All Hail His Bobness: How I Went from Power Chords To Positively 4th Street

Bob Dylan, the name initially sounded like a distant echo in the evolving landscape of my musical preferences. In the mid-80s, fresh out of the ABBA, Boney-M era and immersed in the power-packed sounds of Uriah Heep, Led Zep and Purple, Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" seemed like a gust that barely ruffled my musical feathers. The nasal tones, lack of power chords, and unfamiliar rhythms left me unimpressed.

My conversion to the kingdom of His Bobness began when Eric Clapton, in his reggae-fied rendition of "Knockin' On Heaven’s Door," opened a gateway to a musical realm I hadn't explored. A treasure hunt ensued, leading me to embrace Dylan's early gems while discarding the rare 'plastic' ones with disdain (yes, "Under the Red Sky," I'm looking at you).

As college beckoned, I found myself strolling down "Positively 4th Street," a lonesome hobo captivated by the rollin' stone, stoned on Zimmerman. I became a devout follower, marking May 24 as a sacred day. In the company of fellow believers, we formed a Roots Revival Society and a penthouse band called Bottleneck, serenading "Sara" all night long and offering renditions of "Make You Feel My Love" and "Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Willie" to be "Emotionally Yours."

We rejoiced in the fact that Dylan's allure lies not in vocal perfection but in authenticity for obvious reasons. His impact as a singer is about conveying truth. Listening to Dylan feels like having a conversation with a friend. 

His voice, far from conventional beauty, resonates with a raw, genuine emotion that transcends the need for production values. The first encounters with "Like a Rolling Stone" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" were transformative, showcasing Dylan's profound influence on music.

Dylan's repertoire, from classics like "Blowin' in the Wind" to the biting "Idiot Wind" and the tender "If You See Her, Say Hello," reveals a spectrum of emotions and a diversity that few artists achieve.

His nonchalant attitude towards public opinion adds to his appeal. Dylan doesn't seem to care about conforming to expectations, creating an air of rebellion that aligns with the complex, absurd narratives of his songs.

What keeps me hooked is Dylan's musical journey, spanning genres from folk to rock, country, and blues. His lyrical prowess, constantly evolving style, and unexpected surprises, like a charity Christmas album or DJing a radio show, keep the journey intriguing.

Dylan's integrity shines as he continues to release albums of new material, resisting the temptation to coast on past glory. His refusal to simply rehash old hits with celebrity collaborations speaks to a commitment to artistic authenticity. Sorry, Swifties, Taylor’s Version is not up my alley.

For over three decades now, Bob Dylan has been a constant in my musical landscape, surprising me, challenging me, and providing a soundtrack to life's various chapters. Joining the ranks of Dylan fans isn't just about the music; it's about embracing a storyteller, a soul-touching artist who has left an indelible mark on the last 60 years of music history. So, come discover the magic of His Bobness, if you haven’t already yet.

Rock Music: Original VS Cover Versions

There are many great rock music cover versions, and it often comes down to personal preference. However, here are a few that are widely regarded as some of the best:

1. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
2. "The Man Who Sold the World" by Nirvana (originally by David Bowie)
3. "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix (originally by Bob Dylan)
4. "Imagine" by A Perfect Circle (originally by John Lennon)
5. "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses (originally by Sheryl Crow)
6. "Twist and Shout" by The Who (originally by The Top Notes)
7. "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley (originally by Leonard Cohen)
8. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin (originally by Otis Redding)
9. "With or Without You" by U2 (originally by Boyce Avenue)

These are just a few examples of the many great rock music cover versions out there. There are many more, each with their own unique interpretations and styles.

John Lennon to Jihadi John: ‘Imagine’ the ‘Beatles’ on a horrific beheading spree

In the summer of 1971 when John Lennon, the British iconic musician who co-founded the Beatles, created “Imagine”, it was a call to let go of institutions that keep us, humans, separate - a simple and straight message for peace. Utopian vision?

“Imagine” turned out to be Lennon’s best-selling single of his solo career, with myriad interpretations of the song from various quarters. Some had a problem with the "imagine there's no possessions" line, calling Lennon hypocritical as he was a millionaire rock star living in a mansion, apart from branding him a communist. Although Lennon had said that the lyrics “Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics is virtually the communist manifesto,” he also added that "even though I am not particularly a communist and I do not belong to any movement."

And there were others who believed that the lyrics reveal a total disbelief in faith and God. A remark Lennon once made that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus supposedly added fuel to this interesting thought.

In the book Lennon in America by Geoffrey Giuliano, Lennon was quoted as saying that “Imagine” was an "anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic [song], but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted."

The British rock star was not alone in his anti-war activism of the late 60s and early 70s. There were fellow musicians like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne and many others. Lennon was an outsider in the US but happened to be famous and influential as the others. The US government wanted him gone as he was a symbol of the peace movement and could hurt its Vietnam war efforts by rallying the public. The Woodstock Festival had already done enough damage in 1969.

After years of deportation hearings, Lennon finally received his “green card” and was granted permanent residency status in the US in 1976. However, the co-founder of the “Fab Four” was assassinated outside his apartment in New York in 1980 before he got his US citizenship.

Ironically, performing “Imagine” moments before the New Year's Times Square Ball drops in New York City has become a tradition since 2005.

"Imagine" is simply another in the many songs John Lennon wrote in his lifetime with a strong sugar-coated message to ‘Give Peace a Chance’. The lyrics being: “Imagine there’s no heaven, It’s easy if you try, No hell below us, Above us only sky, Imagine all the people, Living for today… Imagine there’s no countries, It isn’t hard to do, Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too…”

John Lennon would have never imagined that after more than four decades of encouraging the world to dream of a world at peace without the barriers of religion and nationality, a “fanatic four” from the terror group ISIS or Islamic State (whose goal is the foundation of a Sunni Islamic state) would disgrace the iconic “Beatles” tag.

Infamous for their taste for the macabre and said to be unimaginably ruthless than other Islamic State terrorists, these four members were dubbed “The Beatles” by their hostages because of their British accents. The members were nicknamed John, Paul, George, and Ringo, after the iconic Liverpool group by their hostages.

The Beatles were assigned responsibility to guard foreign hostages by Islamic State commanders. According to BuzzFeed, the four ISIS jailers beheaded seven American, British and Japanese hostages, as well as 18 members of the Syrian army. They also had a reputation for waterboarding, mock executions, crucifixions and were known for memorializing their horrific acts in a string of videotaped beheadings. Because of their excessive brutality, at one point they were removed from their guard duties by ISIS.

The jihadist known as "John", usually referred to as "Jihadi John", has beheaded or participated in maximum number of the beheadings. Identified as Mohammed Emwazi, he was killed in a drone strike year year.

Aine Davis nicknamed "Paul", a former London drug dealer, now in custody in Turkey, is also thought to have been a member of the infamous group. He was tried in Turkey in 2016 over allegations that he was plotting a terror attack there.

Another member of the Beatles cell Alexanda Kotey, a 'quiet and humble' Queens Park Rangers fan from west London, was exposed in February. The 32-year-old nicknamed "Ringo", was frequently seen by the hostages. His whereabouts are unknown.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 27, is believed by security forces to be the fourth member and final member of the all-British gang of ISIS fanatics led by Jihadi John. It's not clear whether the former fairground mechanic radicalised in west London is the guard known as "Ringo" or "George," whom the hostages considered the group's leader and the most vicious of the four.

However, former Beatle Ringo Starr expressed his disgust at the use of his former band's name as a nickname for the ISIS terror cell, saying: "It’s bullshit. What they are doing out there is against everything the Beatles stood for," adding that the band had stood for peace and opposed violence.

music from the big yellow

The carved brass loud speaker of a gramophone. 

The radio makes hideous sounds - Bob Dylan

A Reluctant Cover Lover

Being a self-proclaimed purist, it’s only but natural to ‘hate’ cover versions of songs, especially covers of those that figure on my favourite list. There's nothing like the real McCoy and many would agree with me, I believe.

This despise for cover versions intensified after Guns N’ Roses ‘killed’ Bob Dylan’s classic Knockin' on Heaven’s Door, perforating it with aye aye ayes after every verse. Well, the song did hit the charts, but I simply couldn’t get myself to listen to it. The Dylanist in me still laments – It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).  But what hit me hard is the musically ignoramus lot attributing the song to be a creation of Axl Rose & Co.

I cried hoarse over G n’ R’s attempt but do not refute the fact that the band is high on talent. The guys surely rock. They have sold an estimated 100 million albums worldwide. Boom! And in which other rock act can you find the guitarist doing his licks with a cigarette dangling from his mouth? At least, I don’t know of any. It’s ‘Slashing showmanship’ on stage!

Anyway, it’s rare that covers give full justice to their classic versions, if not score better. But, there are few that do so. Here’s a few in random sequence…

For those who came in late, guitar maestro Eric Clapton has also done a cover of His Bobness’ Knockin'  on...and his version with a reggae twist is fresh and groovy and you can’t just help but say, “Aye, aye Clapton!” Not a surprise coming from Him.

The term Southern rock is synonymous with Allman Brothers Band (ABB) and only someone with their kind of musical virtuosity can do justice doing Muddy Waters' classic Hoochie Coochie Man (the song was written by Willie Dixon), sprinkling it with a bit of Southern soul. This one's a winner all the way.

ABB was formed by brothers Duane Allman (slide and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, organ) in Florida in 1969, has been awarded eleven Gold and five Platinum albums between 1971 and 2005. The band’s success paved the way for other Southern rock groups like the Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wet Willie and Molly Hatchet. And Molly hit the right notes with a punchy rendition of ABB’s spacey number Dreams. The band’s version is perfect for a gig.

The cover of Beatles’ Oh Darling! by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones ranks high on my list. The band’s live version of the song with a jazzy twist is simply fantastic! Jimi Hendrix's landmark cover of Dylan's All Along The Watchtower; Manfred Mann's Earth Band’s rock-driven cover of Bruce Springsteen’s folksy Blinded by the Light; Joe Cocker's renditions of Traffic’s Feelin' Alright, Beatles’ Little Help From My Friends, and Dylan’s I Shall Be Released and Just Like a Woman,  are like the colours of the rainbow reflected by a snow-capped mountain crowned by the morning sun.

My list also includes Joan Baez’s beautiful interpretation of Jackson Browne’s Fountain of Sorrow; Phish’s perfectly fueled version of Hendrix’s Fire (Trey is an enlightening improvisionist); jazz empress Ella Fitzgerald’s elegant cover of Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love; Sting’s swaggering version of the jazz classic It Ain't Necessarily So on Joe Henderson’s Porgy & Bess; Manfred Mann's Earth Band’s cover of Dylan’s (again) Father of Night;  and Jeff Healey Band’s (Jeff is a blind blues-rock vocalist and guitarist who attained popularity in the 1980s/90s) blues-on-the-rocks version of Beatles’ While my Guitar Gently Weeps. What’s common with these covers is the soul of the originals being kept alive with a refreshingly fresh feel.

To be continued…

Ode to His Bobness

You stand on the moon
With your guitar in your hand
The 'Pulitzer Gods' hear you singing
And ask, “Who’s that man?”
They try so hard
But they can’t understand
Just how could they too
Make you their muse, dear Dylan