The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #115502   Message #2474176
Posted By: GUEST,Mark Jennings
23-Oct-08 - 06:11 PM
Thread Name: There but for fortune/blowin in the wind
Subject: RE: There but for fortune/blowin in the wind
From a musical stand point, I find There But For Fortune to have a much stronger melody than Blowing In the Wind. I realize that it's all very subjective, but just listen to Francois Hardy's cover in French...the melody is embelished, but faithful, and it's hauntingly beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz3u5lF9mms

There have been some okay versions of wind, I suppose, but I've always found its core melody, remarkably boring. Then again, I am biased, I personally think that Phil Ochs was a much better melodist than Bob Dylan. Dylans come up with a few good tunes, but remarkably few. Think of the number of succesful covers of bob dylan songs which use the same "melody" he originally wrote...you'd be surprised.