Mama, You Been On My Mind Triple-Whammy

OK. Special triple-bill tonight. 3 versions of the same song, all widely different, each unique and worth owning in it’s own right. But first things first. This blog was set up with the intention of sharing deleted or very hard to get records. Two of these tracks are widely available at your local music emporium. However, as one is by Bob Dylan and the other is by Rod Stewart I figured they’re not going to chase me for any publishing money. And Jeff Buckley’s deid, so he won’t mind me sharing his version either. So I’m breaking my own rules, and probably not for the last time. But on with the show…

Bob Dylan wrote ‘Mama You Been On My Mind’ in September 1964. He occasionally sang it in concert as a duet with Joan Baez. As a collector of all things Dylan, I always reach for the skip button any time I hear her shitty voice ruin what is a perfectly good song. The version here is his demo recorded around about the same time as the ‘Another Side of Bob Dylan’ sessions. It would have made for an even better album had it been included. Instead it languished in obscurity until his ‘Bootleg Sessions 1-3’ box set came out in 1991.

Rod Stewart knows a good song when he hears it. You can say what you like about old Rod, God knows nowadays he deserves it, but back in the 70’s he was a fairly decent interpreter of other people’s songs and covered a few Dylan tunes including ‘Girl From The North Country’ as well as this one. He could also sing a fair bit, had a cracking backing band to accompany him and thought he was Scottish. Nothing wrong with that. In his version, he turns Dylan’s downbeat demo into a Maggie Mae-esque 12 string and pedal steel classic. It’s available on 1972’s ‘Never A Dull Moment’. Your Dad won’t know it, cos he’ll only have the Greatest Hits. Do him a favour and download it for him here.

Jeff Buckley has one of the greatest voices ever. But you knew that already. He’s also a bloody magic guitar player. But you knew that too, if you’ve ever tied your fingers in knots trying to learn anything from ‘Grace’. The fact that he can sing AND play like no-one else before or after makes me very jealous. And, he was also quite a looker, they tell me. Bastard. This version of ‘Mama…’ was recorded during the sessions for ‘Grace’ and is given the full ‘Hallelujah’ treatment. If it had been recorded properly it would have blah blah blah-de blah etc etc. Just download it, OK?