30 Replies to “A Cover, of a Cover, of a Cover”

  2. You can copy a performance, but you cannot cover it, since it is only the original composition by its author that can be covered.

    For instance, if you perform Me and Bobby McGee in the style of the first ever recording by Janis Joplin, you are covering Kris Kristoferson, just as Janis was, and even though Kris did not record it until later, his performance, while not first, is original, since he is the author.

    1. A copy of a painting is called a forgery. A copy of a song is called a cover. Either way, as much as I like Jimi Hendrix’s version, Dylan’s original simple arrangement still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and is still the version that I prefer and the one I do. Now if I could just get the harmonica right. LOL

      1. A copy of a painting is homage (imitation and all that). A copy of a song is similar, and even sometimes better.
        As for the Dylan harp, get a rack and blow off key, then you have it.
        Kidding.
        You like electric Laravie (sp), I like my Martin acoustic.
        Happy New Year

        1. I guess I’ve never seen the point in trying to play things exactly like the recording. Might as well just put on the recording and skip the middle man. I have a very nice old Martin and several Larrivées both electric and acoustic (very nice guitars). Expat Canadian eh? I do have a rack and I’m still working on … everything. Happy New Year!

      2. A copy of a painting is called a copy.
        A copy of a painting that purports to not be a copy is called a forgery.

        “A copy of a song is called a cover . . .” by the general public who picked up a bit of industry jargon without knowing what it meant, but trust me, the copyright holder knows and the songwriter (who may or may not be the copyright holder) wants proper attribution for his work.

          1. “A cover pays $$$ Royalties”
            There ya go.

            John Hartford lived the rest of his life off of the royalties from Gentle on my Mind, and only a minority of people who know the song even know John’s name. Go figure.

        2. Not the point I was trying to make in my inelegant way. I don’t know about copying paintings but “a cover” need not be and isn’t usually an exact copy and yes, the songwriter, not the artist needs attribution. Knocking on Heaven’s Door is NOT a Guns and Roses’ song. LOL

  3. Musical preferences are subjective, like food, wine, movies, etc. Personally, I prefer Dylan’s version. I also prefer J.J. Cale’s “After Midnight” over Clapton’s. For me, it’s like getting a buzz…without substances.

    When I was taking a music course at university, I had a thought for an essay that, unfortunately, never came to pass. It was about cover versions of songs and how/why some were better than others. To this day, I still add to my list of songs. One day I may write that paper, just for kicks and giggles. At least my husband will read it. Maybe.

      1. Clapton plays guitar like a Corvette … but JJ Cale played Clapton’s song like a Daytona Ford GT. More than speed … beauty … and Victory!

          1. “Better” is a meaningless metric in music. Tastes vary … and most times … simplicity is more elegant than notes galore.

    2. On the other hand I like Skynyrd’s version of “They Call Me the Breeze” way better than JJ Cale’s.

  4. The only Jimi Hendrix song to make the top 40 and he didn’t write it…but mention the title to anyone and Hendrix’s name will surely come up.
    “Hey Joe” is another one…I don’t know who wrote it but I know it wasn’t Hendrix. But it’s his if you catch my drift. Although I think he wrote and owns Purple Haze.
    It was on the Dick Cavett show or some talk show where he said he didn’t write music because he can’t.
    I was rather startled by the admission but maybe it’s more common than I think, I guess you could hire it out. Jim Morrison was in the same category as well.
    I’ll let the musicians on this board weigh in.

    1. Before the 60s it was uncommon for popular performers to write their own material. Elvis only co-wrote a single lyric, and lifted the melody (by George Poulton in 1861) from the public domain.

      The Beatles “hired out” Carole King and Burt Bacharach for songs on their first album (although 8 of the 14 were originals).

      Look up the Brill Building.

  5. The Dead used to do “Watchtower”, and Dead and Company, featuring Little Johnny Mayer also does it. I like both versions, I like the Hendrix version, as well as the Original.

    Nothing wrong with covering a good song.

  6. Bonnie Raitt most successful release “Lets give em something to talk about”, written by Shirley Eikhard.
    Sometimes the first version you hear, you like.

  7. Forget about it. This is a Hendrix tune. If he didn’t record it Dylan would be making ha’penny in annual royalties. There’s probably three people on the planet who came to this song without being introduced to it by Hendrix and two of them are Hendrix and Dylan.

    Dylan’s repertoire was far too rich and deep and Watchtower just wasn’t in the same weight class.

    And please…of course Hendrix wrote music. Lots of it. Foxy Lady, Little Wing, Purple Haze, Voodoo Child, Machine Gun and Crosstown Traffic to name some of his classics. I think he wrote The Star Spangled Banner too 😉

    1. Hendrix did a fine job of it, although he could have got the lyrics in the first verse correct, but Jimi covered many Dylan songs and was a huge Dylan fan as is obvious in the songs and lyrics that he wrote. Without Dylan’s lyrical influence and if he doesn’t go electric, Jimi is probably just a really good blues guitarist. With Dylan’s influence, Hendrix goes on to inspire thousands of others. It is impossible to overstate the influence Bob Dylan has had on modern music from folk and country to hard rock … or Hendrix’s influence on rock music and the way the guitar is played, in particular.

  8. I think what I meant to say was he couldn’t read music which he admitted…if you can’t read music how can you write it? And by writing I mean putting musical notes down on paper.
    Lyrics? Well yeah, I know he could do that.

  9. I’m a guitar player and this song is all about the guitar. The leads are obvious to the ear but the rhythm guitars – one electric and the two acoustic guitars are essential to what makes this the unmatched guitar masterpiece of its day. I’d argue it continues to be so but will acknowledge it has a lot of fine company since the late 60s.

    Also, every musician draws inspiration from someone who came before him. So Jimi’s affinity for Dylan and a lot of great blues players is not unique insofar as it speaks to the normal concept of musical inheritance and inspiration.

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