Sunday morning coming down

Albert O spins the tunes on WUMB’s four-hour Saturday morning show featuring music of the ’60’s and 70’s. The show takes its name from Bob Dylan’s album Highway 61 Revisited — that’s the name of the show. Dylan is the show’s tutelary spirit. Albert observes Dylan’s birthday each year by devoting the show to Dylan’s songs, mostly as performed by others. The show can’t help but prompt one to reflect on the extent of Dylan’s influence. It is amazing. Yesterday’s show observing Bob’s birthday earlier in the week was no different in this respect. I have posted the playlist from Albert’s show yesterday at the bottom of this post.

The show also prompted me to reflect that it might not be amiss to post another set of Dylan covers that have touched me one way or another over the years: made me laugh or cry or stopped me in my tracks. I post these in the hope that one or more of these might do the same for you.

The Byrds introduced jangling electric guitars and irresistible Beatles harmonies to Dylan’s songs. This is how they did it on “Chimes of Freedom” on their debut album.

The Byrds also plucked Dylan’s then unreleased “Lay Down Your Weary Tune” from his songbook for their second album. Jim & Jean restored the folk setting while borrowing the harmony treatment. Their version is hypnotic in its own way. I don’t want it to end.

With a little help from Joshua Rifkin on the arrangement, Judy Collins showed how Dylan was susceptible to the art song treatment. Here is “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” from In My Life.

I was unfamiliar with Dylan’s “Clothes Line Saga” until Suzzy & Maggie Roche recorded it for the Twin Cities’ own Red House Records on the Nod To Bob tribute album. The song seems to have been inspired by “Ode To Billie Joe.” Don’t miss the Roches’ treatment of this one.

Rod Stewart began life as a folk artist before he made his name as vocalist extraordinaire (as Jeff Beck called him) with the Jeff Beck Group. When Rod started recording as a solo artist, Dylan was on his mind. He has recorded several stunning versions of Dylan songs. Here is Rod’s take on Dylan’s then unreleased “Only a Hobo” from Gasoline Alley.

The incredibly talented folk/bluegrass/country artist and songwriter Tim O’Brien loves Dylan. Tim recruited the great Del McCoury to sing high harmony on the Dylan manifesto “When I Paint My Masterpiece.” The song appears on Tim’s fantastic 1993 CD Oh Boy! O’Boy! with his group The O’Boys.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad version of Dylan’s “Ring Them Bells.” It’s a beautiful song. But I don’t think I’ve heard a more beautiful version than this one by Sarah Jarosz. Listen up!

We obviously haven’t even scratched the surface. Here is the playlist from Albert O’s annual celebration of Dylan’s birthday on WUMB yesterday morning.

11:52 am Bob Dylan
Idiot Wind
11:47 am The Flying Burrito Brothers
To Ramona (from Hot Burritos Anthology: 1969-1972)
11:42 am Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity
This Wheel’s on Fire (from Open)
11:39 am Nico
I’ll Keep It With Mine (from Chelsea Girl)
11:36 am Thunderclap Newman
Open the Door Homer (from Hollywood Dream)
11:32 am The Band
When I Paint My Masterpiece (from Cahoots)
11:25 am Rod Stewart
Mama, You Been on My Mind (from Never a Dull Moment)
11:21 am Faces
Wicked Messenger (from Small Faces (aka First Step))
11:16 am Leon Russell
A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall (from Leon Russell & the Shelter People)
11:13 am Joe Cocker and Leon Russell
Girl from the North Country (Live) (from Mad Dogs and Englishmen)
11:08 am Richie Havens
Maggie’s Farm (from Something Else Again)
11:04 am Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (from Super Session)
10:59 am The Heptones
I Shall Be Released (from Party Time)
10:55 am The Los Angeles Gospel Choir
I Shall Be Released (from The Gospel According To Dylan)
10:50 am The Four Seasons
Queen Jane Approximately (from The Four Seasons Sing Big Hits BY Burt Bacharach…Hal David…Bob Dylan)
10:48 am The Turtles
It Ain’t Me Babe (from It Ain’t Me Babe)
10:40 am Them
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (from Them Again)
10:38 am Christopher & the Chaps
It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding (from 1965 B-Side)
10:34 am George Harrison
If Not for You (from All Things Must Pass)
10:32 am Pearls Before Swine
I Shall Be Released (from These Things Too)
10:26 am Roger McGuinn
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) (from Easy Rider Soundtrack)
10:20 am Johnny Rivers
Positively 4th Street (from Realization)
10:17 am Johnny Cash
One Too Many Mornings (1000 Miles Behind) (from Unreleased)
10:12 am Bob Dylan
Main Title Theme (Billy) (from Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid)
10:07 am Bob Dylan & The Band
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (from Before the Flood)
10:02 am Stevie Wonder
Blowin’ In the Wind (from Up-Tight)
9:58 am Arlo Guthrie
When the Ship Comes In (from Hobo’s Lullaby)
9:53 am Barbara Keith
All Along the Watchtower (from Barbara Keith)
9:52 am Nancy Sinatra
It Ain’t Me Babe (from Boots)
9:48 am Cher
All I Really Want To Do (from All I Really Want To Do)
9:42 am Fotheringay
Too Much of Nothing (from Fotheringay)
9:36 am Fairport Convention
I’ll Keep it With Mine (from What We Did on Our Holidays)
9:32 am The Hollies
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (from Hollies Sing Dylan)
9:29 am Gordon Lightfoot
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (from 1965 Single)
9:22 am The Byrds
Nothing Was Delivered (from Sweetheart Of the Rodeo)
9:18 am The Byrds
Lay Down Your Weary Tune (from Turn! Turn! Turn!)
9:14 am Area Code 615
Just Like a Woman (Instrumental) (from Area Code 615)
9:11 am Dion
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue (from Kickin’ Child)
9:01 am Bob Dylan
Visions of Johanna – Take 5 (from The Bootleg Series – Vol 12 The Cutting Edge 1965-1966)
8:57 am Bob Dylan & The Band
One Too Many Mornings (Unreleased) (from The Basement Tapes)
8:52 am Geoff & Maria Muldaur
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (from Pottery Pie)
8:47 am Nina Simone
Just Like a Woman (from Here Comes the Sun)
8:43 am Judy Collins
I Pity the Poor Immigrant (from Who Knows Where the Time Goes)
8:40 am Jim & Jean
Lay Down Your Weary Tune (from Changes/People World)
8:34 am Joan Baez
Love Minus Zero/No Limit (from Any Day Now)
8:31 am Odetta
Long Ago, Far Away (from Odetta Sings Dylan)
8:28 am Bob Lind
The Times They Are A Changin’ (from The Elusive Bob Lind)
8:25 am Ian & Sylvia
Tomorrow Is a Long Time (from Four Strong Winds)
8:18 am Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
With God On Our Side (from Bull Durham Sacks & Railroad Tracks)
8:14 am Peter, Paul & Mary
The Times They Are A’ Changin’ (Live) (from In Concert)
8:11 am Davy Graham
Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright (from Folk Blues & Beyond…)
8:08 am Hamilton Camp
Paths of Victory (from Paths Of Victory)
7:59 am Bob Dylan
It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) (from Bringing It All Back Home)

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