All Along the Watchtower

Hey, thanks! I forgot about that. I do have a version by the Indigo Girls. I added it to the list.

There’s a version floating around by a new guy named John Mayer. He’s very DMB-like, but after further listening I’ve developed a taste for his music.

Also, DMB performed it many times at their concerts. (Note: DMB allows taping of almost all their concerts, so you’ll likely find it either online or through trading networks, such as etree.org.)

just to let you know – john mayer isn’t exactly new. he has two albums out already and has been a big hit underground for quite awhile. the songs on the first album are the best – less produced. 🙂

If you’re in the UK, you should try to catch The Hamsters, one of the most prolific bands over here (that you’ve probably never heard of, though they tour solidly for about 2/3rds of every year): they do some cracking Hendrix covers and my ears are still ringing from tonight’s performance of All Along the Watchtower. I think the recording is available on “Electric Hamsterland” which you can get at their website http://www.thehamsters.co.uk.

I have about 120 different versions of the song. Once I compile a list, I’ll put it up on my website

I’ve been touched by this song ever since the first time i heard it, but the version by Howie Day has got to be one of the best his guitar control and voice is unlike any others, the Dave Matthews Band did a great cover at Woodstock 99′ that damn near blew the roof off there…anyways im glad to see theres a site for thes great song..and if you havent heard Howie Days version…definately check it out…

I just saw Richie Havens tonight in Tucson. He performed a really powerful version of Watchtower, and he’s recorded it at least a couple of times including on “Live at the Cellar Door” and “Richie Havens Sings Dylan and Beatles.”

I am from Belgium and I am also a fan of this song. Since 2001, I have collected about 300 versions. I have not included all the bootlegs of Dylan, Dave Matthews, U2 or Neil Young but only those played with a guest star. I try to get the original record when it’s possible but some covers are republications and 3 or 4 are copies on CDR (the owner don’t sell his mega rare LPs…). I have also included about 40 MP3 that don’t exist on LP or CD . I also collect the videos (actually 33). I have got some strange covers in dutch, german, greek or italian. Others by Swedish punk band, Barbade ska singer, South Africaan psyche prog combo or included in a christian meddley!
All these covers are listed in an Excel file (with some notations in french) that I can transmit you. Of course, I don’t sell but I can tell you where I have found the versions. A very interesting site is http://www.bjorner.com/songsa.htm#_All_Along_The where you can find a big list of covers in which 60 are missing me !

I have no idea what the lyrics mean but i do know that DMB performed it on their album Live at Folsom Field.

I love that song!

richie havens does an awesome cover of all along the watchtower check it out

Check out the version done by XTC . . . not just another cover version. Very original

Dave Mason (Traffic) has a very good version of All along the Watchtower.
The Hendrix version is my #1 rock song
of all time. Ive been to 3 Richie Havens concerts in the last 5 years and
before singing this song he implies that he wrote the lyrics on a napkin and that
Dylan walked off with them. Anyone else heard this ?

Dave Matthews has created a monster in his version of All Along the Watchtower. Starting it so slowly, and by the end he’s screaming into the microphone! He’s taken an already great song and made it his own.

I just recently saw Richie Havens in concert and he also insinuated that the song was an old folk song passed to him and he passed it to Dylan. I searched the web for something to confirm this but could not find it.

Who originally performed the song “All Along The Watchtower?

Kerri

The South African band is Third Eye (not Third Ear…)
I said in July 2003 that I had about 300 covers of this song. Today I have 370…

I know that Dave Mason also did a cover of “All along the watchtower” I recently saw him in concert and it was great. He is the former singer of the group traffic.

Dave Mason did a good version on his 1974 self-titled album. Neil Young with Chrissie Hynde on his Road Rock 6 CD is good too. But after Hendrix, of course, I think the next best I heard is Dave Matthews. The song has been one of my favorites for 37 years. Man, I’m old.

lenny cravitz and eric clapton did a version of “all along the watchtower” and its one of my favorite versions and i have about 12 versions of it

Lenny Kravitz and Eric Clapton’s version is from a big VH1 patriotic concert a couple of years ago; Michael Hedges’ live version is great – he plays lead while accompanying himself. That’s a trademark of his sound – he can make it sound like two or three guitars at one time. U2 did it on Rattle and Hum, but that version is far inferior to how they usually played it live, for instance in Dublin in December of ’89. These shows have been bootlegged heavily and the best version of Watchtower floats around a lot, easily found on any file sharing program. The best Dave Matthews versions are when he has a guest musician with him – the acoustic version he played with Reynolds is good, Reynolds adds some spooky sliding; Santana, Kravitz, Neil Young, and (if memory serves me) Ben Harper have joined DMB live to play it; the Listener Supported album has the best officially released version because of the keyboard player they had that show (I see you have that one). There are a ton of Dylan versions too – on John Wesley Harding, At Budokan, Before the Flood, Dylan & the Dead, and MTV Unplugged. Except the Unplugged performance, they all sound very different – Dylan is always changing up how his songs are performed. There’s also a live recording of a Dylan/Petty show where they perform it – again, readily available on most file sharing programs. Neil Young did a feedback-full version of it at the 30th Anniv. celebration of Dylan’s career. John Mellencamp has performed it live, but I wasn’t particularly fond of the recording I heard.

The Grateful Dead also played it live without Dylan. Jerry solos like a demon on it.

Listen to the end of the E Town show for this week, aired on September 4, 2004. Blues Traveller with Alexi Murdoch.

Sandy

You wrote: “One of my favorite songs is All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan. I am always looking for covers of it. I have versions by Dave Matthews Band, Jimi Hendrix, the Indigo Girls, and U2. (Click “read more” to see.) If anyone knows of any other versions out there, please tell me where I can find them. Thanks!”

Paul Weller has a version on his new album “Studio 150”

i am looking for the affinity version of the song
does anyone know if there is a cd release?
or does anyway have the record?
it brings fond memories

By the way, you forgot to mention a couple of Non-Bootleg recordings by Dave Matthews Band:

Live At Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
Recently (one of his first albums)

I have a recording of him with Ben Harper… Does anybody have a guess as to which concert it might be from? (location? year?) Thanks!

It was originaly made by Jimi Hendrix

There is a version by “The Brothers And Sisters” on their album DYLAN’S GOSPEL, released on Sequel Records 1990. All songs were produced by Lou Adler, produced by Gene Page, and among the “Sisters” singing are Shirley Allen, Merry Clayton, Ruby Johnson, Clydie King and Julia Tillman.
There are 10 classic Dylan songs on the album, but apart from I SHALL BE RELEASED and possibly CHIMES OF FREEDOM (beautifully sung) I am not sure why their selection of songs has got the gospel reference in its title. Recommended to lovers of great gospel voices.

I year or so ago I caught a preview for a movie that had a version of watchtower in the preview. It was a new movie that was in theatres. The version was slower and had an awesome sound. I know this isn’t alot of information, but I would appreciatte any feedback or ideas on who it’s by or what the movie was.
Thanks

I dont know about that, but I do know that the CSNY song “Ohio” is about Kent State.

Affinity’s version is brilliant, classic jazz rock – I have the vinyl but am looking for a download or CD version, any ideas?

cathy posted in 2002 about a version of Watchtower by Lenny Kravitz and Eric Clapton? does anyone have a URL where i can find an mp3? i don’t mind buying it, but just can not find it! thanks much..

Hey… i am desperately attempting to track down a rare cover of this song as done by an obscure Detroit heavy metal band called “Savage Grace.” One of the posters, “Paul” mentioned that he had collected versions of this song, and that was one of them. I would like to get in touch with that guy and see if he can email it to me. I would be forever in debt. It’s a pretty huge joke between a friend and myself, and it might just make my year if i can get my hands on that song. THANKS!

I think any artist who’s worth his salt has covered this song. Dave Mason played the acoustic in the background of the (BEST) Jimi Hendrix version, check your CD liner notes. But there is one version I am particularly curious about and am not sure who all plays on it. The singer announces each guitar player as they go into their solo. I believe it’s titled as performed by Alvin Lee and Leslie West(Mountain), but the singer doesnt announce either of them but does introduce Robbie Krieger(the Doors) and Steve Howe(Yes). He names a few more but I can’t make out who he says. If you have this version and can comprehend lemme know…

Kane: As previous post the version your after is from “Night of the Guitars”. Many great guitarists including brilliant slide guitar solo by Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash) and great song from Leslie West (Mountain). But on this video Randy California plays a great version of All along the Watchtower and on the video he mentions playing with Jimi when he was just 14 (and was too young to take up offer to go on the road and play with Jimi).
I have it on VHS and it doesnt seem to easy to get now but if you use search engine for “Night of the Guitars and All along the watchtower” there is many links.

i went to a DOWN concert recently at the House Of Blues in S.D.
Before they played they showed a video of a bunch of bands, who i guess have influence on them, one wich played All Along The Watchtower. This band is from the the mid-to-late 60s or early 70’s

it was one of the best cover i’ve ever heard of Bob Dylan’s classic.

any guesses to who it was?

Lots of people are asking about the meaning of the lyrics. Check out this take on All Along the Watchtower.

You are going to love this list I found! Have fun….

Title Performer Release date
1 All Along the Watchtower Bob Dylan December 27, 1967
2 All Along the Watchtower The Nashville Teens 1968
3 All Along the Watchtower The Jimi Hendrix Experience September 4, 1968
4 All Along the Watchtower The Brothers and Sisters of Los Angeles 1969
5 All Along the Watchtower Brewer & Shipley 1969
6 All Along the Watchtower Affinity 1970
7 All Along the Watchtower Savage Grace 1970
8 All Along the Watchtower Bobby Womack June 8, 1973
9 All Along the Watchtower Dave Mason 1974
10 All Along the Watchtower XTC January 20, 1978
11 All Along the Watchtower Michael Hedges 1985
12 All Along the Watchtower Giant Sand 1986
13 All Along the Watchtower U2 October 1988
14 All Along the Watchtower Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead January 1989
15 All Along the Watchtower Richie Havens 1990
16 All Along the Watchtower Indigo Girls June 4, 1991
17 All Along the Watchtower TSOL 1992
18 All Along the Watchtower Ellis Paul 1994
19 All Along the Watchtower The Hamsters 1996
20 All Along the Watchtower Hiram Bullock July 11, 1996
21 All Along the Watchtower Grateful Dead October 1996
22 All Along the Watchtower Dave Matthews band October 28, 1997
23 All Along the Watchtower Tolo Marton 1999
24 All Along the Watchtower Funkstar De Luxe 2000
25 All Along the Watchtower Neil Young & Chrissie Hynde November 21, 2000
26 All Along the Watchtower Tom Landa & The Paperboys May 8, 2001
27 All Along the Watchtower The Watchtower Four November 27, 2001
28 Watchtower Yul Anderson August 27, 2002
29 All Along the Watchtower Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues 2003
30 All Along the Watchtower The String Quartet April 8, 2003
31 All Along the Watchtower Paul Weller September 13, 2004
32 All Along the Watchtower Merrell Fankhauser January 25, 2005
33 All Along the Watchtower Antoine Rocks June 28, 2005
34 All Along the Watchtower P.O.S. May 9, 2006
35 All Along the Watchtower Eddie Vedder and the Million Dollar Bashers 2007
36 All Along the Watchtower Bryan Ferry March 5, 2007
37 All Along the Watchtower The Fratellis October 1, 2007
38 All Along the Watchtower Slowfeet October 26, 2007
39 All Along the Watchtower Chris de Burgh 2008
40 All Along the Watchtower Les Fradkin 2010
41 All Along the Watchtower Envy on the Coast April 27, 2010