I know, I probably just lost the majority of the few people who read this blog. You're thinking "WTF, Miley Cyrus?" To be honest, I'm thinking the same thing, but more wondering why, if she can sound like this, does she not do it more often. Aside from picking the perfect Bob Dylan song to cover, there's a maturity and confidence in her singing here resemblant of the best female country vocalists on the scene today. If this is the direction she's headed in, then I will begin to respect her.
Now I did not come across this song because I was researching Miley, that doesn't happen in my world. Instead I came across it when I purchased the album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Yea, it's a charity compilation album, but it's not bad. It's a four disc album, with a plethora of covers by a whole array of artists. Pete Townshend, Adele, My Chemical Romance, Seal, Jeff Beck, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Eric Burdon, Sting, Patti Smith, My Morning Jacket, Rise Against, Jackson Browne, Joan Baez, Ziggy Marley, Steve Earle and many, many more each cover a tune. Some of it is downright awful, some of it is alright, and some of it is worthy of note. I happen to think that this cover is absolutely worth the mention.
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go is unquestionably one of my favorite Dylan tunes. It's light and playful in music and lyrics, but beautiful and earnest in it's message. I'll just say that if you serenade a girl with this song, you're gonna get her, or else she doesn't deserve you. It's the kind of song you wish you wrote yourself. And I think Miley absolutely does the song justice, and then some. Her version has been very well received, it's gotten good reviews, and there's even a tasteful music video (featuring Johnzo West, who arranged this version and plays guitar, drums and sings on it). I watched her Behind The Scenes of the song as well, which I think proves that the girl has grown up. It shows a whole different side of her I think, a side that reminds me that she was NINE years old when she started her career, and she's only NINETEEN now. So anyone that would pass judgement on her future is a fool, because she's still just growing up. Like any other kid, she is and was impressionable, and she's entitled to mistakes, faults, and bumps in the road. But after hearing this, I think there's hope for her, and I have no intention of writing her off just yet. I mean, we could afford her a few more years, no?
Blood On The Tracks (1975) is hands down my favorite Dylan album, and maybe that sounds typical, but there's just no fighting it for me. "Buckets Of Rain" is probably my all time favorite Dylan song, which will probably leave a lot of people scratching there heads (seeing as there are so many bigger, more thoughtfully written tunes by the man), but you can't help when a song speaks to you. And that one has had a hold on me for nearly twenty years now. The entire album is a gift to the airwaves. I challenge anyone to listen to that album cover to cover, and not feel a change in themselves. I've listened to it hundreds of times, and it still changes me each time I play it. It's Dylan at his absolute finest. Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts should be a movie, Tangled Up In Blue is some of the finest songwriting ever created, and the same goes for Shelter From The Storm. Buckets of Rain and Simple Twist Of Fate always give me chills, if something was ever to make me cry, it would be either of those songs, and Meet Me In The Morning might just be my favorite song to crack the day/nights first beer to. Just go listen to the album. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
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