Depressing fun fact: Last week, July 16th marked the 80th anniversary of the United State’s first test of a nuclear weapon in the New Mexico desert. So to mark that important date, the Kronos Quartet has released an EP featuring a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”
The EP features two versions of the song, one more traditional version and one subtitled “(Drone)”. Adding vocals are folks like Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, Allison Russell, Laurie Anderson, Stephin Merritt from The Magnetic Fields, Tanya Tagaq, Slowspin, Asha Bhosle and others. This version certainly amps up the dread, but maybe just the subject matter and the timeliness does that on its own. The second version features a spoken word version including Ocean Vuong, Tom Morello, Sama the Great and ends with the voice of Ringo Starr. Both versions also include performances by members of Deerhoof, Patti Smith‘s band and Belle & Sebastian. Both versions make one stop in their tracks and the drone elements of the song wash over you, reminding you both of the frailty of life, but also the power of a people united in a shard vision.
The Kronos Quartet debuted their take on the song last week during the Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War in Stockholm. Money raised from the sale of the single will benefit the Red Hot organization. In a press release announcing the new recordings, the quartet said, “Even though we live in perilous times, there are also thrilling, courageous voices and wondrous instruments of celebration. Bob Dylan’s words and music give us all a collective response to the fear of nature’s annihilation. Kronos has been joined by participants from 15 countries ages 7-92 representing all humanity, along with producer Elia Einhorn and the activist music company Red Hot. Here we are: re-energized as we face an uncertain future because we were able to create ‘Hard Rain’ together.”
Bob Dylan gave the first public performance of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” at Carnegie Hall on September 22nd 1962, weeks before the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The song was recorded for his Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album on December 6th of the same year in one take. Sadly, as this new cover proves, the song is much too relevant for today. Hear both versions below.
