Original v. Cover: All Along The Watchtower

[Mr. TM]

America was going through a turbulent time in the late 60s and music is the heartbeat of much of it. One song I think back to for its influence at the time was played by two men. The original artist was the extremely influential Bob Dylan. The cover was ...extremely influential Jimi Hendrix. The song of course is All Along The Watchtower, a song that in my mind Hendrix has made one of the greatest songs of all time. I give him the nod here, but I feel that Dylan's version is extremely good and underrated.

Bob Dylan

Jimi Hendrix

 

[X]

I'm going to have to go with Bob Dylan here. I love Hendrix's version, and it's the definition of a great cover. Don't get me wrong, it's a perfect cover. But to be honest I've always simply preferred Dylan to Hendrix, and likely always will.

At the end of the day nobody can sing and play a Dylan song like Dylan himself. All the respect in the world to the great Jimi Hendrix, the song will always belong to Dylan in my mind.

 

[Cowboyfromhell]

I will go with Hendrix. They are both great but I always preferred Jimi's cover.

 

[NSL]

I'm going with Jimi, based on performance of the song alone. Dylan is one of the greatest songwriter's of all-time, but he couldn't sing to save his life, and his skills on the guitar just don't compare to Hendrix's. I can listen to either on repeat, but I won't crank up Dylan's at a party. They both do a great job at conveying the feel of the song, so I have to rely on technical ability, and that goes to Jimi all the way.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

our band actually is doing our own cover of All Along the Watchtower that's a little bit of a combo of both the Dylan and the Hendrix versions. slow... then fast then slow..... Dave Matthews also is doing a cover of this song as well..... personally I think its a tie both artists did a superb job on the song


here's the Dave Matthews cover of All Along the Watchtower

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yam6mrCCvD4