Almanac Music: Dylan Cover Songs – ‘Under The Radar’ Aussie Male Style
In my ‘Dylan covers’ research I have discovered just over 200 Dylan songs covered by around 120 Aussie artists. My aim is to give each artist a moment of ‘glory’ in one of my articles. So, in this 7th ‘Dylan covers’ article, I drill down to expose those ‘under the radar’* Aussie males who have taken the plunge to cover a Dylan song on a commercially available album/single that also has an accompanying YouTube clip.
The entries in this article will be chronicled in the order that the cover songs were originally recorded by Dylan. It has been fortunate that each of the eleven artists featured in this article have chosen a different song from Dylan’s vast songbook, with only a small number being what you may classify as ‘Dylan classics’. It has been a pleasant surprise to find that the overall quality of the cover songs is of a high standard, given the number of ‘self-release’ albums.
*Some of the artists in this article will be well known to some Almanackers. I have taken the liberty of applying the rule that if the artist is not a ‘household name’ then they are ‘under the radar’, and thus provide a unique opportunity to showcase their talent.
Andrew Kidman
Andrew (born 1970) is a musician, director, writer, and surfboard shaper. He is, perhaps, best known as the author of one of the most exquisite films on surfing (‘Litmus’, 1996).
Between 2001 – 2007, Andrew self-released three albums, and it was on track 7 of his debut album The Spaces In Between that Andrew covers Dylan’s ‘Mama You Been On My Mind’.
Although not a household name, Andrew’s YouTube clip has received an impressive 66,382 views over the past 14 years and includes some exceptional surf footage.
Dylan recorded ‘Mama You Been On My Mind’ on 9 June 1964 (during the Another Side Of Bob Dylan recording sessions) but the song was not included on the album. It was eventually released on the 1991 Bootleg Series Vol 1-3: Rare & Unreleased box set.
Despite the song not being officially released by Dylan until 1991, it was covered by several notable 60’s artists, including Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Australia’s own Doug Ashdown. To date, the song has been covered by around 50 artists.
Michael Carpenter
Michael (born 1967) has been playing gigs as a musician for over 35 years, as well as running his own Sydney-based recording studio (Love Hz Studio) and producing records (Big Radio Records) since 1991.
Michael has self-released eleven albums as a singer-songwriter since 1999. On his 3rd album, soop #1, he performs 12 songs of other people (i.e. ‘soop’). The 7th track is a cover of Dylan’s ‘Chimes Of Freedom’.
This YouTube clip has only received 101 views over the past 8 years – so it’s time to add a few more.
Dylan recorded ‘Chimes Of Freedom’ on 9 June 1964 and it was released on the August 1964 Another Side Of Bob Dylan album.
In June 1965, The Byrds recorded the most commercially successful cover of ‘Chimes Of Freedom’. Michael’s cover was the 16th version of just over 40 cover versions released to date.
Phil Cunneen
Phil was an arranger and musical director at Adelaide-based Gamba Studio and the ‘Sweet Peach’ label in the early 70’s – which included emerging artists such as Doug Ashdown, Kevin Johnson, Lee Conway and Fraternity.
Phil’s only known personal studio recording is a single, released in 1971 on the Sweet Peach label, featuring Dylan’s ‘John Wesley Harding’ on side ‘A’ and Jerry Jeff Walker’s ‘Mr Bojangles’ on side ‘B’.
This YouTube clip, added a couple of weeks ago under the ‘Australian Chart Entries 60’s and 70’s plus rarities’ logo, has since received 170 views and given its ‘rarity’ deserves a few more views.
Dylan recorded ‘John Wesley Harding’ (the song) in October/November 1967 and it was released on the December 1967 John Wesley Harding album.
Phil’s cover of ‘John Wesley Harding’ was the 2nd cover ever to be recorded/released and one of only 9 known covers to date.
Danny Ross
Danny (born 1983) may be known to dedicated followers of ‘The Voice Australia’ TV talent show where he reached the finals in 2013.
He released his one & only studio album, As The Crow Flies, also in 2013. At track 3 he re-creates a ‘Hendrix-style’ version of Dylan’s ‘All Along The Watchtower’ – a song that he covered during the heats of ‘The Voice’.
This YouTube clip is taken from Danny’s 2013 The Voice performance and has received an impressive 63,799 views in the past 11 years. His official YouTube clip of ‘All Along The Watchtower’ from his album has only received 268 views in the past 5 years.
Dylan recorded ‘All Along The Watchtower’ on 6 November 1967 in Nashville with acoustic guitar & harmonica, accompanied by Charlie McCoy on bass and Kenny Buttrey on drums. It was released on the 1967 John Wesley Harding album.
In September 1968, Jimi Hendrix unleashed his electrified version of ‘All Along The Watchtower’ and this became the standard by which the vast majority of the 200 subsequent cover songs are based – making it Dylan’s 7th most covered song.
Paul Field
Paul (born 1961) is known as a founding member of ‘The Cockroaches’ (1987 – 1994) and then as Managing Director of ‘The Wiggles’ (1996 – 2020).
In 2021 Paul embarked on a belated solo career and released his debut album Love Songs For Lonely People. The album includes two Dylan covers: track 7 ‘Tomorrow Is A Long Time’ and this articles chosen song, track 2 ‘You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’ (featuring Jimmy Barnes).
This YouTube clip has received an impressive 12,182 views in the past 3 years and includes live footage of Jimmy warming up his vocal cords before launching into a duet with Paul.
Dylan wrote ‘You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’ while in self-imposed exile at Woodstock from mid-1966 to 1967 and recorded a version with The Band at the Big Pink house. That version was subsequently released on the 1975 Basement Tapes album. An alternate version, with different words and verses, was also recorded on 24 September 1971 with Happy Traum accompanying Dylan. This latter version was released on the November 1971 Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II album.
Paul’s version of ‘You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’ lifted the number of verified covers of the song to 100, where it sits as the 18th most covered Dylan song. The 1st cover of the song to be released by an Australian artist/band was ‘The Flying Circus’ in August 1969 – but more about that in a future ‘Dylan covers’ article.
Cyrus – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door 1974
Cyrus (born 1996) may be known to dedicated followers of ‘The X Factor Australia’ TV talent show, which he won in 2015.
In a similar story to Danny Ross (above), Cyrus released his one and only studio album Cryus in December 2015. The album featured studio recordings of selected songs Cyrus performed on ‘The X Factor’. At track 7, he performs Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’.
This YouTube clip is taken from Cyrus’ 2015 The Voice performance. Collectively, clips of his The Voice performance have racked up over 30,000 views in the past 8 years. His official YouTube clip of ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ from his album has also received over 10,000 views in the past 6 years.
Dylan wrote and recorded ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ in early 1973 for the Sam Peckinpah movie ‘Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid’ – a movie in which Dylan also had a small acting role, playing a store owner named Alias. The movie soundtrack was released in July 1973.
Not only was ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ a worldwide top 10 hit for Dylan in 1973, it was also a worldwide top 10 hit for Guns ‘N Roses in 1991/2. This combination of different musical genres having chart success with the song propelled interest in a diversity of cover versions – such that with close to 250 cover versions to date, it is Dylan’s 4th most covered song.
Brendan Gallagher
Brendan may be known to some as he has been a member of several bands – Karma Country, The Leisuremasters, The Millionaires & Dead Marines. He has also produced over 20 albums, including Jimmy Little’s 1999 Aria Award winning Messenger album. In 1994, Brendan published ‘The Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar’ – and received the following praise from David Bowie: “What a super book, this is such fun. I could use this for the next album.”
Brendan has released six solo albums between 2006 – 2020. At track 11 on his self-released 2020 Restless Creatures album, Michael covers Dylan’s ‘Simple Twist Of Fate’.
This YouTube clip has only received 65 views in the past 4 years – it is time to give that number a nudge.
Dylan recorded ‘Simple Twist Of Fate’ on 19 September 1974 and it was released on the January 1975 Blood On The Tracks album.
There have been around 55 cover versions of this song, with Brendan’s version being around the 45th to be released – followed very closely (i.e. 3mths 10 days later) by Emma Swift’s version on her Blonde On The Tracks album.
Christopher Marshall
Christopher may be known to some as the singer for Melbourne-based band Harem Scarem, who were active between 1982 – 89 and released 3 studio albums during that time. In 1998, Christopher released his one & only solo album Strange Waters, Small Mercies.
In 2019, Chriostopher released a compilation album, featuring early recordings Harem Scarem & his own songs. The album was titled The Dog Beneath The Skin (Rare & Unreleased) and at track 13 he covers Dylan’s ‘Every Grain Of Sand’.
This YouTube clip has certainly been ‘under the radar’ and has only received 34 views over the past 2 years.
Dylan recorded ‘Every Grain Of Sand’ on 4 May 1981 and it was released on the August 1981 Shot Of Love album.
There have been over 40 verified covers of the song, however Christopher’s version is ‘so rare’ it is yet to be discovered and recognized as a verified cover by the ‘bible’ of cover songs – SecondHandSongs.
Henry Wagons
Henry is a singer/songwriter, musician, radio & TV personality and frontman of the Melbourne-based alt-country band, Wagons who have released eight albums between 2000 – 2019.
Henry has also released three solo albums between 2012 – 2023. It was on his latest album South Of Everywhere that he covered Dylan’s ‘Everything Is Broken’.
This YouTube clip has been viewed 259 times and certainly deserves a few more.
Dylan recorded ‘Everything Is Broken’ in mid-March 1989 and it was released on the September 1989 Oh Mercy’ album.
Henry’s 2023 cover was the latest of the 34 versions of ‘Everything Is Broken’ released to date until Rory Block’s June 2024 version – on an album titled Positively 4th Street, that is entirely dedicated to Dylan covers, and includes the first ever covers of ‘Mother Of Muses’ and ‘Murder Most Foul’ from Dylan’s latest album, Rough & Rowdy Ways (2020).
Luke Escombe
Luke is a singer-songwriter who works in music, health, education and the arts. He is also the writer/creator of Australian children’s band The Vegetable Plot. Luke has taken his lived experience with a chronic health condition and converted it into award-winning art and activism.
Luke has released five albums between 2008 – 2017. It was on his self-released fifth album Skeleton Blues that he covered Dylan’s ‘The Man In The Long Black Coat’.
For an ‘under the radar’ artist, this YouTube clip has punched above its weight with almost 1,500 views.
Dylan recorded ‘The Man In The Long Black Coat’ in late March 1989 and it was released on the September 1989 Oh Mercy album.
Of the 30 covers of ‘Man In The Long Black Coat’, Mark Lanegan’s version on the 2007 ‘I’m Not Here’ soundtrack would rank as one of the best.
Steve Passfield
Steve is a country-influenced singer/songwriter who put together his own band ‘Handpicked’ in 1988. The band put out a couple of albums in the late 1990’s.
As a solo artist, Steve self-released three albums between 2012 – 2019. On his debut The Soundtrack Of My Life album, he covered Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’.
This YouTube clip is the least viewed of all those represented in this article – with only 8 views in the past year. Hopefully this plug will see views reach double figures.
Dylan recorded ‘Make You Feel My Love’ in January 1997 and it was released on the September 1997 Time Out Of Mind album.
It may come as a surprise, given Dylan’s extraordinary songwriting catalogue, that ‘Make You Feel My Love’ is the 3rd most covered Dylan song, with over 250 commercially available versions. The two singles released to promote the Time Out Of Mind album were ‘Not Dark Yet’ and ‘Love Sick’ and they have only garnered 40 and 10 cover versions respectively.
Ever since June 1963, when Peter, Paul & Mary popularised ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, Dylan’s career has benefited greatly from other artists in a wide variety of genres covering his songs. Adele’s February 2008 cover of ‘Make You Feel My Love’ is a continuation of that tradition – a tradition that awaits further exploration in a future ‘Dylan covers’ article.
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About Karl Dubravs
I was born in 1956 to Latvian parents who migrated to Australia in the late 1940's following WWII. My career was mostly in Human Resources within University and Public Service settings & allowed me to work & live in Sydney, Cabramurra (Australia's highest township), Townsville, Bathurst, Canberra & Shellharbour. I have now left paid employment & settled in the Blue Mountains. My true passion, ever since I was 16, has been songwriting - and my anthology is creeping towards 400 songs. In 2019, I unexpectedly crossed paths with a talented music producer & musician, who helped to produce my one & only album - 'Life & Love'.
Great work Karl. Grateful to discover some gems here. What a soulful voice Christopher Marshall possesses.
Side note, but I sometimes do wonder if ‘Every Grain of Sand’ is one of Dylan’s greatest songs.
Thanks for the compliment DB.
It is always a delight to uncover an unknown Dylan cover and to hear how others, like Christopher Marshall, reinterpret a particular song. I heard Lou Reed’s ‘Walk On the Wild Side’ intro in his intro to ‘Every Grain Of Sand’.
I certainly think EGOS is the standout track on the Shot Of Love album. One of Dylan’s greatest? I’ve learnt that every person has a different opinion on Dylan’s greatest songs and I’ve also learnt that every person is right.
Well done KD, another cracking episode! Has Bob ever written a dud? So many great songs, and some very good versions. Keep them coming Karl.
That’s an excellent point KD. I have a theory that Dylan was possibly at the height of this power b/w 81-83. But the problem was, he often left the best songs off the albums. The six great songs from this period that I always come back to are: Every Grain of Sand, Angelina, Caribbean Wind, Jokerman, Blind Willie McTell and Foot of Pride.
Thanks Col. I love it when you put ‘cracking’ in a response!
Has Dylan ever written a dud? Well, IMHO, yes he has – and usually it will be a song no-one has bothered to cover. I could list a few but I’d rather simply be thankful for the hundreds of good/great/exceptional songs that have flowed from his typewriter over the past 63 years.
As for keeping the Dylan covers articles coming – stay tuned. My next one will be a ‘cracker’ – I am already excited about it even though I haven’t written a word of it – I just know the overall theme.
Great material as usual, Karl – illuminating and highly informative. I’ve read the text of this piece with considerable interest, and now look forward to listening to the cover versions concerned.
You’ve certainly nailed some excellent songs that Dylan has left off albums for reasons only known to him. Of course there were many he wrote in the early-mid 60’s that eventually saw the light of day (bootleggers excluded) with the 1991 Bootleg Series. Blind Willie McTell & Foot Of Pride certainly deserved to be on the 1983 Infidels album – and if they had been (instead of, say, Neighborhood Bully & License To Kill), then maybe Infidels would be nudging Bob’s best 10 of all time instead of being in the 20’s.
Thanks Kevin for getting ‘on board’ {In joke} with this article. I hope you find the cover versions as illuminating as the article. I have listened to each of them a few times in the making of the article and have found a level of fondness in each of them.
Another great piece on Dylan covers by Australians. Love this. And the discussions that ensue.
Nice answer to whether Every Grain is His Bobness’ best song. While it is a ripper song, and Emmylou’s cover is cracking, there’s at least three other songs from his 80s period for my money stand taller. Dark Eyes, The Groom and Series. Okay, Blind Willie and my absolute fav, Brownsville Girl.
I do like Robert Christgau’ throwaway line re Dylan’s voice during his Christian period, saying he favoured a “phlegmy gravity when feeling holier-than-thou, as if a head cold was proof of enlightenment”.
The 2019 Out on the Weekend Americana festival, held at Seaworks in Williamstown, celebrated Nashville Skyline’s 50 year anniversary with most of the festival acts singing one song each from that magnificent album. This was the climax of the event. It was fantastic, except for one performance, who features in your set of covers, so I probably won’t give HW a listen :)
While I was considering this set of covers, I was reminded of Dave Warner covering Rolling Stone back in ’77 when bands sold cassettes at gigs and he had a thing called The Victoria Tapes, recorded at a hotel of that name in Subi. I couldn’t find it on YouTube but I did come across Kevin Borich and Warner singing Watchtower at I think a school fete!
Cheers
You make some good points Rick, ‘Dark Eyes’ and ‘Brownsville Girl’ are just sublime. I love them. Sonically 1985-88 wasn’t Dylan’s best period, but those two stick out like sore thumbs. But interestingly, some live versions of songs that those albums can give you a totally different vibe e.g. the version of ‘I’ll Remember You’ from Empire Burlesque is, well, forgettable, and a lifeless to me….but listen to the version from the Sydney concert ‘Hard to Handle’ (which is now up on YouTube, I used to have on VHS) and it’s just beautiful. Different melody. Different vibe. Bob finds the song here. Mercurial.
Would love to chew the fat with you one day KD, RK, CR over Dylan’s best albums and/or best songs from the 80s, etc. It would be a hoot.
Love your point DB re how Dylan can “find” or reinvent his own songs, especially through his live shows. In performance, he is streets ahead of the pack, in continuing to play songs as they come through him in the literal moment. Earlier this year he was playing his Rough and Rowdy tour, sticking mainly with songs from his last album. Then, out of nowhere he started adding a tune or two in praise of a great artist from that area. Check out his version of Merle’s Bad Actor (and you have to know Merle’s stuff well to pick out that gem). Then he finishes the R&R tour and almost immediately joins Wilie’s tour, with a whole set of other songs from his catalogue. Staggering, considering he can just coast. I will check out the Hard to Handle gig, thanks for the heads up.
And yes to the 80s Dylan chat!
Hi Rick…thanks for your first response at 4.10pm. Nice to hear that the 2019 Out On the Weekend festival showed some love for Nashville Skyline. I guess that festival also features a bit of Neil Young, given its name? Funny you should mention the Borich/Warner you tube clip….I have had it on my list of Dylan covers for some time and am awaiting a future article to include it in.
Hi Damian & Rick…I’m enjoying this wander through Dylan’s 80’s output. I’d put BWMcT as my favourite (even if I didn’t hear it until 1991); I agree on Dark Eyes; & I have a soft spot for I and I,
I saw Dylan with Tom Petty at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in 1986 (11 Feb) a couple of weeks before the Hard To Handle VHS was filmed. I also had the VHS and loved it a lot.
No doubt a chat amongst us will eventuate……thanks again for commenting on the article & the subsequent chat.
That would be great Karl. And bring your guitar.
The ‘Hard to Handle’ concert is brilliantly filmed by Gillian Armstrong. I must have watched it 500 times in the early 90s on VHS. Was delighted to rediscover it on YouTube recently. Turned the lights off, grabbed myself a glass of scotch, and a packet of red rock deli crisps, and hit play. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dylan so happy on stage.
I’m envious that you got to see that tour live.
Hi Damian
I agree that Dylan, on stage in Sydney, in 1986 was still at the peak of his concert performance and was definitely enjoying the experience of the spotlight. I loved that he had a solo section – and wasn’t his performance of It’s Alright Ma (and the audience reaction to ‘even the POTUS sometimes must have to stand naked) just outstanding. I checked back on the set lists between the concert I was at (11 Feb) and the 2 concerts (24 & 25 Feb) used for the Hard To Handle VHS. I’ll Remember You was only performed on the 24th. I’m sorry to see that a solo performance of Dark Eyes on the 25th didn’t get included on the VHS.
Enjoy your week ahead.
Thanks Karl. I love how the POTUS line always get a loud cheer and always seems to be relevant – some 59 years after the song was written.
I have a bootleg from later on in the ’86 tour when they hit America, which also includes all the Tom Petty numbers from those shows. Dylan does some breathtaking covers of Across The Borderline, I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know and Lucky Old Sun. It also contains a rousing version of Positively 4th Street which, I think, opened a few shows. There was also a semi-acoustic segment of the show which was interesting – I think it was just Bob, Tom and the guitarist Mike Campbell.
Thanks to all those who helped push Steve Passfield’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ YouTube views into solid double figures. I had hoped we could do it, and we did!
Hey, Karl
I have always thought that Brendan Gallagher was a hugely neglected talent in Australia. He is world class and this recording proves it! I love that album he produced for Jimmy Little and the stuff he did with Karma County.
Thanks for unearthing the recording!
Cheers
Tony
Cheers Tony.
I suspect that youtube views aren’t a serious measure of an artist of Brendan’s stature – there are plenty of other avenues for listening to & appreciate his songs.