All Along The Watchtower
A beautiful original with tension building throughout the song that's left unresolved with the final line: "two riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl", followed by a brilliantly reimagined cover version.
Bob Dylan (Original - released Nov 22, 1967): Haunting, full of foreboding
Jimi Hendrix (Cover - released Sept 21, 1968): 'POCALYPSE COMIN' - LET'S ROCK!!!
Hendrix started recording his version on January 21, 1968 after hearing the song for the first time that day and kept making changes and adding guitar parts until August. He also played bass with Mitch Mitchell from the Experience on the drums. Dylan did the original with five takes on one day (Nov 5). Dylan has talked about how he started playing the song differently in concert after hearing the Hendrix version.
Cool stuff, didn't know that! dm
ReplyDeleteIt isn't in a class with either the Dylan original or the Hendrix cover, but check out the Dave Matthews Band version as well (not on any studio album, but the version from Live at Red Rocks is a good place to start). It's a totally different take on the song.
ReplyDeletedid you ever listen to the cover version of Dave Mason. still my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMWP