I’m not a big fan of tribute CDs but I had these two on my shelves for years so I figured it was time to listen to them. A Nod to Bob: An Artists’ Tribute to Bob Dylan on His Sixtieth Birthday (2001) is a mixed bag. Familiar Dylan songs rub shoulders with unfamiliar Dylan songs. I liked Liza Gillyson’s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” and “Sweetheart Like You” by Guy Davis. I was much less impressed with Tom Landa & The Paperboys’ version of the classic “All Along the Watchtower.” Compared with the Jimi Hendrix version, it’s a complete dud.
Although these artists obviously love Dylan’s songs, their performances vary widely in quality. Do you have a favorite Dylan song? GRADE: B
Listening to Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors (2000) reminds me why I’m not fond of tribute CDs. The best cover on Stoned Immaculate is Creed’s “Riders on the Storm.” Aerosmith does an adequate job with “Love Me Two Times.” But Train completely misses with “Light My Fire.” That song featured the organ-style keyboard instruments played by Ray Manzarek. Train tries to do “Light My Fire” without the organ. That’s like playing football…without the football! Do you have a favorite song by The Doors? GRADE: C
TRACK LIST:
1Eliza Gilkyson–Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Bass – Randy McCullough*
Drums – Cisco Gilliland
Piano – David Webb (2)
Slide Guitar – Matt Andes
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Eliza Gilkyson
Bass – Randy McCullough*
Drums – Cisco Gilliland
Piano – David Webb (2)
Slide Guitar – Matt Andes
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Eliza Gilkyson3:542Guy Davis (3)–Sweetheart Like You
Accordion – Tom “T-Bone” Wolk*
Bass – Mark Murphy (4)
Drums – Levon Helm
Electric Guitar – John Platania
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Guy Davis (3)
Accordion – Tom “T-Bone” Wolk*
Bass – Mark Murphy (4)
Drums – Levon Helm
Electric Guitar – John Platania
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Guy Davis (3)5:073Suzzy* & Maggie Roche–Clothes Line Saga
Performer – Maggie Roche, Stewart Lerman, Suzzy Roche
Performer – Maggie Roche, Stewart Lerman, Suzzy Roche3:144John Gorka–Girl Of The North Country
Vocals, Guitar [High-Strung] – John Gorka
Vocals, Guitar [High-Strung] – John Gorka3:295Spider John Koerner* & Dave Ray–Delia
Arranged By, Adapted By – John Koerner
Slide Guitar – Dave Ray
Vocals, Twelve-String Guitar – Spider John Koerner*
Written-By – Traditional
Arranged By, Adapted By – John Koerner
Slide Guitar – Dave Ray
Vocals, Twelve-String Guitar – Spider John Koerner*
Written-By – Traditional2:426Cliff Eberhardt–I Want You
Harmony Vocals, Harmonica – Mark Erelli
Vocals, Guitar, Dobro, Bass, Organ, Chimes – Cliff Eberhardt
Harmony Vocals, Harmonica – Mark Erelli
Vocals, Guitar, Dobro, Bass, Organ, Chimes – Cliff Eberhardt5:157Tom Landa* And The Paperboys (3)–All Along The Watchtower
Banjo – Cam Salay
Bass – Tobin Frank
Drums – Todd Johnson (2)
Fiddle – Shannon Saunders (2)
Flute, Whistle – Geoff Kelly*
Guitar [Nylon-String] – Danny Godinez
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Landa*
Banjo – Cam Salay
Bass – Tobin Frank
Drums – Todd Johnson (2)
Fiddle – Shannon Saunders (2)
Flute, Whistle – Geoff Kelly*
Guitar [Nylon-String] – Danny Godinez
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Landa*4:208Hart Rouge–Dieu À Nos Côtés (With God On Our Side)
Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric Guitar – Davy Gallant
Keyboards – Claude Castonguay
Lyrics By [Translation And Adaptation] – Hugues Aufray, Pierre Delanoë
Vocals – Michelle Campagne, Suzanne Campagne
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Paul Campagne
Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric Guitar – Davy Gallant
Keyboards – Claude Castonguay
Lyrics By [Translation And Adaptation] – Hugues Aufray, Pierre Delanoë
Vocals – Michelle Campagne, Suzanne Campagne
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Paul Campagne4:069Martin Simpson–Boots Of Spanish Leather
Bass Guitar [Turner] – Doug Robinson
Cello – Barry Phillips
Vocals, Guitar – Martin Simpson
Bass Guitar [Turner] – Doug Robinson
Cello – Barry Phillips
Vocals, Guitar – Martin Simpson6:2010Norman Blake (2) & Peter Ostroushko–Restless Farewell
Fiddle – Peter Ostroushko
Vocals, Guitar – Norman Blake (2)
Fiddle – Peter Ostroushko
Vocals, Guitar – Norman Blake (2)5:3311Lucy Kaplansky–It Ain´t Me, Babe
Acoustic Guitar – Jon Herington
Vocals – Lucy Kaplansky
Acoustic Guitar – Jon Herington
Vocals – Lucy Kaplansky4:2012Greg Brown (3)–Pledging My Time
Bass – Rick Cicalo
Drums – Steve Hayes (4)
Electric Guitar – Bo Ramsey
Keyboards – David Zollo
Vocals, Guitar – Greg Brown (3)
Bass – Rick Cicalo
Drums – Steve Hayes (4)
Electric Guitar – Bo Ramsey
Keyboards – David Zollo
Vocals, Guitar – Greg Brown (3)3:4013Rosalie Sorrels–Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Bass [Clevinger] – Bill Lyles (2)
Lead Guitar – Ben Burdick
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Rosalie Sorrels
Bass [Clevinger] – Bill Lyles (2)
Lead Guitar – Ben Burdick
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Rosalie Sorrels4:5314Ramblin’ Jack Elliott–Intro To Don´t Think Twice, It´s All Right
Voice – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Voice – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott1:4815Ramblin’ Jack Elliott–Don´t Think Twice, It´s All Right
Vocals, Guitar – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Vocals, Guitar – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott4:07
TRACK LIST:
| Stone Temple Pilots– | Break On Through | 3:46 | |
| Creed (3)– | Riders On The Storm | 6:18 | |
| Train (2)– | Light My Fire | 3:43 | |
| Smash Mouth– | Peace Frog | 3:02 | |
| Days Of The New– | L.A. Woman | 3:47 | |
| Aerosmith– | Love Me Two Times | 3:20 | |
| The Doors– | Under Waterfall | 3:12 | |
| The Cult– | Wild Child | 3:22 | |
| Jim Morrison– | Roadhouse Rap | 1:03 | |
| John Lee Hooker & Jim Morrison– | Roadhouse Blues | 5:34 | |
| William S. Burroughs– | Is Everybody In? | 2:43 | |
| Oleander– | Hello I Love You | 2:36 | |
| Ian Astbury– | Touch Me | 4:38 | |
| Perry Farrell & Exene*– | Children Of Night | 3:02 | |
| Bo Diddley– | Love Her Madly | 4:54 | |
| The Doors– | The Cosmic Movie | 3:03 | |
| Days Of The New– | The End | 13:32 |
When it comes to Dylan covers, of course Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” stands head and shoulders above the rest, but I really like R. L. Burnside’s blues interpretation of “Everything Is Broken”. My favorite Doors song is “Riders on the Storm”—simultaneously spooky and serene. As for doing “Light My Fire” without the organ, I think Jose Feliciano’s organ-less version is great, but opinions vary…mightily.
Deb, it might not be a mighty opinion, but I’m not a fan of Jose Feliciano’s organ-less version of “Light My Fire.” I don’t hate it, but it just doesn’t have the energy of The Door original. Too languid for my taste. I’m with you on “Riders on the Storm”: spooky and serene at the same time. We all have to beware the Killer on the Road!
William S. Burroughs?
My wife and I saw Dylan in Grand Rapids, MI, in 2006, with friends. She isn’t a fan.
It’s odd to think that the Doors music is 50+ years old. The truncated single of “Light My Fire” came out the summer before my senior year in high school, “Riders on the Storm” the summer before my senior year in college.
Fred, my first rock concert was seeing Bob Dylan (and what would become The Band) in Buffalo in 1965. I never saw The Doors but I bought their albums with money I earned from mowing lawns. I was saddened by Jim Morrison’s death in 1971.
Fred, my wife agrees with your wife. We saw Dylan in 1999 with Paul Simon, and it was interesting seeing each do a couple of the others’ songs. Can’t remember which ones at this time, but it was OK, not great.
Dylan:
Blowin’ in the Wind
A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Like a Rolling Stone
It’s Alright Ma (I’m ONly Bleeding)
The Doors:
Light My Fire
Break on Through (To the Other Side)
Riders on the Storm
Roadhouse Blues
I’ll be curious to see your review of Lucinda Williams’s BOB’S BACK PAGES.
Jeff, I have Lucinda’s BOB’S BACK PAGES on order. I plan to review it as soon as I listen to it.
There’s WAY too much information on the Dylan track list, so I just skipped it. I loved Dylan right from the start. Hard to pick favorites, but I’ll take LIKE A ROLLING STONE, POSITIVELY FOURTH STREET, and DON’T THINK TWICE, IT’S ALRIGHT.
I was never wild about The Doors, but I liked some of their best stuff like RIDERS ON THE STORM and, especially, THE END.
Michael, you and I agree on those best Dylan songs. I bought THE DOORS in January 1967 and promptly wore the grooves out playing it so much. The album features the extended version of the hit single “Light My Fire” and the lengthy closer “The End” with its Oedipal spoken word section. “Light My Fire” was issued as an edited single on April 24, 1967. It spent three weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (in July 29, August 5 and August 12, 1967). I, of course, prefer the unedited full-length version of “Light My Fire.”
And of course, Ed Sullivan insisted they change “you know we couldn’t get no higher” on his show, but Morrison did it his way anyway. Unlike, that is, the Rolling Stones, who caved and sang “Let;s spend SOME TIME together” rather than “Let’s spend the night together.”
Fred and Jeff, I’m with your wives.
I can’t stand the Doors.
Beth, I’m a fan of “Light My Fire” and “Riders On the Storm”…and little else of The Doors’ music.
Neither my favorites. Morrison and Dylan’s self-indulgent tendencies (among others) grind my nerves. But the covers by many improve on Dylan…I wonder if Terre Roche didn’t participate due to Dylan’s bad attitude.
Favorite Dylan song performed by Dylan & Co.: “Subterranean Homesick Blues” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0
Favorite, more or less, Doors song: “Light My Fire”, particularly live…
Todd, thanks for the links!
Todd, you might be right about Dylan’s bad attitude.
Best MOR version? Julie London:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ2rW2_4vTw
Todd, I love Julie London but YUMY YUMY YUMY with the flute heavy verison of “Light My Fire” is a huge miss!
In the second half of the 60s my friends would play the Stones and the Beatles and look at me strangely when I played the Doors or Dylan …
Seems I was a real hippy – and still am at 80 Years?
Too difficult to decide for me which my favourites are – I like all of them songs!
A bit OT:
Yesterday it was in the English Guardian that Robbie Robertson has died and a lot of links to the music of The BAND.
Wolf, I loved Robbie Robertson and The Band. Another sad loss…