He was a master wordsmith from a young age. His vocals are often the big detractor for people getting to know his music better beyond the basics. As a Deadhead I came to really love his music through Jerry’s guitar and voice. Some of my favorite ‘Dead songs’ were Dylan covers. Deeper cuts like Desolation Row, Visions of Johana, and Queen Jane Approximately always made seeing a show special. The Jerry Garcia Band took on a bigger slice of Dylan’s catalog. The Jerry Garcia Band live album from 1991 had four Dylan covers. The musicianship on Simple Twist of Fate is incredible, and the Tangled Up in Blue is a superb cover. Dylan is an American icon. A national treasure. The world is a richer place because of his talent he’s shared with all of us.
If you dislike his voice. Do yourself a favor and read his lyrics.
In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need When the pool of tears beneath my feet floods every newborn seed There's a dying voice within me reaching out somewhere Toiling in the danger and the morals of despair
Don't have the inclination to look back on any mistake Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break In the fury of the moment I can see the master's hand In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand
Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer The sun beams down upon the steps of time to light the way To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay
I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame And every time I pass that way I'll always hear my name Then onward in my journey I come to understand That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand
I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night In the violence of a summer's dream, in the chill of a wintry light In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand
I can't say I ever liked the guy. More from just a performer. He always sounded like he had a clothespin stuck over his nose.
I can't say I disagree with you. But that's the same way it is with a lot of great song writers. That's why in general most of them remain song writers and never become famous recording artists.
Dylan just came along at a time where the message of the song meant as much or more than the sound of the song itself. Sadly today artists more often than not write and record songs that have no social message of importance and nothing of any real substance to say. There are still artists that do but it seems there are far fewer of them.
On the rock side we've gone through the sex, drugs and R&R era and with country it's more been about their trucks, drinking and drinking while driving your truck.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
His voice is definitely not for everyone, and I agree about the covers often being better than his versions, except for Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. No cover has been better than the original, in my opinion.
I really like Neil Young’s version of Blowin’ in the Wind that he released on a live album in 1988.
Another good cover is Edie Brickell’s version of Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.