The Many Girls of the North Country

Friends,

The other day, I bought the Eels with Strings CD. Yeah, I still buy CDs from time to time, and I honestly like the Eels. I don't really get it myself, but most things that band puts out, I like, especially the Daisies from the Galaxy disc. Yes I know it's really one guy with a bunch of rotating musicians and he really can't sing all that well, but I dig it for some reason.

On this new disc, the Eels do a version "Girl From the North Country." Of course that's a Dylan song, but that got me thinking about all the versions of that song, and the nature of cover songs in general. I wonder which covers do you think exceed the excellence of the original? Now, I don't think the Eels version trumps Dylan, but I like it just the same. (here's my quick list of covers that I think outperform the originals...Tom Waits - I Don't Want to Grow Up, Aretha Franklin - R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower)

Anyway, let's compare versions of Girl From the North Country that I was able to find on YouTube from people who appear to be legit musicians (none of those web cam video things). And you know, I couldn't find one ska, metal or punk version of this song. I'm a little disappointed about that. Not that I wanted to hear one, but I figured that some band out there would think it was a fun idea. Anyway, which one do you think is the best version?

The Eels


Robert Plant


Johnny Cash & Joni Mitchell


David Kitt (?)


Pete Townshend - North Country Girl (this isn't a straight cover, but it's damn close)


And now the originator of the song...
Bob Dylan


viva el mustache