Bob Dylan playing bass in a recording studio, 1965
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Music: Essential Tracks
Five Bob Dylan songs you need to re-hear
BRAD WHEELER
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published
Last updated
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In honour of Amnesty International’s 50th birthday, about 80 artists – from the world’s oldest teenager (Miley Cyrus, 19) to a forever young folk icon (Pete Seeger, 92) – blow out the candles with tunes. Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan, streaming here, covers the canon of the songwriting master in 75 ways, including the following cuts.
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Lay, Lady, Lay
Angélique Kidjo
“Whatever colours you have in your mind, I’ll show them to you and you’ll see them shine.” The heavenly African singer named Angelique comforts gently, her brass bed a place of recuperation. Streaming here
Angelique Kidjo— Alexei Hay
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Just Like a Woman
Carly Simon
She probably thought the song was about her? Carly Simon, her voice in a rough and low register, goes all piano-jazzy on the classic from 1966’s Blonde on Blonde, with mixed results. Streaming here
Carly Simon— AP
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License to Kill
Elvis Costello
Deftly incorporating slight strains of reggae and dub, Elvis Costello soulfully reimagines Dylan’s thoughts on the hubris of man, from 1984’s Infidels. Live version streaming here
Elvis Costello— Reuters
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Girl from the North Country
Sting
Is that an attempt at a “north country” accent from Sting? It’s weird, whatever it is. A finely finger-picked version of the English-styled ballad is marred by pretentious singing – no surprise, considering the source. Streaming here
Sting performs with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Seven Mercurio, on the opening night of the Symphonicity world tour in Vancouver, June 2, 2010.— The Globe and Mail
