Dylan Cover #576 Los Lobos "Billy 1"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artist is Los Lobos covering "Billy 1"  

All April (and the first week of May) RtBE focuses our Monday Dylan Cover Series on artists who are playing this years New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Today is Los Lobos who play the festival Sunday April 30th

Thoughts on Original:
On one of the strangest albums of Bob's career sits "Billy 1". Having never done a score for a movie, Dylan mixed forgettable background music with some strong originals for Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. A few of those originals have blown past the album in status (see "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"). "Billy 1" never could escape the albums weird fate though. Not very well known, yet is it that much different than Bob's work a few years later on say Desire?!? Well maybe, anyway, it is a neat little tune. According to Dylan's site, he has only played it once live..so it is ripe for interpretation. 

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Los Lobos are one of the great all time acts and after seeing them last December live for the first time, we are excited to have an opportunity to check them out again on Sunday the 30th down in New Orleans. 

Thoughts on Cover:

The group amps up their Tex-Mex sound with Mexican instrumentation while digging into the southwestern tale. A tailor made cover from one of the great American bands cover a great American artist with Mexican flair. While I stated earlier this song is ripe for covering, Los Lobos may have made the definitive version right here.