Monday, October 22, 2012

Dylan Cover #59 Mike Ness "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Mike Ness playing "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"

Thoughts on Dylan Original:
Yet another one of the mega-Dylan tunes that we haven't covered someone else covering on this site (got that covered?).  Hard to believe because this song is so iconic and flat out awesome.  Biting and yet not bitter, a toss off of the grandest proportions, "Don' Think Twice" is epic and yet so straight forwardly simple.  It easily ranks as one of the bard's best works, truly a classic.     
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Ahh Mike Ness, the man all punk rockers want to be (or be with) by the time they turn 24 or so...Having had a great career in the seminal punk rock band Social Distortion, which still plays to this day Ness got to grow up a bit when he put out his first solo record Cheating At Solitaire.  That disk showcased Ness's love of country/roots music and opened him up for a career beyond the mosh pit.     
Thoughts on Cover:
This cover was the second song off that record and is a great version of the classic tune.  Odds are Mike heard this one via Johnny Cash's classic cover version, but any-which-way he does the original justice. The sped up almost rock-a-billy tempo adds to the urgency while Ness's vocals are tough and raspy, not too much different then Dylan himself on that front. Adding a hickory flavored guitar solo to the proceedings feels effortless and keeps things humming along.  Rock solid in every aspect, different from the original and still authentic to both artists.

Grade: A-     
 

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