Song of the Day — February 4
Bob Dylan— “Make You Feel My Love” — 1997
Bob Dylan— “Make You Feel My Love” — 1997
04.February.2021
Bob Dylan
“Make You Feel My Love”
1997
This song first appeared on Bob Dylan’s 1997 Grammy Award Winning album Time Out of Mind but has been covered by a who’s who of artists spanning across genres.
Billy Joel was the first to have a top ten hit with the song; it peaked at #9 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.
It would be Garth Brooks who had the biggest commercial hit, with his version going to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and winning Brooks for Best Male Country Vocal and Grammy Nomination for Best Country Song for Dylan.
A small sampling of the people who have recorded “Make You Feel My Love” include:
David Bowie
Neil Diamond
Bryan Ferry
Kelly Clarkson
Pink
Ed Sheeran
Trisha Yearwood
Shawn Colvin
But perhaps the most well-known version, at least in my opinion, is Adele’s. It’s the only cover song from her 2008 debut album, 19. Her version peaked at #26 in 2008.
After being performed on Britain’s The X Factor in 2010, it had a resurgence and peaked at #24. After a second performance on The X Factor, the song shot up to #4, and after heavy use in Britain's 2010 Comic Relief telethon, it spent three more non-consecutive weeks in the top 10.
In 2011, “Make You Feel My Love” again popped into the British Top 40, peaking at #34, when used in the fifth series of Britain’s Got Talent.
Throughout his 60 year career, Bob Dylan has been a force of nature. His songs have always been undeniably great; even if the man himself has proven to be an enigma.
There’s a reason why so many artists continue to cover “Make You Feel My Love” — it speaks to love from all angles. A new love, unrequited love, unforgiving love, salvaging love, whatever spin you want to put on it, the lyrics work.
And no matter who I listen to covering “Make You Feel My Love,” if I’m in the right place, I’ll get choked up. It’s the words. Always the words.
Make You Feel My Love
When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you haven’t made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I’ve known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong
I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue
I’d go crawling down the avenue
No, there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging on the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free
You ain’t seen nothing like me yet
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love
To make you feel my love