I agree with you tunesmith, joan did a version of 'the night... a folk musician could actually sing whereas van morrisons is more rock and doesn't work unless you are van morrison
I've learned many songs I love by listening to her versions, like her greg brown songs, like 'brother's in arms' (dire straits) and many of her more traditional ones. That could be because I'm a woman and my own style is fairly straight up and down but then again it could be because she's an excellent folk musician.