Disclaimer: I am in no way advocating the frequent consumption of large amounts of alcohol.
That being said, alcohol does seem to inspire a lot of great (though often depressing) music. Who knows how many albums and songs were recorded during late night drinking binges. And the catalogue of songs mentioning booze may very well be endless.
Enter a song called “Moonshiner.” While its true origins may be unknown, the song is, more or less, an ode to alcoholism. Prior to discovering Cat Power late last year, I had only heard Bob Dylan’s version on Live At the Gaslight 1962. Then a few weeks ago I found a track called “Moonshiner” on the Cat Power album Moon Pix. Sure enough, it was the same song, albeit a very different take.
The Dylan version is acoustic and intimate, while the Cat Power is more electric and somewhat distant. I think I prefer Dylan’s take, but that could be because I heard it first. It’ll be interesting to see what other people think, so leave comments!
Chad Penix wrote:April 9, 2007
I’m partial to Dylan’s version over Cat Power’s, but my favorite versions of the song have been from Uncle Tupelo and Wilco. My favorite being a live version from the radio program Mountain Stage that was done by Uncle Tupelo.
Robert Brooks wrote:April 9, 2007
Nobody sings Dylan like Dylan, and this includes traditional songs that he has covered and made his own.
MWM wrote:April 9, 2007
chad, i just checked out the mountain stage live version of “moonshiner” by uncle tupelo and i really like it. 89/93: an anthology may very well be the next album i buy. thanks for the recommendation!
sean wrote:April 10, 2007
As I read your post I was going to chime in with a vote for the Uncle Tupelo version of Moonshiner, but Chad beat me to it. I love Farrar’s voice on it. I’ve never heard Wilco perform it.
Ursula Pastures wrote:April 10, 2007
- Just for the record, which you’ll all be aware, of course: This is an old emigrated Irish-American folksong, several decades older than any of these fine versions above; where Dylan is trying to make it sound like Howlin’ Wolf and Cat People trying to sound like a mix between Nirvana and the Doors, and nothing wrong with that, mind you, try also to listen to Delia Murphy’s org. Irish version of the Moonshiner, anno 1957, ’78 record, playing her own button accordeon to the same sardonic lyrics. Celtic Roots. -Well, I think it’s important. :)
balaclava wrote:April 10, 2007
i sent these exact two mp3s to my friend steph a few months ago. for this very comparison. i wonder if you know him.
Jack Gander wrote:April 11, 2007
A particular favourite of mine, especially Bob’s take (also see Bootleg Series Vol 1-3). Cat Power’s is rather good too. Have you heard the Clancy Brothers’ variant (where Bob almost certainly first came across the song)? More defiant, perhaps, (“And if you don’t like me, you can leave me alone”), and more of a love song to the moonshine itself (*its* breath is as sweet as the dew on the vine, rather than *their* breath), but equally depressing, ultimately. Fabulous stuff.
Franz wrote:March 4, 2008
I gotta disagree with Robert Brooks by saying that “nobody sings Dylan like Cat Power”. That cover of “Memphis Blues again” she released recently is kinda good and “Song to Bobby” is a great Dylan song Dylan didn’t write … but “Moonshiner” is just stunning, as is the whole Moon Pix album. Well, she’s been a Moonshiner for a while, huh?
Anyways, my favorite version is and probably always will be Uncle Tupelo’s, too. But in this two track battle, Shawn Marshall wins!