I know Gary Moore isn't good looking. I know his voice isn't very good. However, I am not sure if anyone played the guitar as well as he did. Check this out:
Sorry if this is already on this thread, but I didn't feel like going through the whole thing to check. I heard it today while out running errands in the truck, and I thought that there's not that many covers I like better than the original. But in this case, along with All Along The Watchtower by Jimi, that's most definitely the case.
It used to be my favourite version, Clapton's was second, but in the last couple years I've gone back to Dylan's.
Add-on: when I was in high school, a few years before anybody heard of Guns n Roses, my band used to play Knockin' on Heaven's Door with a similar structure to what GnR did: power chords in the chorus, zipped up, disortion-driven guitar solo in the middle.
All along the Watchtower was a Dave Mason song. Not many people remember Dave Mason. He started a band with Steve Winwood named Traffice. A killer band. Jim Capaldi was on the skins. Dave played acoustic rhythm on the Hendrix recording. By chance, they were recording a few door away at the studio.
I saw him at the UTC Performing Arts Center a few years ago. We have subscribed for over 20 years. It was a great show.
Here is another many will remember....Dave Mason...he need to be in the Hall if he already isn't.
I love Dave Mason, but "All Along The Watchtower" is a Bob Dylan song. I like Dave Mason's version very much, but I like Jimi Hendrix's more.
Besides Dave Mason's cover of "Watchtower", my faves by him are "We Just Disagree" and "So High (Rock Me Baby, And Roll Me Away)". Great singer, songwriter, and guitarist.