Almanac music: Dylan Cover Songs: International Style #9 – UK Part 1: Manchester Does Dylan

 

It has taken me nine articles in the ‘International Style’ series to dip my toe into Dylan cover songs by UK artists. This musical landscape upon which I gaze is vast (so very vast), second only to the USA.

 

My data base has close to 600 unique UK based albums and within those albums there are over 1000 Dylan cover songs ~ add to that mix, UK singles that didn’t make it onto an album ~ and the task of showcasing UK artists becomes quite daunting, but nonetheless quite exciting.

 

For this first foray into the UK musical landscape, I have challenged myself and decided to drill in via a single city ~ Manchester. What follows are eleven artists who emerged from, or were largely or somewhat tenuously associated with, that city; each with a unique take on a Dylan song. The article will present the artist and Dylan cover song in chronological order, based on when the cover song was broadcast, recorded or released.

 

 

But first ~ let’s check off, in alphabetic order, the highly impressive list of Manchester bands and musicians who have left an indelible mark on the world of modern music without recording a Dylan cover:

 

10CC; Buzzcocks; The Chemical Brothers; Cherry Ghost; Elbow; The Fall; Freddie & The Dreamers; Happy Mondays; Herman’s Hermits; Joy Division; Jay Kay (co-founder of Jamiroquai); John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers; The Mindbenders; New Order; Oasis; The Smiths; Lisa Stansfield; The Stone Roses; Swing Out Sister; Take That; The Verve.

 

 

And second ~ let’s review Dylan’s relationship with Manchester over the years:

 

As at the close of 2025, Dylan has performed in the UK on 226 occasions.

 

During those UK tours, Manchester performances featured on thirteen occasions:

 

• 14 May 1964: Didsbury Studios (3 songs for the ATV program ‘Hallelujah’ but never broadcast)
• 7 May 1965: Free Trade Hall (15 song acoustic set)
• 17 May 1966: Free Trade Hall (seven-song acoustic set followed by an eight-song electric set backed by The Band)

 

It was during this concert that Dylan was infamously called ‘Judas!’ by an audience member.

 

Although Dylan toured the UK in 1978, 1981, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993, he did not perform any concerts in Manchester ~ perhaps ‘retribution’ for the ‘Judas’ comment?

 

However, it seems all was forgiven from 1995 onwards:

 

• 3, 4 & 5 April 1995: Manchester Apollo (14/15 song set)
• 25 June 1998: NYNEX Arena (15 song set)
• 9 May 2002: Manchester Evening News Arena (15 song set followed by 6 song encore)
• 16 November 2005: Manchester Evening News Arena (16 song set)
• 10 October 2011: Manchester Evening News Arena (14 song set)
• 27 & 28 October 2015: O2 Apollo Manchester (20 song set, including 7 American standard covers)
• 2 November 2022: O2 Apollo Manchester (17 song set, including 9 songs from Rough & Rowdy album)

 

 

And now, on with the show:~~~

 

 

Bee Gees

 

The Gibb brothers (Barry, Robin and Maurice) were all born on the Isle Of Man; however, in 1955 when older brother Barry was nine and the twins (Robin and Maurice) were almost six the Gibb family took the 67 mile (4 hour) ferry trip to Heysham and the 65 mile (1 hour, 20 minute) drive to relocate to Manchester. It is claimed that the three pre-teenage brothers formed a skiffle/rock’n’roll group called The Rattlesnakes.

 

By August 1958, the Gibb family (now including Andy – born March 1958) travelled over 10,000 miles to emigrate to Australia, initially settling into Redcliffe, Brisbane. For the next eight years, and with the encouragement of Col Joye, the Gibb Brothers (soon to be known as the Bee Gees) secured a recording deal with Festival Records and made the occasional TV appearance. It was on such an occasion – Australian Bandstand 0n 19 August 1963 – that the teenage Bee Gees performed, as far as I have uncovered, their one and only Dylan cover – Blowin’ In the Wind:

 

 

Fast forward to January 1967, and the three eldest Gibb brothers have decided to return to England to enhance their musical career. While on-route to England, the Bee Gees learnt that their first major Australian single ‘Spicks And Specks’ had been declared the ‘Best Single of the Year’ by Go-Set magazine.

 

Trivia: As we all now know, the Bee Gees went on to bigger and better things in the UK and then superstardom in the USA. It is probably fortunate that Australian Bandstand didn’t have Red Symonds as an adjudicator on new talent back in the day.

 

 

David Jones (aka Davy Jones)

 

David Jones was born in Manchester on 30 December 1945. After a couple of minor TV acting appearances and a stint as an apprentice jockey, in 1963 David got his big break playing the Artful Dodger in the West End production of Oliver!. David remained with the production when it travelled to the US and performed on Broadway in early 1964.

 

David’s next lucky break was being on the Ed Sullivan show on 9 February 1964, performing a scene from Oliver! with English actress and singer Georgia Brown. Also performing on this show, premiering for the first time on US TV, were The Beatles. As an 18 year old, David is reported as saying: ‘’I watched The Beatles from the side of the stage, I saw the girls going crazy, and I said to myself, this is it, I want a piece of that!’’

 

David remained in the US and released his first album David Jones in 1965. It is on this album that David recorded his one and only Dylan cover ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’:

 

 

Trivia: David Jones’ reputation in England in the mid-60’s caused the other David Jones to change his name to David Bowie. Of course, the original David Jones went on to find fame and fortune as Davy Jones with The Monkees; and David Bowie found even greater fame and fortune with Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and The Thin White Duke – to name but a few.

 

Bonus Australia-based trivia: Shortly after establishing a world-wide reputation via The Monkees, Davy released ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ as a single and it peaked at #56 in Australia.

 

 

Georgie Fame

 

Georgie Fame was born in Leigh, Greater Manchester – within the historic county of Lancaster – but travelled to London at age sixteen to find fame. Georgie released his highest charting UK albums in 1964 (Fame At Last #15) and 1966 (Sweet Things #6 and Sound Venture #9).

 

In 1969, while testing out the Nashville scene, Georgie had his one and only dabble with the Dylan songbook, releasing a non-charting single that included two songs from Dylan’s John Wesley Harding album ~ ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’ and ‘Down Along The Cove’:

 

 

 

Trivia: The producer of these Dylan covers was none other than Bob Johnson – the producer of Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited (1965); Blonde On Blonde (1966); John Wesley Harding (1967); Nashville Skyline (1969) and New Morning (1970).

 

 

The Hollies

 

The Hollies, comprising Allan Clarke (vocals), Graham Nash (rhythm guitar, vocals), Tony Hicks (lead guitar), Eric Haydock (bass) and Bobby Elliott (drums), formed in Manchester in 1962. The band had considerable album and singles success in the UK and Australia throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s.

 

In November 1968, the band (much to the chagrin of Graham Nash – refer trivia below), decided to record a complete album of Dylan covers. Despite Nash’s reservations, the pulling power of anything associated with Dylan in the mid-late 60’s UK music scene resulted in the Hollies Sing Dylan album being the band’s highest rating album on the UK charts – peaking at #3.

 

Although ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ has previously featured in this article, I couldn’t resist sharing the Hollies cover version, which showcases Graham Nash’s last appearance with the band (note: Nash is not credited in any capacity on the album).

 

 

Trivia: Graham Nash blames the decision by The Hollies to do an entire album of Dylan covers as the final nail in his membership of the band. To quote: ‘This happened at the same time they wanted to make an album with Dylan tunes. I thought even that was a sacrilege, because we were doing them like [Graham starts singing “Blowing in the Wind” in swing fashion, snapping his fingers]: ‘How many roads, yeah, would a . . .’ — a Las Vegas type thing, and it was driving me nuts. I couldn’t handle it.’

 

Follow up trivia: Graham’s decision, in late 1968, to cross the Atlantic and team up with David Crosby and Stephen Stills to form CS&N was certainly a PLUS for many followers of the late 60s music scene and the inclusion of Neil Young in mid-1969 to form CSN&Y became a PLUS+ moment in modern music.

 

 

Hughie Flint

 

Hughie Flint was born in Manchester on 15 March 1941.

 

An accomplished drummer, Hughie had a stint with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and is credited on the 1966 Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton album.

 

In 1970, Hughie teamed up with Tom McGuinness (former guitarist and bassist with Manfred Mann) to form McGuinness Flint. The band had success in England with their self-titled 1970 album peaking at #10 on the charts.

 

By 1972, Flint and McGuinness teamed up with Dennis Coulson and Dixie Dean to release the album Lo And Behold, which consisted solely of obscure Dylan covers. The selected song for this article is ‘Odds & Ends’, which features Hughie Flint on lead vocals.

 

 

 

Trivia: The ten songs recorded and released on Lo And Behold were so obscure that even Dylan had not officially released any of the songs at that time. Sometime around mid-2027 I will revisit the Lo And Behold album when I publish an article titled ‘Complete Albums Of Dylan Covers By Bands’.

 

 

The Creepers

 

The Creepers were an independent band formed in Manchester in 1982. The driving force behind the band was Marc Riley (ex-The Fall). The band released six albums, that did reasonably well on the UK Independent Charts, before disbanding in 1988.

 

In 1989, The Creepers issued the twenty-one song Sleeper – A Retrospective album. It is on this album that one discovers a cover version of Dylan’s ‘Yea Heavy & A Bottle Of Bread’. The cover can be found on the YouTube clip at track 15 (around the 52-minute mark) – and is well worth the effort:

 

 

 

 

Trivia: This is a rare cover of a song from Dylan’s 1975 The Basement Tapes. To date, there have been eight covers, with only three coming from commercially recognised but non-mainstream artists. The cover by The Creepers was the first cover of ‘Yea Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread’ to ever be recorded and released.

 

 

Simply Red

 

Simply Red are an internationally successful pop and soul band that formed in Manchester in 1985. Over the course of releasing thirteen studio albums between 1985 – 2023, the band has sold well over 50 million albums and consistently charted in the UK top 10.

 

After a four-year break from studio recordings, during which the band was dropped from its recording label East West Records, Mick Hucknall set up SimplyRed.com and the band released the 2003 Home album. The album, which peaked at #2 in the UK and #15 in Australia, included a cover of Dylan’s ‘Positively 4^th Street’:

 

 

 

 

Trivia: Despite its international reputation, Simply Red fared relatively poorly on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. Of the thirteen albums released: five failed to chart at all; three albums peaked between 145 – 187; two peaked in the 70’s; and the remaining three albums peaked at #16 (Picture Book, 1985), #31 (Men And Women, 1987) and #26 (A New Flame, 1989).

 

 

Elkie Brooks

 

Elkie was born in Salford, Greater Manchester on 25 February 1945. She achieved a moderate level of success as a rock, jazz and blues singer, releasing twenty solo studio albums between 1975 – 2009.

 

In 2005, Elkie released her Electric Lady album, which included a cover of ‘The Groom’s Still Waiting At The Altar’ ~ an outtake from Dylan’s 1981 Shot Of Love recording sessions:

 

 

 

 

Trivia: Prior to pursuing a solo career, Elkie was a founding member of blues rock band Vinegar Joe, where she shared vocals with Robert Palmer. As we know, Palmer went on to his own successful solo career – including combining with UB40 in 1990 for a top 10 international hit with a cover of Dylan’s ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’.

 

 

David Gray

 

David was born on 13 June 1968 in Sale, Cheshire – about a 12-minute drive to Old Trafford. Although he moved to Pembrokeshire, Wales at the age of nine, Mancunians still claim him as one of their own.

 

David’s first three albums, released between 1993 and 1996, barely caused a ripple on the UK charts. However, his fourth album – White Ladder (1998) – peaked at #1 in the UK and Ireland; #4 in New Zealand and #34 in Australia. The hit single from the album, and David’s most recognised song, is ‘Babylon’.

 

In 2007, David self-released a twelve-track album of cover songs recorded live between 2001 – 2007. The album, A Thousand Miles Behind, includes three Dylan covers: ‘To Ramona’; ‘One Too Many Mornings’; and, this article’s chosen song, ‘Buckets Of Rain’:

 

 

 

 

Trivia: The album title ‘A Thousand Miles Behind’ is taken from Dylan’s song, ‘One Too Many Mornings’.

 

 

Mick Hucknall

 

Mick was born in Manchester on 8 June 1960. He has been singer and songwriter for Simply Red, who have appeared earlier in this article. When the band split (temporarily) in 2009, Mick pursued a solo career.

 

Mick released solo albums in 2008 and 2012, but it was his contribution to the 2012 Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years Of Amnesty International charity album with a cover of Dylan’s ‘One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)’ that gives Mick a ‘solo’ entry into this article:

 

 

 

 

Trivia: Mick’s first 12 track solo album, released in 2008, was titled Tribute To Bobby. In this instance, however, the ‘Bobby’ refers to US blues singer Bobby Bland

 

 

Morrissey

 

Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known simply as ‘Morrissey’, was born at Old Trafford on 22 May 1959. He first came to prominence as frontman and lyricist for The Smiths, who released four albums between 1984-87. Each of these albums peaked at #1 or #2 on the UK album chart.

 

Morrissey subsequently released thirteen solo studio albums between 1988 – 2020; each one peaking well inside the top 10 on the UK album charts. His twelfth solo album, the 2019 California Son, is a collection of twelve cover songs. It is among those twelve covers that one finds Dylan’s ‘Only A Pawn In Their Game’:

 

 

 

Trivia: Try as hard as I could, I was unable to find any ‘Morrissey’ trivia that might be the least bit interesting to the ‘vibe’ of this article.

 

 

Final comment:

 

This wander through the interconnectivity of Dylan cover songs and Mancunian singers/musicians has revealed an interesting mix of incursion into the Dylan songbook ~ from complete albums of Dylan cover songs by The Hollies and McGuinness Flint, to artists who have been quite content with a single cover song.

 

No doubt I will return to the UK and Dylan cover songs in the future – quite possibly through the lens of a country like Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. However, for now I set sail to continue my International travels via the Dylan songbook, and it seems unlikely that I will set foot again on UK soil until sometime in 2027.

 

 

More from Karl Dubravs can be read HERE.

 

 

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