NASHVILLE BYLINE

Five classic covers of late-’60s Dylan

“ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER” JIMI HENDRIX, ELECTRIC LADYLAND TRACK, 1968

Hendrix amplifies Dylan’s simmering sense of dread to turn a low-key three-chord strum into an articulated apocalyptic howl, powerful enough to eclipse the original. Dylan agreed, writing in Biograph, “Since he died, I’ve been doing it that way.”

“I’LL BE YOUR BABY TONIGHT” LINDA RONDSTADT, HAND SOWN… HOME GROWN

CAPITOL, 1969

A loose-limbed, all but definitive country-rock reading from Ronstadt’s debut album: drawling steel guitar, mountainman fiddle, laid-back drums and a typically spectacular vocal performance.

“WICKED MESSENGER” THE FACES, FIRST STEP WARNER BROS, 1970

Rod Stewart’s Bob Dylan obsession was evident from as far back as the opening track on the Faces’ 1969 debut. It’s a thick, heavy reading of Dylan’s ominous parable dominated by Ian Mclagan’s Garth Hudson-esque organ and Ron Wood’s searing guitar riff.

“LAY LADY LAY” THE ISLEY BROTHERS, GIVIN’ IT BACK T-NECK, 1971

From cotton to silk. On an album of covers from the rock and pop genre,

The Isley Brothers offer a revelatory reading which stays true to the spirit of the original song while transforming Dylan’s blue-collar song of seduction into a slinky soul ballad.

“GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY” THE WATERBOYS, FISHERMAN’S BLUES COLLECTORS EDITON ENSIGN/CHRYSALIS, 2006

This offcut from the mammoth Fisherman’s Blues sessions is lovingly moulded into that album’s signature style, though there are echoes of Dylan’s Desire in the swirling fiddle and tumbling drums. Topped off with an impassioned vocal from Mike Scott.