The Mighty Diamonds — I Shall Be Released
Album: Blowin' In The Wind: A Reggae Tribute to Bob DylanAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1281
Length: 3:53
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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They say ev'rything can be replaced
Yet ev'ry distance is not near
So I remember ev'ry face
Of ev'ry man who put me here
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
They say ev'ry man needs protection
They say ev'ry man must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd
Is a man who swears he's not to blame
All day long I hear him shout so loud
Crying out that he was framed
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
Yet ev'ry distance is not near
So I remember ev'ry face
Of ev'ry man who put me here
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
They say ev'ry man needs protection
They say ev'ry man must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd
Is a man who swears he's not to blame
All day long I hear him shout so loud
Crying out that he was framed
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released
Comments (41)add comment
I have no need to hear a Dylan cover or any other cover for that matter. Dylan is full of himself already anyway
For gods sake, stop the covers!
All the talk of style, influence, etc completely misses the point. When you listen to reggae, you really have to listen to the lyrics. So much anger and resentment (entirely justified)! At the treatment people received from the British (and us?)
Dragonfly_Launch wrote:
🙋
What kind of human gives this a 1?
🙋
Near the bottom of the list of Dylan covers.
I can't help but sing.
Massive no!!!
Let's never, ever go there..
Let's never, ever go there..
and just when i think this song can't get any worse....BLAM!
Next level shit here
Next level shit here
no just no to this
kcar wrote:
Yes. The original and the version by The Band capture the loneliness and strained serenity of the lyrics. This version might be something you'd hear in the afternoon at a beach bar.
Agree completely!
Yes. The original and the version by The Band capture the loneliness and strained serenity of the lyrics. This version might be something you'd hear in the afternoon at a beach bar.
Agree completely!
Grammarcop wrote:
Yes. The original and the version by The Band capture the loneliness and strained serenity of the lyrics. This version might be something you'd hear in the afternoon at a beach bar.
I think the problem is it's just too dispassionate. This is a song about a man in prison who is longing for his release. He's to the point where it doesn't matter to him if he walks through the gates or is taken by death. And yet the character in this song still clings to hope. Hope is the only thing keeping him alive.
Without that passion - those conflicting emotions of hope and agony - this cover falls flat.
Yes. The original and the version by The Band capture the loneliness and strained serenity of the lyrics. This version might be something you'd hear in the afternoon at a beach bar.
This song is perfect for Reggae-fication! You can't live in the Notting Hill of the 70s/80s and not love Reggae!
bozobilusic wrote:
Maybe not the only one, but that's why so many do his stuff or Niel Young's. The voice, at least, will probably be better. ;)
This is not the best Dylan cover I've heard, but just like any other, it's better than the original. His work is admirable, but for me, he's the only artist whose songs sound better when covered
Maybe not the only one, but that's why so many do his stuff or Niel Young's. The voice, at least, will probably be better. ;)
You might like to check out this version of 'I Shall Be Released' done by The Tom Robinson Band. It was the B-side of their first single '2-4-6-8 Motorway' in 1977.
At least he sang it like he meant it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
At least he sang it like he meant it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
How many reggae versions of this song are there, anyway?
love it. great tune, marvelously covered.
I think the problem is it's just too dispassionate. This is a song about a man in prison who is longing for his release. He's to the point where it doesn't matter to him if he walks through the gates or is taken by death. And yet the character in this song still clings to hope. Hope is the only thing keeping him alive.
Without that passion - those conflicting emotions of hope and agony - this cover falls flat.
Without that passion - those conflicting emotions of hope and agony - this cover falls flat.
Dragonfly_Launch wrote:
I might.
It's a frickin' abomination!
Taking Zimmerman's ode to gospel & imposing a reggae beat is a kluge at best.
What kind of human gives this a 1?
I might.
It's a frickin' abomination!
Taking Zimmerman's ode to gospel & imposing a reggae beat is a kluge at best.
sorry, but this is blasphemous!
Yo, how is the prison time man?
- Any day now, any day now I shall be released.
- Any day now, any day now I shall be released.
A travesty, typical reggae rubbish. Just take any good song, add the ska beat and ruin it
This is not the best Dylan cover I've heard, but just like any other, it's better than the original. His work is admirable, but for me, he's the only artist whose songs sound better when covered
SomeKindOstrich wrote:
Not so kind of an ostrich then are you!
sorry, but reggeae, no matter the language, it's automatic 1 rating
Not so kind of an ostrich then are you!
sorry, but reggeae, no matter the language, it's automatic 1 rating
Jahsticky wrote:
jlind wrote:
I don't know, I really don't like regaee, and from the ratings on these songs it doesn't seem like anyone else does... I just don't understand what you have to play it Bill... This station would be perfect if you didn't.
Actually, the fact that they mix in reggae like they do is what makes them perfect! IMHO
I like this one
What kind of human gives this a 1?
I Shall Be Released
Last Waltz version is righteous : )
Last Waltz version is righteous : )
Jahsticky wrote:
Actually, the fact that they mix in reggae like they do is what makes them perfect! IMHO
I like the reggae mixed in as well- could go for some Jimmy Cliff now, "Wonderful World Beautiful People," "Rebel," or "The harder they come."
No need to hit the mute button. It's to excape misery like this that God created the Review Channel!
Detlaps wrote:
Such an awful cover. I hate it when I'm compelled to hit "mute."
Such an awful cover. I hate it when I'm compelled to hit "mute."
Try Nina Simone's version. Now that rocks!!!
jlind wrote:
I don't know, I really don't like regaee, and from the ratings on these songs it doesn't seem like anyone else does... I just don't understand what you have to play it Bill... This station would be perfect if you didn't.
Actually, the fact that they mix in reggae like they do is what makes them perfect! IMHO
I don\'t know, I really don\'t like regaee, and from the ratings on these songs it doesn\'t seem like anyone else does... I just don\'t understand what you have to play it Bill... This station would be perfect if you didn\'t.
Bill, would you play one of their originals sometime? The covers are pretty tiresome. At least this wasn\'t their execrable cover of \'A Touch of Gray\'!
I LOOOOVE the Mighty Diamonds -- haven\'t heard them in years. Thanks Bill! You TOTALLY made my day.
Originally Posted by richard_m:
This one's interesting, but Chrissie Hynde's version at the Thirty Year Dylan celebration is the one that stands out for me. She absolutely nailed the tune, and made the song hers personally. Thank the heavens for recording equipment.
while i also like Ms. Hynde's version, i enjoy this groove a bit more. thanks playing this RP, i wouldn't have known about it otherwise.
This one's interesting, but Chrissie Hynde's version at the Thirty Year Dylan celebration is the one that stands out for me. She absolutely nailed the tune, and made the song hers personally. Thank the heavens for recording equipment.
This guy sings out of tune...
Near the bottom of the list of Dylan covers.
Better than any of Bob's originals though.