Hi - BBC Music have started a poll for the greatest cover version ever. There are 50 tracks to choose from, including 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall' by one Bryan Ferry!

Head to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/article ... -favourite

to vote for Bryan, or somebody else!!!

Hipsters,
As you would expect, Windswept did the right thing but he has to be honest, our hero is up against some tough competition and perhaps not with his strongest interpretation.
With the support of the haunters of this hallowed cyber hall he might win through.
Together brothers & sisters!
a bien tôt,
W

For once I must disagree with Monsieur Windswept. A Hard Rain is perhaps his greatest cover version and from These Foolish Things to Johnny and Mary there have been many to choose from. It is brilliant, fresh, wonderfully campy and unique. It gets my vote and I would be interested to know what else Bryan has done might compare - Let's Stick Together?, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes?

Of course the great Windswept is correct to say that the competition is strong. Aretha's Respect must be one of the favourites, although I must confess to my shame that I had no idea A Good Year for the Roses was a cover. I thought Elvis Costello's version of Shipbuilding might be in there.

[quote="jesmond"]For once I must disagree with Monsieur Windswept. A Hard Rain is perhaps his greatest cover version

Cher Jesmond,
Windswept would never decry anybody with the taste to enthuse about 'Hard Rain'. It is a fabulous track and the live version with TBFO was yet another landmark.
The stark truth is that Windswept's favourite interpretation (he refuses to call our hero's renditions covers) changes almost daily.
As things stand at the moment of writing, his absolute favourite is 'Carrickfurgus' albeit, he's not sure that a rendition of a traditional meets the criteria of the ballot.
Failing that it would have to be 'Gates Of Eden'. That song is just so haunting and the harmonica just shivers his timbers.
But hell, they are all great. The only one I think he fluffed a little was 'You Go To My Head'. It's a great song and I'd love him to have another go at it.
a bien tôt,
W

'A Hard Rain' is really an interpretation as Monsieur Windswept puts it. Ferry changed the original honesty of the words into a mocking irony. Instead of a three-four he used a four-four beat. Dylan only played guitar, Ferry created an orchestral background with staccato strings. BF also changed the guitar friendly e major into a fresher sounding e-flat major. The only thing remaining was the great lyrics of this song - maybe one of the best ever written IPMNSHO. So this song is surely one of the most remarkable 'cover versions' in the history of pop music. BTW: I love 'Carrickfergus', too and 'What Goes On' is one of my personal Ferry favorites. Does anybody here except from myself appreciate 'Song For The Siren' and 'No Face, No Name, No Number'?

Song to the Siren is a magnificent cover version, as are his two late Dylan interpretations with It's All Over Now revved up for 'Frantic" and then five years later "Positively Fourth Street" slowed down to a blunt, regretful ache.
BF is one of the great interpreters of other people's songs. The only time he has misfired were some of the numbers he chose for "Taxi" which might go down as his weakest album. Otherwise, he has a masterful record.

Mes Amis,
Windswept agrees completely with pianoman regarding 'No Face, No Name, No Number'. It's a fabulous rendition of a great song.
He likes 'Song To The Siren' but thinks it falls slightly short of greatness.He finds it a little overproduced and thinks it was in the oven a little too long.
Regarding 'Positively Fourth Street', Jesmond (great handle) is correct. It is a masterful interpretation. I'm sure Bob was delighted!
So much to choose from. I suppose that's why it's impossible to od on Ferry.
On a more general point, Windswept is becoming completely obsessed with our hero's harp playing. To Windswept's ear, he sounds way better than many of his peers when it comes to his pocket rocket. Would any you hipsters out there concur or dispute?
Salutations a tous.
W.

I thought Elvis Costello wrote "Shipbuilding" and Robert Wyatt's was the cover version? It was a stunning, haunting rendition, still gives me goosebumps.

BF came 27th out of 50:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4ybj81pWlfzqTSJfRh1x4K7/bbc-music-asked-you-to-vote-for-your-favourite-cover-versions-ever-now-here-are-the-results

Not at all bad for a cover that itself is 41 years old.

My favourite bf covers: hard rains and the in crowd. Rather liked watchtower and knockin' on heaven's door too. Over the years he's done quite a few rather good ones IRSNSHO. I wonder what he could make of Anarchy in the UK? Perhaps not his typical lyric. Only joking (though I love the song...it's not quite "him")
But Hurt would have been a great one, if it weren't for the fact that no one can follow Cash's version.