Recently I was listening to a Bob Dylan cover by a really great artist and was disappointed to realize it left me cold. And it occurred to me that that one of the keys to a great Dylan cover is that the singer not be technically fantastic.
They don’t have to be as unconventional as Dylan—an underrated singer, actually, but not one with universal appeal—but that having an unusual voice is perhaps not only a bonus but in fact necessary for it to be great.
I'm thinking of, obviously, Jimi Hendrix and "All Along the Watchtower" or Bruce Springsteen's cover of "I Want You" or the Drive-By Truckers joyful "Like a Rolling Stone" or U2's "All Along the Watchtower" or Dave Matthews' "All Along the Watchtower" or, frankly, Bob Dylan's cover of Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along the Watchtower."
(I'm sensing a pattern here.)
This isn't to say great artists can't do fine versions. I mean, The Staple Singers. Stevie Wonder. The Byrds. Adele. Bryan Ferry. Rod Stewart. Van Morrison. I would perhaps stipulate that in addition to being outstanding singers, they all have an abundance of character.
But, still. To my mind, the majority of the best covers are by singers who don't come close to approaching the vocal prowess or purity of, say, Mariah Carey.
And then this hit. And I’m proven, once again, totally wrong. Because absolutely everything about this is spectacular, from the very first bits of guitar picking to where her impossibly gorgeous vocals enter. And yet she manages to convey the essence of the lyrics without ever lapsing into style over substance.
