♫ All Along The Watchtower ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, music history

As I mentioned yesterday, I thought I’d honour some requests from the past over the next few days until my own inspiration finds its way home.  So today I’m playing one that was requested by Richard, aka ryinger77 … All Along The Watchtower.

According to SongFacts …

This was written and originally recorded by Bob Dylan in 1967, but it was the Jimi Hendrix cover that made the song famous. Many other artists have covered it, including Eric Clapton, Neil Young, U2, Dave Matthews Band and The Grateful Dead. Dylan was so impressed with Jimi’s version that Dylan for years played it the way that Jimi had recorded it.

This was Hendrix’ only Top 40 hit in the US, where his influence far outpaced his popularity. He charted a few times in the UK, where he rose to fame before making a name for himself in America.

This was recorded while Hendrix played with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: Hendrix on guitar, Noel Redding on bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums. For this song, however, Redding was not on bass; Hendrix did it. Redding was also the guitar player for his band Fat Mattress, which Hendrix referred to as Thin Pillow. Hendrix often felt that Redding did not put his heart into the bass and was concerned that Redding concentrated more on Fat Mattress than he did on the Experience. Things like these led to him being replaced by Billy Cox.

The original version of this song is very slow. Jimi Hendrix’ version had a large impact on Dylan which made him make his own version “heavier.”

Hendrix said: “All those people who don’t like Bob Dylan’s songs should read his lyrics. They are filled with the joys and sadness of life. I am as Dylan, none of us can sing normally. Sometimes, I play Dylan’s songs and they are so much like me that it seems to me that I wrote them. I have the feeling that Watchtower is a song I could have come up with, but I’m sure I would never have finished it. Thinking about Dylan, I often consider that I’d never be able to write the words he manages to come up with, but I’d like him to help me, because I have loads of songs I can’t finish. I just lay a few words on the paper, and I just can’t go forward. But now things are getting better, I’m a bit more self-confident.”

Richard requested the Jimi Hendrix version, but given that it was written and originally recorded by Bob Dylan, it seems only fair to play both versions, don’t you think?  I must admit that I’m not a fan of either version, though I probably like Dylan’s a bit better for it isn’t as … LOUD … although I cannot understand a word he’s saying!

Now let’s see if I can get the right lyrics tonight …

All Along The Watchtower

Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix

There must be some kind of way outta here
Said the joker to the thief
There’s too much confusion
I can’t get no relief

Business men, they drink my wine
Plowmen dig my earth
None will level on the line
Nobody offered his word
Hey, hey

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, uh, but you and I, we’ve been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us stop talkin’ falsely now
The hour’s getting late, hey

Hey

All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants, too
Well, uh, outside in the cold distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl, hey

All along the watchtower

All along the watchtower

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Bob Dylan

All Along the Watchtower lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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18 thoughts on “♫ All Along The Watchtower ♫”

  1. I was amazed to see that you are playing this! I loved the Hendrix version and bought the single – which made #5 here. My Mum hated it!

    If you want a softer side of Hendrix, try The Wind Cries Mary – lovely song.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I’ll always be Jimi Hendrix over Bob Dylan, but it’s a great song. For me, the louder, the better. I was sooo surprised to see this in my email earlier, and I think it’s great that you posted it, and even listened! Maybe you can try Hendrix’s “The Star Spangled Banner” next … 😄

    Liked by 2 people

    • I’m glad you liked this one! I shall check out the one you mention soon … I’m guessing by your laughing emoji that I’m not likely to like it, but hey … I like trying out new things and expanding my horizons!!!

      Liked by 1 person

      • IMO, there would be a perfect volume, where you can truly hear the music while not contracting long-term tinnitus. It would require fiddling with the knob, of course. I think you will enjoy it if you can find that volume. It’s sort of a trick, with music like Jimi Hendrix’s. LoudLoudLoUd is perfect, but one can listen to it more softly and still discern great music. Too low won’t work for that, though.

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  4. 👍Did you say something? The music is a bit loud.😘Sometimes, I play Dylan’s songs and they are so much like me that it seems to me that I wrote them.

    The thief was ever present but the joker was not far. Bob made it make sense.

    There are many here among us
    Who feel that life is but a joke
    But, uh, but you and I, we’ve been through that
    And this is not our fate

    I believe it was you who worried that time was running out.🤣😉

    Thank you🥰 Sometimes you find a pony sometimes you don’t. You will never know unless you look.🙃✌️

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Pingback: ♫ All Along The Watchtower ♫ | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  7. Jill, great song by Dylan, but Hendrix lifts it up further. This is my favorite Hendrix song of many great ones. I think more current artists should cover Dylan’s songs to introduce them to new generations. Keith

    Liked by 4 people

    • Wow … I had no idea this was your favourite Hendrix song! I’m so glad! Yes, Dylan had a message that spans the generations and should be passed down from one to the next. I might not have always liked his music, but I mostly agreed with what he was trying to convey.

      Liked by 1 person

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