Monday, February 12, 2018

Dylan Cover #312 Joan Osborn "Tangled Up In Blue"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Joan Osborn performing "Tangled Up In Blue" 

This month RtBE will focus on Joan Osborn who released a cover album of Dylan songs last year. We will showcase some from that album but also a few live renditions that Joan performed as she has been singing Dylan tunes for years in various projects. 

Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this track:
Wow. The song that never ends, the tune that might just best sum up Dylan, if that is remotely possible. Dylan constantly toyed with this song (check out the Rolling Thunder and Real Live version's if you haven't yet) and even he knows it can't stay stagnant in one form for long, so covering it is a good bet.  Needless to say it is in the top 5 greatest songs he ever wrote if we were ranking them...hmm. 
Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Joan Osborne has always been a cool artist on the fringe. When we first moved to NYC she was riding as high as she ever would be (on public popularity at least) with Relish. Her hit "One of Us" was massive and she was everywhere at the time. Then RtBE got to see her perform often with version of The Dead and Phil and Friends over the early/mid 2000's. A singer with soul, twang and power, she can do it all and seems happy to still be performing.
  
Thoughts on Cover:
Coming from her album of covers, this one has some rich organ/key work and the production is organic, rich and warm. The bass bubbles along with the drums as well as a bit of pedal steel in the background, but if we are being honest Joan's vocals are average at best. This version does nothing to stand out.

This monthly focus proves that Osborn really loves the live stage and seems to tolerate the studio as a means to an end, even when singing the Bard's tunes.

For more insight into Joan Osborn's choice to cover Dylan was explained in-depth during this interview:

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