Nobody can really perform Bob Dylan’s music quite like Bob Dylan can. But, considering his aversion to performing his older hits, it’s been up to other artists to bring his older works back to life. Many of those artists have been Dylan’s contemporaries. And perhaps no one is closer of a contemporary than the incomparable Joan Baez, who has covered Bob Dylan’s music on more than one occasion. Let’s take a look at a few Dylan covers by Baez that come close to being better than the originals!
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“Daddy, You Been On My Mind”
“Mama, You Been On My Mind” was famously written by Bob Dylan in 1964 but wasn’t officially released until 1991. And before the song finally made it to the masses, another version of the tune sung by Joan Baez had already been released.
This standout cover, retitled “Daddy, You Been On My Mind”, was released on Baez’s 1965 album Farewell, Angelina. It is quite an achievement. Dylan’s lyrics are incredible, but Baez’s voice is so unbelievably well-suited for this kind of work. The song has since been covered by everyone from Johnny Cash to Judy Collins to Linda Ronstadt, but you just can’t beat Baez’s version.
“Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”
If you compare Joan Baez’s version of this song to Bob Dylan’s original, a few things stand out. Baez’s version has a bit more emotion and a depth to it that leans more toward traditional folk than Dylan. That doesn’t mean we’re dunking on Dylan here, of course. He was the kind of artist who stepped over genre boundaries and was constantly evolving, even if he was met with resistance. But Baez’s version of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is a gorgeous achievement, and one of the finest cover songs of its time.
“It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”
It’s interesting that Joan Baez covered this Bob Dylan classic, considering so many people believe that it was actually written about her. That’s never been proven, of course. But her version of “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” is still quite beautiful. Her version features her gorgeous soprano voice that honestly makes the song even more magical. It’s thoughtful, quite like the original version.
Photo by MALI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
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