A song covered by everyone from Adele to Michael Bublé, Make You Feel My Love has never sounded better than it does with its original writer. Bob Dylan provides a subtlety which is lacking in covers to follow. But that does not mean he has not tinkered with the song since then. Even in its form on Time Out of Mind, the perfect-sounding suggestiveness, the longing for intimacy, is open to change. That is according to Dylan, anyway, who as expected when it comes to his live shows, makes a few changes. An instrumental overhaul is what he presides over with this performance from the San José Arena in 1998. What makes this performance notable is the star-studded appearances, with Dylan performing on a bill with Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison. Three of the all-time greats, and Make You Feel My Love is close to stealing the spotlight.
This performance takes the instrumental skill of the studio and pairs it with the ever-changing buzz which surrounds Dylan as a live performer. His vocal changes are clear, but he leans into the harsher vocal turn a little bit softly, softer than the usual style he presents on stage. It makes all the difference for this performance of Make You Feel My Love, where the instrumental talents are put in the spotlight. It is one of the few times Dylan can be heard speaking to, and thanking, the audience. It may come as an introduction to Larry Campbell, Bucky Baxter, and the rest of the long-time touring band, but it also features a sweet tribute to Dylan’s cousin, Linda O’Neill. These moments add very little, almost nothing to the song itself but they are sweet moments of interest from a performer known for rarely speaking to his audience. Make You Feel My Love as a performed song is nothing short of brilliant.
As much is proven by Dylan on this emotive performance. Maintained throughout is the Tony Garnier bassline, the solid work he provided in the studio is still the route through on stage. But what this performance does is amplify Dylan as a vocalist. The balance is set perfectly, giving the songwriter a little bit more of an edge than first thought. His performance here is magical, oozing a sincerity which pairs well with the honest recollections of love and all it causes. Promises of happiness, the total commitment made by the protagonist of Make You Feel My Love, drops the security and defences usually present in Dylan’s work. Here is the performer as openly as he can offer. This taxing material, the staggering honesty with which Dylan and the band performs Make You Feel My Love here, is a must-listen.
Dylan and the band at the San José Arena bring out one of their very best live performances. A truthful and earnest adaptation of Make You Feel My Love. Dylan may sometimes feel passive in his performance as he keeps the mysterious figurehead image alive, but never does it come across in his lyrics. He has managed to make a simple contrast seem depthful, and it is what makes his work all the more engaging. To hear his heart put so openly on the line, to affect those singers to follow in his songwriting footsteps, is phenomenal. Nobody performs it better, though, than Dylan and his band, particularly at the San José Arena. An all-time great performance which gets to the bottom of Dylan as a person, not as a star. He is just like the rest of us, feeding off the passions and lust which informs his songwriting. Never has it been clearer than on Make You Feel My Love.
