Blues, Bob Dylan, Cover versions, folk, Gospel, Jazz, Soul

Nina Simone sings Bob Dylan

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Redirecting to a newer version of this post….

Eunice Kathleen Waymon aka. Nina Simone was the sixth of eight children, she grew up in poverty in Tryon, North Carolina. Her family wished for her was that she should be the world’s finest classical pianist. She did  not get into the schools she wanted and always blamed racism.

Born the sixth child of a preacher’s family in North Carolina, Simone aspired to be a concert pianist. Her musical path changed direction after she was denied a scholarship to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, despite a well-received audition. Simone was later told by someone working at Curtis that she was rejected because she was black. When she began playing in a small club in Philadelphia to fund her continuing musical education and become a classical pianist she was required to sing as well. She was approached for a recording by Bethlehem Records, and her rendering of “I Loves You, Porgy” was a hit in the United States in 1958. Over the length of her career Simone recorded more than 40 albums, mostly between 1958—when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue—and 1974.
– Wikipedia

Simone has dug deep into the american song tradition and it comes as no surprise that she has done several of Bob Dylan’s songs. She is an incredible interpreter of Dylan.

The first song is a contender for best Bob Dylan cover ever done (yes, I am aware of Hendrix’ Watchtower).

The Ballad of Hollis Brown(live,Mickery Theatre, The Netherlands in 1965, see coments…):

Just Like a Woman(April 13, 2000, São Paulo, Brazil):

Just like Tom Thumb’s Blues (audio):

I Shall Be Released (live, Paris, 1968):

The Times They Are A-Changin‘ (audio):

And here is a Spotify list:

– Hallgeir

9 thoughts on “Nina Simone sings Bob Dylan”

  1. hi,
    did she ever do a cover of Dylan’s: you’re gonna make me lonely . ..? i could have sworn i once hear it on the radio and it was her usual splendor but i cannot find it anywhere.

  2. Oops…and now I saw I had already posted a similar comment…well…it can’t be said enough

  4. Thanks for getting my curiosity up to listen to her version of Hollis Brown. I could tell you did not take it lightly putting it on par with Jimi Hendix’ All Along the Watchtower. Beautiful.

  5. Totally agree. I was thinking it was only me that thought Nina’s Ballad of Hollis Brown was worthy of the title the BEST BD cover of all times. It has some much soul, so much power and that look at the camera after “seven people dead” @ 6.16 -Wow.

  6. You put a question mark with The Ballad of Hollis Brown
    I can tell you this was recorded in The Netherlands in 1965
    It was a live tv appearance on Christmas Eve in the Mickery Theatre
    in Loenersloot….It is available on DVD, combined with a performance in London in 1968

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