Although many people consider Bob Dylan to be the greatest songwriter of all time and one of the best musicians of all time, the same cannot be said of his vocals. With each passing year, his voice seemed to take on a more gruff, mumbling quality. It veered further away from the folk twang that had initially made him famous. When he stated in 2015, “Critics say I can’t sing,” he seemed to be aware of it. I give up. Make a frog-like sound. Consequently, he gave the title of “greatest” singer to someone else.
Dylan’s voice was like “sand and glue,” David Bowie once said, grating against his words. Despite this, he continues to be one of the most admired and revered artists of all time. Perhaps this explains in part why so many other musicians have attempted to cover his songs, albeit perhaps with far more attractive results.
Dylan’s songs seemed to become instantly accepted as folk standards, even in the early days of his career. Other musicians would play them live. Four performers performed his songs during their own sets at Woodstock alone. This ensured the festival featured his music even though he wasn’t there.
Joe Cocker, a man Dylan greatly admired for his voice, was one of them. On Sunday, August 17, between 2 and 3:45 p.m., Cocker performed three renditions of the artist’s songs during his performance at the festival. It started with “Dear Landlord,” moved on to “Just Like A Woman,” and concluded with his own rendition of “I Shall Be Released.” He dedicated a good portion of his set list to Dylan’s lyrics. But since Cocker was one of his favourite musicians, he had no problem with him using them.
Cocker led the group of singers he listed as his favourites when asked, followed by a formidable group of others. He said, “Well, let me see, Joe Cocker,” and went on, “Graham Nash can sing.” Both Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder are outstanding. But he went back to the first, saying, “But Joe’s the greatest of all of them.”
Dylan’s background is very different from Cocker’s. Cocker was born in Sheffield, in the rainy north of England, but he spun intricate lies about his exact origins as he created myths about his own childhood. Distant from the American South’s folk and country traditions, Cocker’s remarkable voice was the sole factor that elevated him to prominence. He became almost instantly famous for his 1969 debut performance of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends,” leading to his booking to play Woodstock a few months later. Dylan may have discovered Cocker through his covers, though it’s unclear when the British singer-songwriter first became aware of her. Regardless, Cocker became one of his favourite musicians.
It’s no small accomplishment to be called the “greatest” by Bob Dylan, but Cocker’s talent makes that designation entirely appropriate.
