. This is one of the most tragic songs about being dumped, and Buckleyās performance is devastating.
38 Chris Whitley – āSpanish Harlem Incidentā from āPerfect Dayā (2000)
ShareThe late Chris Whitley told this writer that the lyrics to this song are āso ridiculously good, it almost makes me want to quit writing songs.ā Itās one of Dylanās most romantic songs... or is it? Dylan has said that he doesnāt know what the song is about.
37 Buddy Guy – āLay Lady Lay (featuring Anthony Hamilton and Robert Randolph)ā from āBring āEm Inā (2005)
ShareThe original āLay Lady Layā from 1969ās āNashville Skylineā sported one of Dylanās sweetest vocal performances, but here, Buddy Guy and Anthony Hamiltonās duet makes it even sweeter.
36 Bob Dylan – āDuquesne Whistleā from āTempestā (2012)
ShareA joyous ragtime-era sounding song, Dylan almost sounds like heās paying tribute to Louis Armstrong. Itās one of a few that Dylan has co-written with the Grateful Deadās Robert Hunter.
35 Willie Nelson and Calexico – āSenor (Tales Of Yankee Power)ā from āIām Not There (Music From the Motion Picture)ā (2007)
ShareWillie Nelson was the perfect guy to sing this Tex-Mex flavored ballad, and he worked so well with Calexico, who specialize in that sound.
34 The Dead Weather – āNew Ponyā from āHorehoundā (2009)
ShareThe Dead Weather, of course, is one of Jack Whiteās bands ā he plays drums and sings backing vocals. The real star here is singer Alison Mosshart. But really, the entire band brings a lot more muscle to the original.
33 David Bowie – āTrying To Get To Heavenā (recorded in 1998, released as a single in 2021)
ShareBowie was a long-time Dylan fan, releasing āSong For Bob Dylanā on his 1971 album, āHunky Dory.ā Clearly he remained a fan through the years; he recorded this song a year after Dylan released it on 1997ās āTime Out Of Mind.ā Itās a great cover (and Dylanās original is amazing)⦠but obviously it hits differently now, being released almost exactly five years after his passing.
32 Lenny Kravitz – āRainy Day Women #12 & 35ā from āChimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring Amnesty Internationalā (2012)
ShareDylan doesnāt have too many party jams, but this is definitely one of them. Everyone loves singing along to the chorus: āEverybody must get stoned!ā Although he may not be only referring to smoking, he could be talking about getting stoned in the Biblical sense. He wrote this after heād gone electric, and lot of his former folk fans were furious at the time.
31 Sheryl Crow – āMississippiā from āThe Globe Sessionsā (1998)
ShareDylan gave this one to his former opening act, Sheryl Crow, before he even released it himself on 2001ās āLove And Theft.ā (He originally tried it out for 1997ās āTime Out Of Mindā but wasnāt satisfied with his original version.) The Dixie Chicks covered it, as did Ryan Adams, but Crowās version remains the best one.
30. Heart featuring Layne Staley – āRing Them Bellsā from āDesire Walks Onā (1993)
ShareHeart originally recorded this song from 1989ās āOh Mercyā with Chris Cornell, but they ended up releasing another version with Layne Staley (hopefully the Cornell version will see the light of day at some point). Layneās angsty vocals complemented Ann and Nancy Wilsonās well, with each singer taking a verse. It would have been great to hear more Heart/Layne collaborations.
29 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – āEverything Is Brokenā from āTrouble Is…ā (1997)
ShareDylanās original is a surprisingly down-the-middle blues-rock jam, and KWS specialized in that; to many, it was the song that turned them on to this young guitar hero.
28. Bob Dylan – āItās Alright Ma (Iām Only Bleeding)ā from āBringing It All Back Homeā (1965)
ShareA lot of artists have covered this one, but thereās something about the original version that is untouchable. Itās seven and a half minutes of Dylan and his acoustic guitar spitting out poetic lines like āHe not busy being born is busy dying,ā āmoney doesn't talk, it swears,ā āalthough the masters make the rules, for the wisemen and the foolsā āit's easy to see without looking too far that not much is really sacredā and, of course, āeven the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked.ā
27 Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Neil Young – āMy Back Pagesā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareAll-star finales are usually fun, but itās a āyou had to be thereā kind of thing. They donāt translate into great live recordings. This is a notable exception. One of the last songs from Dylanās 30th anniversary tribute concert, it was a perfectly ācastā version of the song. Clapton and Youngās guitar solos totally complemented each other. āI was so much older then, Iām younger than that nowā had a bit more gravitas in ā92 than it did in 1964, when Dylan released it as a solo folk song on āAnother Side Of Bob Dylan.ā
26 Bob Dylan – āThe Man In Meā from āNew Morningā (1970)
ShareThis might have been an overlooked song... until the Coen Brothers used it in the opening credits of their 1998 masterpiece, āThe Big Lebowski.ā We could say more, but, hey Dude: letās go bowling.
25 Jim James and Kesha – āI Shall Be Releasedā (recorded for the David Lynch Foundation: Meditate America Benefit and Concert) (2020)
ShareMy Morning Jacket frontman has the perfect voice to cover Dylan and pop star Kesha shows a different side of herself in this gospel arrangement of one of Dylanās greatest anthems. (Kesha has also recorded a great cover of āDonāt Think Twice, Itās All Right.ā)
24 Bob Dylan – āI Donāt Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)ā from āLive 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert ā The Bootleg Series Vol. 4ā (released in 1998)
ShareIt was almost like Dylan was covering himself. The original verion was a solo folk tune from āAnother Side Of Bob Dylan,ā but this version, featuring guitarist Robbie Robertson, organist Garth Hudson, pianist Richard Manuel and bassist Rick Danko (who would later form the Band) and drummer Mickey Jones surely shocked the audience, filled with folkies who saw their icon selling out to rock and roll before their eyes.
23 George Harrison – āIf Not For Youā from āAll Things Must Passā (1970)
ShareGeorge had started a friendship with Dylan in the later years of the Beatles, and in ā70, Dylan gave Harrison this song (Dylan recorded it as well, but Harrisonās was released first). The music press went nuts over the idea of a Harrison/Dylan collaboration... and nearly two decades later, they were bandmates in the Traveling Wilburys.
22 Jimi Hendrix ā āDrifterās Escapeā (recorded in 1970; itās available on the 1997 collection āSouth Saturn Deltaā)
ShareA great story about someone standing trial and he doesnāt even know what the charges are, but he makes an escape when a lightning bolt hits the courthouse. This isnāt Hendrixās best Dylan cover, but itās a great one.
21 The Byrds – āYou Aināt Goinā Nowhereā from āSweetheart of the Rodeoā (1968)
ShareYou could argue that ācountry rockā started with āSweetheart of the Rodeo,ā the Byrdsā first album with Gram Parsons. Dylanās folk version wasnāt released until 1971ās āGreatest Hits Vol. IIā but the Byrdsā countrified version is the definitive take on the song, and surely the most influential.
20. The OāJays – āEmotionally Yoursā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareThe OāJays originally recorded two versions of this for their 1991 album, āEmotionally Yours,ā one with a smooth R&B feel and the other is a gospel version. The gospel version was the better one, but it got better still when they performed it at the Dylan tribute concert a year later, backed by Booker T & The MGs.
19 Robert Plant – āOne More Cup Of Coffeeā from āDreamlandā (2002)
ShareThe White Stripes, Roger McGuinn and Tom Jones have all covered it. But Plantās subtle delivery combined with his bandās pulling out the middle eastern themes in the music makes this version the definitive one.
18 Bob Dylan – āBeyond Here Lies Nothināā from āTogether Through Lifeā (2009)
ShareāTogether Through Lifeā may be Dylanās last classic album, possibly thanks to his great choices in collaborators. The Grateful Deadās Robert Hunter co-wrote most of the album, and the band included Mike Campbell from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on guitar and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos on accordion and guitar. āBeyond Here Lies Nothināā is a love song, but laced with the fear of losing that relationship. āOh well, I love you, pretty baby/You're the only love I've ever known,ā he sings, but then adds, āJust as long as you stay with me.ā
17 Neil Young with Booker T & the MGs – āJust Like Tom Thumbās Bluesā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareNeil had a radio hit with his version of āAll Along The Watchtowerā from this concert but his other performance, the lesser known āJust Like Tom Thumbās Blues,ā was also excellent. His set worked so well that he hired Booker T & The MGs for his next tour. Younger fans may have recognized the line, āIām going back to New York City, I do believe Iāve had enoughā because the Beastie Boys sampled the original, from āHighway 61 Revisited,ā on their 1992 song āFinger Lickinā Good.ā
16 Adele – āTo Make You Feel My Loveā from ā19ā (2008)
ShareThereās a lot of competition for the best version of this song: Dylan first gave it to Billy Joel, who recorded it on his 1997 collection, āGreatest Hits, Volume III.ā Dylan later did his own version and Joan Osborne, Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks have all covered it. But Adeleās version is the best: and it also introduced the song to a new generation.
15 Bob Dylan – āThings Have Changedā from āWonder Boys ā Music From The Motion Pictureā (2000)
ShareNearly four decades into his career, Dylan was on a hot streak: following 1997ās āTime Out Of Mind,ā which won him Album of the Year at the Grammys, he contributed āThings Have Changedā to the āWonder Boysā soundtrack. The song won Dylanās only Academy Award. And it marked a break from the death and mortality obsessed āTime Out Of Mindā album. You felt that Dylan was grinning during this song, and as he said, āthings have changed.ā
14 The Pretenders – āForever Youngā from āLast Of The Independentsā (1994)
ShareOne of the sweetest songs written about parenthood, Chrissie Hynde ditches her usual venom for tenderness on this cover. Lots of people have done this song, including Rod Stewart (who changed the lyrics and ended up with a co-writing credit for his version) but the Pretendersā take is the most moving.
13 Bob Dylan – āWith God On Our Sideā from āThe Times They Are A-Changin’ā (1964)
ShareThe title is a quote from the Bible (Psalm 108:13), itās one of the most powerful songs from Dylanās protest/folk era, and takes a look at how Americans often feel that God will always side with America in any conflict, no matter what. The lyrics reference the slaughter of Native Americans, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War but also the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot. The song inspired Tim Rice to write songs from āJesus Christ Superstarā from Judas Iscariotās perspective.
12 U2 – āMaggieās Farm (live)ā (U2 performed the song on the Amnesty Interational Tour in 1986)
ShareU2ās most famous Dylan cover is āAll Along The Watchtower,ā but this is their best one (it also quotes a bit of John Lennonās āCold Turkeyā). Hopefully theyāll release it one day. Itās an anthem for anyone treated unfairly by their employer, and that might be why itās been covered so often, including by Rage Against The Machine, the Specials and Solomon Burke.
11. Bob Dylan – āHurricaneā – from āDesireā (1976)
ShareBy the ā70s, Dylan wasnāt writing protest songs anymore, but when he read about the story of boxer Rubin āHurricaneā Carter, he was moved to write this. Carter and another man, John Artis, had been charged with a triple murder at the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1966. The following year they were found guilty of the murders. In the next few years, controversy emerged over the case, ranging from allegations of faulty evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony to an unfair trial. Dylanās song (and a few benefit concerts) drew attention to the Carterās plight. In 1985 Federal Judge H. Lee Sarokin of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, ruled that Carter had not received a fair trial and overturned the conviction, resulting in Carter's release. He said that the prosecution had been "based on racism rather than reason and concealment rather than disclosure.ā The judge apparently never listened to the song, which did have some factual inaccuracies.
10. Billy Joel – āThe Times They Are A-Changin’ā from āKohueptā (1987)
ShareThereās been tons of covers of this song, but something about Billy Joelās version, featuring just Billy singing and playing acoustic guitar (not piano!) at a press conference in Russia, as he was going on a six-date tour there, just felt like the most appropriate demonstration of the songās title.
9. Bob Dylan – āPositively 4th Streetā (single release, 1965)
ShareDylan has done some pretty harsh tunes about people who have found themselves as the target of his ire, but this one takes the cake. He starts out with a pretty harsh put-down, āYouāve got a lotta never to say you are my friend.ā Why so mad, Bob? āWhen I was down, you just stood there, grinninā!ā And it gets harsher from there.
8. Eric Clapton – āDonāt Think Twice, Itās All Rightā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareBy the early ā90s, Clapton was more popular than ever, but his guitar playing lacked the fire of his earlier years. That fire came back in this performance; Clapton took Dylanās folk song about betrayal, from 1962ās āThe Freewheelinā Bob Dylan,ā and turned it into an explosive blues jam. Itās not just a great guitar performance, itās also one of Claptonās best vocal performances, ever.
7. Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready and G.E. Smith – āMasters Of Warā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareBy the fall of 1992, Eddie Vedder was a pretty huge star: Pearl Jamās āTenā was a massively successful debut album, their āMTV Unpluggedā catapulted them to alterative rockās A-list and they were one of the highlights of the summerās Lollapalooza. But he was still a new name to many of the older fans attending this show at New Yorkās Madison Square Garden, and this performance changed that. A lot of people have covered this song, from folk singer Odetta to proto metal band Mountain. Vedder and McCready have done it with Pearl Jam as well, but itās this stripped-down version that has the most tension and rage.
6. Guns N Roses – āKnockinā On Heavenās Doorā from āUse Your Illusion IIā (1991)
ShareGNR started playing this one on their āAppetite For Destructionā tour, to the surprise of some; it seemed unlikely that this badass rock band from the gutters of L.A. were Dylan fans. And yet, it became one of their signature songs. A live version was released as the B-side to the āWelcome To The Jungleā 12ā and then they did a studio version for the soundtrack of the 1990 Tom Cruise movie āDays Of Thunder.ā But this version from āUse Your Illusion IIā is their best take, and the definitive version of the song. Warren Zevonās version ā a rather literal take from his 2003 swan song āThe Windā -- does come close though.
5. Bob Dylan – āTangled Up In Blueā from āBlood On The Tracksā (1975)
ShareIt seems like itās a bunch of unrelated stories, but it works perfectly. Dylan allegedly took art classes at Carnegie Hall in 1974 and was influenced by his tutor Norman Raeben, and, in particular Raeben's view of time. In a 1978 interview Dylan explained: "What's different about it is that there's a code in the lyrics, and there's also no sense of time. There's no respect for it. You've got yesterday, today, and tomorrow all in the same room.ā Itās the highlight of a brilliant album - āRolling Stoneā recently ranked āBlood On The Tracksā as the 9th best album of all time, the best ranking of all of Dylanās albums.
4. Stevie Wonder – āBlowinā In the Windā from āBob Dylan ā 30th Anniversary Celebrationā (1992)
ShareDylan was a star on the New York folk scene but āBlowinā In The Windā made him an instant icon. Dylan released it on 1963ās āThe Freewheelinā Bob Dylan.ā Stevie Wonder first recorded it three years later on his 1966 album, āUptight,ā when he was a teenager. But the version he did a quarter of a century later at Dylanās 30th anniversary concert carried a lot more weight.
3. Bob Dylan – āSubterranean Homesick Bluesā from āBringing It All Back Homeā (1965)
ShareIn 1964, Dylan released āAnother Side of Bob Dylan,ā another solo acoustic affair. So, itās hard to imagine how shocking it must have been to hear this electric funky rock jam that kicked off the follow-up album. The song has some of his folk influences, but also adds Jack Kerouac and Chuck Berry (particularly āToo Much Monkey Businessā).
2. Jimi Hendrix – āAll Along The Watchtowerā from āElectric Ladylandā (1968)
ShareStraight up, itās the gold standard of covers. Weāve selected a lot of covers on this list, but only this one could make you forget about the original. Dylan himself said, āIt overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day... when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."
1. Bob Dylan – āLike A Rolling Stoneā from āHighway 61 Revisitedā (1965)
ShareIt was tough to figure out which version of this song to use for the number one spot on this list; Dylanās version from āThe Bootleg Series, Vol. 4ā is so venomous and defiant that we almost went with it, but the studio version from āHighway 61 Revisitedā is ultimately the most iconic one. The song, propelled by Al Kooperās Hammond organ, was over six minutes long, which was unheard of for rock radio at that time, and so Columbia Records didnāt want to release it. But it got into the hands of radio DJs and it took off, hitting #2 on the Billboard charts, being held out of the #1 slot by the Beatlesā āHelp.ā And it paved the way for longer songs, from āStairway to Heavenā to āLayla,ā to get on the FM airwaves.