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Thea Gilmore — All Along The Watchtower
Album: John Wesley Harding
Avg rating:
5.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 188









Released: 2011
Length: 3:01
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief,
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."

"No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late."

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the cold distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
Comments (45)add comment
Stop! No! Out! stop this sick cover version!
Posted 10 years ago by gesue    [ Reply ]
No to this version.  It's like very weak coffee.... {#Naughty}  It should be strong and black...

Taj Mahal tears this song up.  He does it justice. 
Posted 10 years ago by shellbella    [ Reply ]
Gotta ask, if we're going to have the downtempo swung version here, how about McCreary's part Middle Eastern/part trippy cover from the BSG soundtrack? Hell, least it's going some interesting counterpoint and taiko's.

And yes, I realize there are quite a few less than fond of that version as well, but it's a thought.
Posted 10 years ago by eeastridge    [ Reply ]
You've got to bring a lot more to the table to carry a cover of this song. this version is weak. 
Posted 10 years ago by Gazraman    [ Reply ]
I love Thea - a great lady. Loved the albums Rules for Jokers and Avalanche with hard hitting lyrics. For background to this track I can only quote Wikipedia:
   "In January 2011, Gilmore appeared at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in a tribute concert celebrating the 70th Birthday of Bob Dylan. She performed versions of "I Pity the Poor Immigrant" and "Masters of War."Subsequently, Gilmore entered the studio with producer and husband Stonier and recorded the entire set of tracks found on Dylan's original release of John Wesley Harding. The album – also titled John Wesley Harding – was released 23 May 2011.
Posted 11 years ago by midnightoil    [ Reply ]
Did she cover the whole album and release it?  Yeah, I think that takes some nards.
Posted 11 years ago by ick    [ Reply ]
If Dylan can steal from Isaiah for his songs, Thomas for his own name and then misname this song, cut her some slack, sez I.
Posted 11 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
 justin4kick wrote:


Brave woman though to cover the cover of all covers.

 
What is it that gives an artist the narcissism to think they could add to the combination of Dylan's original and Hendrix's God-like cover?
Posted 11 years ago by joelbb    [ Reply ]
Not bad.

My favorite cover of this was done by Michael Hedges, though.
Posted 11 years ago by BlueHeronDruid    [ Reply ]
Someone should steal this back. (Music is nice though)
Posted 11 years ago by sajitjacob    [ Reply ]
she did good! different enough to have its own flavour
Posted 11 years ago by philinnz    [ Reply ]
 DeeCee1109 wrote:




Gimme Jimi!

 

Brave woman though to cover the cover of all covers.
Posted 11 years ago by justin4kick    [ Reply ]
bb_matt said it best - others have done MUCH better with that song.
Posted 11 years ago by craighoog    [ Reply ]
Very brave, alas, also very misguided.

The original version - quite frankly awesome.
The Hendrix version - turbo powered super freak awesome.

This version .... best we don't talk about it too much, eh? 
Posted 11 years ago by bb_matt    [ Reply ]
 Somaosteo wrote:
Not good. Ambitious to follow Dylan and Hendrix to say the least.
 
Say what?  A beautiful and personalized interpretation of an interesting song immortalized by Hendrix, but wide open for others to present in their own way..  And easier on the ears than Bob's own original recording. Certainly easier than any rendition that might come from him nowadays.  And I'm huge longtime Dylan fan.
Posted 11 years ago by tkosh    [ Reply ]
"Ambitious to take on a Dylan song" maybe. But, even having grown up with Bob, I prefer hearing intelligible renditions and otherwise more enjoyable remakes—sort of like Hellsongs' versions of thrash/heavy metal hits.
Posted 11 years ago by Carl    [ Reply ]
Upon hearing this for the first time, I was wondering why so many commenters did not like it, since I think this is an interesting version. And then it ended. Without any apparent reason. It just ended. Bummer, since I rather liked the modification of the cadence.
Posted 11 years ago by bam23    [ Reply ]
 Somaosteo wrote:
Not good. Ambitious to follow Dylan and Hendrix to say the least.
 
I agree...  she turns this song into muzak...  (music + Prozac...)
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
Not good. Ambitious to follow Dylan and Hendrix to say the least.
Posted 11 years ago by Somaosteo    [ Reply ]
If Jimi had not done it, it would be OK, its lacks passion, she needs to belt it out more.
Posted 11 years ago by BazH    [ Reply ]
Not for me this one.

Posted 11 years ago by Lichenia,    [ Reply ]
Amazing rendition!  Wow!
Posted 11 years ago by davidfarmerie    [ Reply ]
I prefer for this song to have a sense of menace to it.
Posted 11 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
Musically it's good, sadly the singing is pretty cheesy pie. No amount of looking coquettishly up at the camera will fix that.
Look at me! 
Posted 11 years ago by sajitjacob    [ Reply ]
 rockpommel16 wrote:
 
...i second that...but this is a good cover IMO......nevertheless the dave matthew cover is one of the best......
 



Gimme Jimi!

Posted 11 years ago by DeeCee1109    [ Reply ]
  Hannio wrote:

Jimi still owns this one, I'd say.

  RedGuitar wrote:

I'd have to agree with you on this.
 
...i second that...but this is a good cover IMO......nevertheless the dave matthew cover is one of the best......
Posted 11 years ago by rockpommel16    [ Reply ]
No. If one is to cover a song, one has to do a LOT better than this dirge of an effort. Weak, weak, weak {#Frown}
Posted 11 years ago by hidey    [ Reply ]
...Heard this once before - no idea on who it was until now - better than some of the other covers - IMHO - 8
Posted 12 years ago by drivingunit103    [ Reply ]
Travesty.

Muzak.
Posted 12 years ago by Via    [ Reply ]
as good as any cover of this song and that's saying a lot.

8 for now.
Posted 12 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
This is great, I love it. Accessible and smart. I never give a stuff who sung what and when but I'll take this over Jim's version any day.
Posted 12 years ago by SquiddlyDiddly    [ Reply ]
Different, but respects the original, and the Hendrix cover.  I actually like this one best of all.
Posted 12 years ago by Baby_M    [ Reply ]
 Hannio wrote:

Jimi still owns this one, I'd say.

 
I'd have to agree with you on this.
Posted 12 years ago by RedGuitar    [ Reply ]

Jimi still owns this one, I'd say.


Posted 12 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
No.
Posted 12 years ago by dragonlady    [ Reply ]
Wow!  This one's a great new interpretation.
Posted 12 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Is it just me or is this a cover of the Bear McCreary/Battlestar Galactica Cover? While not quite as exotic (no taiko drums/sitar), it does evoke the same feel as McCreary's more than many of the other covers.
Posted 12 years ago by eeastridge    [ Reply ]
I love Thea, and I love this song, but her cover of it is not working for me.
Posted 12 years ago by QueenLucia    [ Reply ]
I started out not liking this cover but by the time it ended I'd changed my opinion...I'd say it's pretty good.
Posted 12 years ago by jim1964    [ Reply ]
I think this cover is totally unnecessary given the quality of Thea's songwriting, but I still like it.
Posted 12 years ago by TJS    [ Reply ]
Quite a different take, indeed.  Very nice vocals, though.
Posted 12 years ago by anotherlistener    [ Reply ]
Everyone loves to cover this song.....not bad so far...
Posted 12 years ago by sbegf    [ Reply ]
A refreshing twist on an old song.
Posted 12 years ago by TimeWaster    [ Reply ]
Quite a different take. Not bad though.
Posted 12 years ago by beinder    [ Reply ]