The singer Bob Dylan labelled “the greatest”
While Bob Dylan is often held up as the pinnacle of songwriting and one of the finest musicians the world has ever known, the same can’t be said for his singing. As the years rolled on, his voice seemed to change dramatically with each era, falling further into mumbling gruffness and away from the folk twang he first broke out with. He seems to be aware of it, as he said in 2015, “Critics say I can’t sing. I croak. Sound like a frog.” So, instead, he bestowed the title of the “greatest” singer onto someone else.
David Bowie once described Dylan’s voice as like “sand and glue,” grating against his words. But that hasn’t stopped him from enduring as one of the most respected and beloved artists ever. Maybe it’s even part of why his songs are so extensively covered, as hoards of other artists have tried performing them, arguably to much prettier effect.
Even right back at the start of his career, Dylan’s songs seemed to quickly be treated as folk standards which other musicians would perform at their live sets. At Woodstock alone, four artists sang his songs during their own sets, making sure that his music was present at the festival even if he wasn’t.
Amongst them, there was Joe Cocker – a man with a voice that Dylan greatly admired. During his set at the festival, Cocker played not one, not two, but three covers of the artist’s work during his set between 2pm and 3.45pm on Sunday, August 17th. First, it was ‘Dear Landlord’, then ‘Just Like A Woman’ and finally, his own version of ‘I Shall Be Released’. He gave a fair amount of his setlist to Dylan’s words, but as Cocker was one of his favourite artists, he didn’t mind him borrowing them at all.
When asked for a list of his favourite singers, Cocker was first in the ranks, along with a strong cast of others. “Oh, let me see, Joe Cocker,” he began, then added, “Graham Nash can sing. Van Morrison’s fantastic and so is Stevie Wonder.” However, he returned to the first as he declared, “But of all of them, Joe’s the greatest.”
Cocker’s origins are a far cry from Dylan’s. While he was born in America, weaving complex lies about exactly where he came from as he made myths of his own youth, Cocker was born in Sheffield, in the rainy north of England. Far from the folk and country roots of the American South, it was Cocker’s incredible voice alone that picked him out and shot him to stardom. His 1969 debut, with his cover of The Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’, earned him near-instant fame, and only a few months later, he was booked and playing Woodstock. It’s unknown when Dylan first discovered Cocker or whether it was actually his covers that caught the songwriter’s attention, but the British-born singer joined the ranks of his favourite artists.
To be deemed the “greatest” by Bob Dylan is no small feat, but Cocker’s talent is no small thing, so it’s perfectly fitting.
Never Miss A Tale
The Far Out Bob Dylan Newsletter
All the latest stories about Bob Dylan from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.