All Along the Watchtower

“All Along the Watchtower” was written and originally recorded by legendary musician Bob Dylan in 1967. Dylan wrote the song during a tumultuous time in American history. The lyrics are deeply metaphorical and cryptic, as is typical of many of Dylan’s songs. The title refers to a passage in the Bible’s book of Isaiah that describes a watchman who stands on a tower waiting for danger to arrive. Dylan uses this image to explore themes of war, chaos, and social upheaval.

In 1967, Dylan recorded the song for his album “John Wesley Harding,” which was a departure from his previous work. The album was a return to Dylan’s folk roots and “All Along the Watchtower” was one of the standout tracks.

However, it wasn’t until Jimi Hendrix covered the song in 1968 that it became a worldwide hit. Hendrix took Dylan’s acoustic version and transformed it into a psychedelic masterpiece, with his iconic guitar playing and vocals that were full of passion and energy. Hendrix’s version of the song reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Since then, “All Along the Watchtower” has been covered by countless artists. Some notable cover versions include:

Dave Matthews Band: In 1994, the Dave Matthews Band covered the song for their album “Under the Table and Dreaming.” Their version of the song was a hit, reaching number 38 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

U2: U2 covered the song during their “Joshua Tree” tour in 1987. Their version of the song was a live favorite and was eventually released on the B-side of their single “Desire.”

Eddie Vedder: Pearl Jam’s frontman, Eddie Vedder, has covered the song multiple times during his solo performances. His version of the song is stripped-down and acoustic, but still captures the song’s power and emotion.

Bear McCreary: Composer Bear McCreary created a haunting instrumental version of the song for the TV show “Battlestar Galactica.” The song became a fan favorite and was used in several key scenes throughout the series.

The Grateful Dead: The Grateful Dead were known for their covers. They performed “All Along the Watchtower” more than 100 times between 1987 and 1995.