Sakpo

Bob Dylan is obviously one of the most prominent and influential artists in popular music ever. He has often tapped into country, blues, and folk music, music that is very familiar to most western musicians (I'm primarily thinking of North America and Britain). He wrote many famous protest songs that have come to symbolize an important part of American history in the popular mind. As such, a lot of music has been written clearly that clearly has his influence, both musically and lyrically.
What are your favourite songs like that, sticking to songs not composed by the man himself.

I'm going to mention two right off the bat

Eve of Destruction, written by PF Sloan and famously recorded by Barry MacGuire:

The story behind this song is as follows. Supposedly, a guy who owned a studio gave a local kid, a street poet who played guitar and was 17 years of age, a cowboy hat, a guitar, and a Bob Dylan record and told him to come back in a week with a Dylan-like song.

Musically, it's not that great a song. I mean, I do like it, but when I actually listen to it, it's not very good. Repeated listening, focusing on the music, convinces me it's almost abysmal. It's simple, awkward at times, and not well arranged. But it's alright. The lyrics are what makes this song great, even though it doesn't have great lyrics. What they are are real Everyman (or Everyteen) lyrics, they're not great, or sophisticated, but they have real meaning, and seem heartfelt. They really do sum up what it's like to be a young person who's concerned about the poor state of the world, and they show signs of intelligence and are a bit clever. Somehow, it just ends up being a song a lot better than the sum of its parts.

To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) by Ryan (not Bryan!) Adams:

This is a more recent song, post 2000 if I'm correct. I guess if I had to label its genre it might be "alt country." It's the only song I've heard by the guy, it plays during the movie Old School, where I first heard it. The singing really sounds like it could be from a Dylan album, as does the rythm guitar. It has very good lead guitar, nothing shockingly original (or requiring an amazing level of technical sophistication), but it's very good, it's sort of straight forward late 1950s/early 1960s pre Hendrix style lead guitar. It's just a plain old good song.

Mageth

My favorite is Abraham, Martin and John. Words & Lyrics by Dion Demucii; Arranged by Richard Holler. (sung by Dion)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, 1970

I also would mention Woody Guthrie's music, in particular This Land is Your Land (you have to hear the verses that are almost never sung).

And, of course, Country Joe MacDonald's I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag.

Sakpo

I love Woody Guthrie, but I wouldn't call him Dylanesque, rather Dylan has occasionally been Guthriesque... since Guthrie came first. Guthrie was a much bigger influence on Dylan than Dylan was on Guthrie.

Mageth

I totally agree, and almost said as much. But I was considering the category of "famous protest songs that have come to symbolize an important part of American history in the popular mind", and thinking beyond just Dylanesque songs (I'm not sure Dion's could exactly be considered "Dylanesque", either).

Cynical-Chick

Good thread!

None come to mind, but I have to say that I like Dylan, and love "Eve of Destruction."

Cynical-Chick

Dire Straits, "Brothers in Arms."

velvetfinger

Springsteen circa 1973 (Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ; The Wild, The Innocent...).

Early Elvis Costello.

And a relative newcomer called Dan Bern, but I think he's a little too Dylan-ish. His voice is almost identical. I bought his album New American Language (the title song is great) and I think it's pretty good. He's also Jewish, like Dylan (who later converted to christianity, which was about the time his career was at it's lowest point; coincidence? I don't know. And how can someone who wrote 'God On Our Side' convert to christianity, for f#%k's sake?). Bern also writes a mean political song. Regarding the election which resulted in Bush Mk II taking office:

I would never be so dumb
To say they stole the election
They bought the damn thing fair and square
The emperor's in his underwear

(Alaska Highway)

Cynical-Chick

Bern also wrote 2 songs regarding 9/11; the lyrics are gorgeous. One is "America, Hometown of the World." I'll try and find them.

MortalWombat

There's something about The Byrds that is somehow Dylanesque, but I can't quite put my finger on it. The same with The Wallflowers. I keep racking my brain, but I can't figure it out. Oh well.

Sakpo

Lol.

For anyone who doesn't get it:

The Byrds covered several Dylan songs, put a picture of him in one of their albums, wrote at least one song based around some lyrics Dylan wrote, and a couple of them worked with Dylan on solo projects. They also nearly made a collaberative album.

The frontman of The Wallflowers is Bob Dylan's son.