It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

I haven't seen Blue Valentine yet, but I've been watching the released clip over and over and I just think this heartbreaking, favourite song of mine is absolutely fitting. I hope that, in addition to the Penny & the Quarters song played here, it's included somewhere.

(*This is an old facebook note I did where I grumpily wrote that if I had a blog, I'd blog it.)

I just listened to every version/cover of Bob Dylan's 'It's all over now Baby Blue,' that has been posted on Youtube. I listen to the 'Them' version at least 3 times daily; this is my favourite song and apparently I'm not the only one... it's been covered about a zillion times. Here's my report card for the rest of them (it's such rainy weather- I figured someone would listen to them- and i don't have a blog for this shit.*)

Bob Dylan- A. It's beautiful because it's sooo Dylan. The subtle, shaky and warbling sound of his voice over the simple, repeated chords are perfectly in rhythm with each other. The lyrics are moody and straining, and while he's suggesting someone is leaving and a relationship is dissolving, it's pretty typically Dylan in that I don't really know what he's talking about (where's Michelle Pfeiffer when you need her?) It's not my favourite, sacrilegious i know, but...

THEM- A+. The plunked guitar strings layered by the echoing piano notes are so wonderfully creepy and Van the Man is incredibly heartbreaking. The result is this chilling rendition, where Morrison is nearly competing with the instruments, sounding at once calm and perturbed. It's kind of as if, THEM built on Dylan and complicated the composition ever so slightly. Every fucking time i listen to this, I get this 60s set image where a lithe woman is packing her bags in some small apartment (maybe like Roman 'rape-rape' Polanski's apartment), while Van achingly sings, undecided if she should stay or go.

Joni Mitchell- C+. I hate to give such a low grade to Joni... especially considering how much I've always loved 'Coyote' and how much I love that feminist chip on her shoulder. Anyhow, this (and I can't figure out the date but it obviously ain't the swinging 60s) sounds like lame suburban-mom music. It reminds me of that scene in Love Actually where Emma Thompson thinks she's getting that necklace from her husband, but instead it's the Joni Mitchell cd, and she goes and cries in her room.

The Byrds- B+. I kind of like this one. I think mainly because something about the chorus sounded like CSNY- and that's just so Winnipeg for me. (Post-note: my dear friend Sarah Small Fry is a big Byrds fan; so sorry Sarah for the mid-grade).

Eric Burdon and the Animals- A-. My dad convinced me to take guitar lessons for two years when I was younger. All the music I listen to now is largely influenced by him. I remember I would go see this long-haired guitar hero wannabe at Frant Park Mall and hang out with him for a few hours strumming both an acoustic and electric guitar. For my final music festival, my teacher had decided to move from 'The Ants Go Marching' to 'House of the Rising Sun.' I was little and had no idea what the song was, but my dad was pretty over the moon when I told him; he sat front row at my festival cheering me on, reliving his hippie glory days when he dropped acid and protested nuclear weapons in his tie-dye. In the end, I won silver, which gives huge points to this version. On top of that, my dad and good friend/first roomate Annick's dad are best friends, and I know this is Grant's favourite band. Thankfully, for all the significance the band has to me, they do not disappoint. This version presents Burdon's powerful voice over these sort of progressive rock, temporal beats producing a slowed down and weighty sound.

Hole- C. This is from Malibu...'nuff said. (In all fairness, this actually isn't all that bad, and this definitely exemplifies Hole's poppy 90s sound, but she's in the company of Dylan and i can't reasonably give her a good grade.)

Bruce Springsteen- C+/ B-. The boss' throaty booming vocals are really amplified at the start. He eventually calms down and sings softly against the soothing and subtle piano. Bruce baby sounds super stoned and about to get down. I can see him slowly unbuttoning his shirt as the guitarist goes into the bridge (and it's a long one, the song is 10 min long.)

Marianne Faithfull- B+. Ooooh Marianne is seductive on this one... again throaty. I imagine she's swaying back and forth with partially opened eyes, as her blond locks fall into her face and behind her shoulders, likely with a drink in hand. All that said- she's surprisingly articulate in her vocals.

Grateful Dead- N/A. There's only a live version that I could find to listen to and it's really only okay. I don't feel like grading it; and also, there's a Bob Dylan/Grateful Dead live version that's clearly from the late 80s and the combination of leather gloves and cut-off shorts is throwing me off (I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing...).

13th floor elevators- A-. The 13th floor elevators remind me of High Fidelity (love) and John Cusack (swooooon). Apparently, this is Bob Dylan's favourite version of the song. It's definitely the more psychedelic and garage-y of the bunch. I'm enjoying it while writing this, but it's lacking that heartbreaking sound that leaves me feeling both elated and melancholic (apparently this is possible.)

Bonus track: Beck's Jackass- A+. Beck is my favourite scientologist, and his mom, Bibbe Hansen is a visual artist related to Warhol, the Fluxus movement and Jack Kerouac, so needless to say, he's unquestionably interesting. Jack-ass gets some steady play in our apt (courtesy of the old days with HUGGS), but b/c i was on Youtube, I listened/watched it on there, and dayum, Beck is just a young 'un and he looks good. This is a brilliant alternative to the original. There's a wonderful emphasis on the vocals as Beck kind of drawls out the lyrics (like when he says 'lazzzeeeee bones.') Upon first listen, the sampled repetition kind of threw me off, but i now think it's perfect.

Feel free to discredit me, opine freely, fly your freak flag and freeze your assets.

PS: I hope it's not too soon for 'rape-rape'?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO5LlwDaa_0 - Dylan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUmmSIMGm-E - Burdon and the Animals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbDksnF-Gnk - Springsteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phwsVE8ucyA - Hole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkIhuiDBYRA - Byrds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKzRjxBHV-k - Marianne Faithfull

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1KdA-97vs&feature=PlayList&p=174E0DD66C4249F5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12
-Beck (on Letterman the lothario)