The five best Bob Dylan covers by Joan Baez
A voice of the people during the folk-infused 1960s, Joan Baez held something of an other-worldly talent. Her voice, which seemed to descend from anywhere other than planet Earth, along with her penchant for crafting heartfelt lyrics, helped her solidify her place as one of the most influential voices of her time.
Two paramount figures of the counterculture era, Baez and Bob Dylan forged a partnership rooted in both sentiment and artistry. Unfortunately, however, the former is often an overlooked figure in the realm of musical luminaries, eternally overshadowed by her former folk peer despite contributing to the genre with equal parts credibility.
In truth, Baez came to define the entire genre and movement with her sultry renditions of both unknown and famous tracks. Her delivery of ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright’, along with a series of ethereal original compositions, became a poignant cornerstone to folk sensibility and as influential in contemporary music as her male counterpart.
Weaving herself into the complex fabric of American culture, Baez effectively bridged the gap between folk and mainstream, showcasing her aptitude for poetic lyricism and dynamic soundscapes through glistening wistfulness and nostalgia. Before they parted ways, Baez and Dylan were a force to be reckoned with. “I was so lucky to know this guy and hear those songs and have those songs,” Baez recalled, despite their initial parting causing a lasting rift between the singers.
However, whenever their music crossed over, whether in collaborations or covers, magic was bound to happen. Baez’s distinctive voice is well-suited to the poeticism of Dylan, making her covers rife with depth and meaning. Having covered his tunes many times, it’s challenging to narrow the best ones down.
Nonetheless, strictly speaking to talent, atmosphere, and listening experience alone, let’s look at Baez’s five most hauntingly beautiful Dylan covers.
Joan Baez’s five best Bob Dylan covers:
‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright’
“She had that heart-stopping soprano voice, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind,” Dylan once said. “Her range of songs was very unusual for that time, just the combination of all the things she did which were put together in such a miraculous way,” he added.
Baez’s ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright’ has often been hailed as possessing more warmth and emotion than the original, and it’s easy to see why. This version, with its more obvious folk roots and Baez’s heartfelt vocals, sends the listener on a much-welcomed, nostalgic journey in a way that Dylan’s version lacks. Although the original track is gorgeous in its own right, Baez’s comes complete with feeling, slowed down just ever so slightly to increase its poignancy.
‘It Ain’t Me Babe’
Few artists can cast you to another place and time. Baez has often been deemed one of the best voices in music history, and this song, in particular, will surely send you to the stars.
The song revolves around themes of disillusionment, independence, and the rejection of romantic expectations. Its lyrics serve as a rejection or a refusal to conform to societal norms or romantic entanglements. Dylan’s narrative voice in the song distances himself from the role of a lover or a saviour, asserting that he is not the person his partner seeks or idealises.
‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ has been covered dozens of times, but Baez’s version is filled with the singer’s signature allure, adding a level of sentimentality that no one else would be able to match. Baez’s rendition of the track first appeared on her album Joan Baez/5, after the pair sang a duet of the song at the Newport Folk Festival.
‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’
In true Dylan fashion, the muse central to his track ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ has been long speculated about. With some suspecting the “baby blue” in question is in fact Baez, the original version of the song is considerably unique in terms of Dylan’s approach to recording it. Unlike other songs on his album Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan wanted to record ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ before he became too familiar with it.
Baez then transformed the song into something else entirely for her 1965 album Farewell, Angelina. Despite utilising her trademark falsetto vocalisation, she maintains the power of the song’s lyrics and delivers a cover full of endearing introspection.
‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’
When Baez crafted Farwell, Angelina in 1965, the details of her relationship with Dylan were uncertain. Although the pair ultimately went their separate ways, allegedly due to Dylan’s skyrocket to stardom, Baez continued to deliver the grace, charm, and dignity of a seasoned folk professional.
‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ is sung as sweetly as you might imagine, with Baez adding a new layer of sentimentality to the lines: “I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains / I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways / I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests / I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans.”
‘Daddy, You Been On My Mind’
‘Mama, You Been On My Mind’ was first written by Dylan in 1964 during a European trip. However, his version remained unreleased until 1991, after which two live versions, including Baez, surfaced.
Another notable moment within Farewell, Angelina, Baez’s version, aptly titled ‘Daddy, You Been On My Mind’, feels and sounds nicer in almost every way. While Dylan’s lyrics are touching, Baez’s vocals make the song a more enjoyable listen, as her sultry tone delivers the evocative words: “Perhaps it is the colour of the sun cut flat / And covering the crossroads I’m standing at / Or maybe it’s the weather or something like that / But daddy, you been on my mind.”
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