Episode 6

Dylanisms | Podcast Mixes Showcasing Bob Dylan Cover Versions | ‘Dylanisms’ is my 10-song mix podcast project, building an extensive archive of (mostly) 1960s recordings of Bob Dylan songs as recorded by various solo performers and groups many years ago.

I will zoom in on the well known and the very obscure outfits who covered Dylan’s numbers, in particular those unknown teenage garage bands from USA. There are many but this list on Wikipedia doesn’t even acknowledge them.

My ‘Dylanisms’ project will be regular and will uncover everything worth hearing. It will last for a one-year paid subscription with my hosting platform RSS.com. By then, my mission will have been accomplished and the Gods shall anoint my feet with patchouli oil . . .

Tracks in order of appearance:

01 The Ian Campbell Folk Group – “The Times They are A-Changin’“
Initially recording for Topic records the Ian Campbell Folk Group signed to the more entertainment-minded but still folk-orientated Transatlantic label with the release of ‘This Is The Ian Campbell Folk Group’ in 1963; the group now included fiddler Dave Swarbrick in the line-up.

They always presented their own brand of folk, favouring traditional music but not shying away from a commitment to contemporary writers and topical themes.

Their version of ‘The Times They Are A-Changin” was a Top 50 hit in March 1965, and if its release was opportunistic they should be credited as one of the few established British folk acts to record a Dylan song.

02 The Cops ‘n Robbers – “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”
One of the most covered songs, the Watford outfit’s version pre-dated Van Morrison’s folk-soul treatment on the “Them Again”. Cops ‘n Robbers were a typical mid-60s beat / R&B group, taking their name from the Kent Harris song. They issued three singles during 1964 and 1965, making their debut for Decca with a version of ‘St James Infirmary’.

Although reliant on covers, one of their original songs, ‘You’ll Never Do It Baby’, was a snarling R&B number covered by the Pretty Things.

Dylanisms | Podcast Mixes Celebrating Bob Dylan Cover Versions

03 Chad & Jeremy – “Mr Tambourine Man”
quintessential English folk-pop duo Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde epitomised the traditions and values of the British public school system. Although cut from similar cloth to Peter & Gordon, Chad & Jeremy’s music had a more introspective folk feel.

Both duos achieved commercial success in America between 1964 and 1967 where they were seen as the “posh” antithesis of the bad boy bands such as the Rolling Stones and the Animals.

They relocated to California in late 1964 where they landed a deal with Columbia for whom they released their fourth album in 15 months “I Don’t Want To Lose You Baby”.

It mixed songs from the King And I, Phil Ochs‘ ‘There But For Fortune’ and two covers by new label-mate Bob Dylan, ‘Don’t Think Twice’ and ‘Mr Tambourine Man’.

Dylanisms | Podcast Mixes Celebrating Bob Dylan Cover Versions

04 The Faces – “Wicked Messenger”
taken from the LP ‘First Step’ on Warner Bros, 1970.

05 The Alan Bown – “All Along The Watchtower”
live in session at the BBC, 02/07/68.

06 The Hollies – “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”
taken from the LP ‘Hollies Sing Dylan’ (Parlophone) May 1969

07 Los Chijuas – “Mighty Quinn”
taken from the LP ‘Los Chijuas’ on (Musart) 1968
This Mexican group had a hit in their country with this number.

Dylanisms | Podcast Mixes Celebrating Bob Dylan Cover Versions

08 The Band – “This Wheels On Fire”
09 The Band – “Tears Of Rage”
taken from the LP ‘Music From Big Pink’ (Capitol) 1968
‘Music from Big Pink’ is the debut studio album by the Canadian-American rock band the Band. 

Released on July 1, 1968, by Capitol Records, it employs a distinctive blend of country, rock, folk, classical, R&B, blues, and soul. The album’s title refers to a house in West Saugerties, New York called “Big Pink”, which was shared by bassist/singer Rick Danko, pianist/singer Richard Manuel and keyboardist Garth Hudson and in which the album’s music was partly composed.

The album itself was recorded at A & R Recording in New York and Capitol Studios in Los Angeles in early 1968, and followed the band’s stint backing Bob Dylan on his 1966 tour (as the Hawks) and time spent together in upstate New York recording material that was officially released in 1975 as ‘The Basement Tapes’, also with Dylan. The cover artwork is a painting by Dylan. 

10 The Byrds – “Chimes Of Freedom”
taken from the LP ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ (Columbia) 1965
Although the Byrds had begun their career under the spell of the Beatles, they soon realised the importance of Bob Dylan, who had attended their initial recording sessions at World Pacific and even appeared with them on stage.

McGuinn: “After Jim Dickson picked ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ we got into Dylan. It was a mutual decision. I’d come up with the guitar part and Chris would come up with the bass part. Dylan was aware of what we were doing and liked the idea.”