While spinning the recent reissue of Dylan’s Gospel, I was reminded of two incredibly odd Dylan “reinterpretations.” To that, introducing Bob Dylan’s music through the lens of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. First up is their cover of “Queen Jane Approximately”, whose vocals and instrumentation are so boisterously rough and rousing that even the most diehard Dylan purest should find it compelling. It’s interesting to hear Valli leave his world of sweet falsettos to do a Dylan impersonation full of rasp, grit and imperfection. My vinyl copy is a bit worn–something that only helps to emphasize the energy in the fuzzy guitar, adding a little extra vocal distortion.
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons :: Queen Jane Approximately
Released in 1965 by the Four Seasons under the nom de disque, The Wonder Who, this rendering of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is by far the most, er, interesting Dylan cover I’ve ever come across. The vocals are nuts, with Frankie Valli employing such an insanely high-pitched falsetto I am baffled that the pop culture audience of 1965 got through it, much less voted it to #12 on the Hot 100 charts.
The Wonder Who :: Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright
Related: Bob Dylan / Slow Train & City Of Gold — Warfield Theatre, San Francisco – November, 1980
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The falsetto drive me crazy in the first half of the Wonder Who track, but for some reason it became super compelling in the second half.
Wow. That ‘Don’t Think Twice’ (which I’d never heard before) is clearly an homage to Rose “The Chee Chee Girl” Murphy. Weird and wonderful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwfzjbjuHVU
EW, I had the exact same reaction tot he Wonder Who track! Loved The Four Seasons doing Queen Jane. Thanks for sharing.
Who knew the four seasons could sound so crunchy, stellar cover.
Even more incredible is Dylan’s cover of “Big Girls Don’t Cry”.
Scott,
Where can I hear that? Couldn’t find it when I searched.