Forever Young

[Rob The Badger]

Looks like I'm posting more regularly again doesn't it. . .oh well.
Anyway, which version do you think is better, Dylan's or Meat's?
Answers on a stamped adressed envolope please. . .
Or you could reply to this post. . .it's all good.

[CarylB]

I wouldn't want to say that I thought one version was "better" than another, given I respect both people. Bob Dylan's will always be special as he wrote it, and he called to my generation in a special way. I'm seeing him on tour this November, and I hope he sings it then.

But Bob's voice was not what made the songs special to us, it was what they conveyed, how they reached out to us. Meat's voice is imo vastly superior, so judged just in terms of how the song sounds, there'd be no contest.

I hate it when a performer does a cover of an original song and fails to do it justice. Let's just say that for me Meat does this song justice in spades :)

It also takes on an additional meaning when delivered now by someone of my generation after 26 years of stage performances. When I first heard Forever Young the message was delivered to the young looking forward. When I hear Meat sing it today I hear someone calling to people in their fifties as well asking them to hold on to their inner child despite the advancing years .. and it seems a sweet and comforting adieu from a man who knows he is in the rich, fruitful September if his life, but who is determined to hold on to his youthful enthusiasm and zest for life and is hoping that I will too :)

So, sung by Meat the song has a new and special meaning. Neither is "better" than the other to me, but each is very, very precious in its own way

[Jayd]

Got to agree here, Meat brings a lot more power to this song and is excellent. Bob's is good too, and Meat has done this song justice. :D

[Em]

Caryl wrote:
But Bob's voice was not what made the songs special to us, it was what they conveyed, how they reached out to us.

Well said Caryl. I've been a fan of Dylan for a long time. I do wonder how many people on this forum have heard Dylan sing this. For me Dylan singing this is associated with lots of good memories and I'm probably unable to judge the song objectively.

Meat's voice is imo vastly superior, so judged just in terms of how the song sounds, there'd be no contest.


Well yes, Meat's voice is vastly superior. I did have difficultly listening to Meat sing this at first but have grown to love Meat's version.

I'm not sure I'd like to choose between the two versions. Each is associated with very different periods of my life and both are special to me.

[dottie]

I just love Meats version, the words to this song really do bring home to me the sentiments of Forever Young is how I want to be. I don't believe I had the maturity strangely enough to appreciate this song by Bob Dylan first time round.

[plukie]

I am quite a fan of Bob Dylan, but when he sang Forever Young his voice wasn't half as good as it is now. I would have to hear him sing it now to have any sort of fair opinion. Meat has done a brilliant rendition of this song and I love his version, but I think now that Bob Dylans voice has matured an awful lot, got more "gravelly" I think it could be a close call between the two of them.

[shadow1000001]

I just love Meats version, the words to this song really do bring home to me the sentiments of Forever Young is how I want to be. I don't believe I had the maturity strangely enough to appreciate this song by Bob Dylan first time round.


Well said Dottie. I totally agree with you :D


Maria

[sherrie87]

I am so embarassed to say that I have never heard the Dylan version! :oops: :oops: Why album is it on? I have heard the Rod Stewart version, and I love his video with that cute little red haired boy. Anyway- I adore Meat's version of this song, it seems so full of emotion, and yet so comforting.

Sherrie

[little_dancer]

I can't say 'better' in either case. I think the versions are quite different, I find them both brilliant...I can say that I PREFER Meat and Bob's versions to Rod Stewart's, but that's just my opinion...

On the topic of this song, however, I'd just like to add that when Meat sings:

"and your song may it be sung"


that lyric, in a way, feels very personal, because my song HAS been sung- by Meat Loaf, for over 25 years. He's been singing the songs that have touched me, made me laugh, cry, regret, remember- and most importantly- really rock!

That doesn't sound cheesy does it? I really mean it in my own humble way- he's been my all time favorite artist since I first figured out how to work a record player.

[RSG]

I have nothing against Dylan, but I have to say his version is like a 4\10.
Meat's is better than Dylan's by far, Dylan's like a 4\10, 3 for music, and one for the voice, sorry dylan. your still a great writer. :roll: that's how I feel. for my opinion of Meat's go to forever young.

[badger]

It might sound like a cop out, but I have to say I love them both. They both bring different things to the song, plus Dylan wrote it, and so it gets an extra something.

To me their is nothing in it, not only becuase I think they are both great, but becuase I never like comparing covers really.

[Michel]

There is another topic about this, and in that topic you can talk about many different versions about this song, and not only about Dylans and Meats version.

I will lock this topic now.