Wikipedia

Make You Feel My Love

"Make You Feel My Love", also known as "To Make You Feel My Love", is a song written by Bob Dylan for his album Time Out of Mind, released in September 1997. It was first released commercially in August 1997 by Billy Joel for his compilation album Greatest Hits Volume III.

"Make You Feel My Love"
Sheet music for the first verse
Song by Bob Dylan
from the album Time Out of Mind
ReleasedSeptember 30, 1997
RecordedJanuary 1997
StudioCriteria Studios (Miami, FL)
GenreFolk rock[1]
Length3:32
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Daniel Lanois
Time Out of Mind track listing
11 tracks
  1. "Love Sick"
  2. "Dirt Road Blues"
  3. "Standing in the Doorway"
  4. "Million Miles"
  5. "Tryin' to Get to Heaven"
  6. "'Til I Fell in Love with You"
  7. "Not Dark Yet"
  8. "Cold Irons Bound"
  9. "Make You Feel My Love"
  10. "Can't Wait"
  11. "Highlands"

It is one of the few songs to have achieved the status of becoming a "standard" in the 21st century, having been covered by more than 450 different artists.[2] The best known cover versions are ones by Adele, Michael Bolton, Neil Diamond, Elkie Brooks, Boy George, Bryan Ferry, Joan Osborne, Garth Brooks, Kelly Clarkson with Ben Platt,[2] Nick Knowles,[3] and Pink.[4]

Reception

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Spectrum Culture included the song on a list of "Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the 90s". In an article accompanying the list, critic John Paul described it thus:[5]

"Accompanied by a lone piano, ghostlike bass line and slightly woozy sounding organ playing sustained notes throughout, the arrangement of the song isn't terribly remarkable, the meat of the song itself relying on Dylan's surprisingly emotional read and jazz-like chord progression.

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matthew Wilkening rated "Make You Feel My Love" as the 7th best song Dylan recorded between 1992 and 2011, praising it as a "weary, textured masterpiece".[6]

A 2021 Guardian article included it on a list of "80 Bob Dylan songs everyone should know".[7]

Personnel

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Additional musicians

Live performances

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According to his official website, Dylan performed the song live over 300 times in concert between 1997 and 2019 on the Never Ending Tour.[8] A live version performed in Los Angeles in 1998 was released on Dylan's "Things Have Changed" CD single in 2000[9] and on The Bootleg Series Vol. 17: Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997).[10] The live debut occurred at Columbia Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina on November 2, 1997, and the last performance (to date) took place at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., on December 8, 2019.[11]

Cover versions

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Billy Joel version

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"To Make You Feel My Love"
 
Single by Billy Joel
from the album Greatest Hits Volume III
B-side
"Intro/Summer, Highland Falls"
ReleasedAugust 13, 1997 (1997-08-13)
Recorded1997 (1997)
GenreSoft rock
Length3:53
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Peter Asher
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"
(1994) 		"To Make You Feel My Love"
(1997) 		"Hey Girl"
(1997)

Billy Joel released his original version of the song, titled "To Make You Feel My Love", for his compilation album Greatest Hits Volume III (1997). It was released as the album's lead single and reached number 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[12] Joel's single pre-dated Dylan's release of the song by one month.

Chart history

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Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 90
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[14] 29
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 99
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 50
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[17] 9
US Billboard Hot Singles Sales 53

Hope Floats versions

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"To Make You Feel My Love"
 
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album Hope Floats: Music from the Motion Picture
ReleasedMay 18, 1998 (1998-05-18)
Recorded1998 (1998)
GenreCountry[2]
Length3:54
LabelCapitol Nashville
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Two Piña Coladas"
(1998) 		"To Make You Feel My Love"
(1998) 		"Burnin' the Roadhouse Down"
(1998)
"To Make You Feel My Love"
Song by Trisha Yearwood
from the album Hope Floats: Music from the Motion Picture
ReleasedApril 7, 1998 (1998-04-07)
Length2:57
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Don Was, Forest Whitaker

Garth Brooks covered the song as "To Make You Feel My Love" in 1998. It appeared on the soundtrack of the 1998 film Hope Floats, along with a cover version by Trisha Yearwood (whom Brooks would marry in 2005) as the first and last tracks. Yearwood's version would be the only version of the song on the soundtrack's 2007 reissue. It was included first as the bonus track on Fresh Horses for Brooks' first Limited Series box set and then included on all later pressings of that album. Brooks' version resulted in a nomination at the 41st Grammy Awards for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and a nomination for Bob Dylan for Best Country Song.

Charts

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Weekly charts
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Chart (1998) Peak
position
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[18] 22
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[19] 7
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[20] 8
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[21] 1
Year-end charts
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Chart (1998) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[22] 63
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[23] 22
US Country Songs (Billboard)[24] 32

Adele version

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"Make You Feel My Love"
 
Single by Adele
from the album 19
ReleasedOctober 27, 2008 (2008-10-27)
RecordedOctober 2007 (2007-10)
Length3:32
Label
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Jim Abbiss
Adele singles chronology
"Cold Shoulder"
(2008) 		"Make You Feel My Love"
(2008) 		"Water and a Flame"
(2009)
Music video
"Make You Feel My Love" on YouTube

In 2008, English singer-songwriter Adele recorded "Make You Feel My Love" for her debut studio album 19 (2008). It was released as the album's fourth and final single on October 27, 2008, both on CD and vinyl, originally peaking at number 26.[25]

Background

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"Make You Feel My Love" is the only cover version on 19; Adele either wrote or co-wrote all the other tracks.[26]

Although she did not want a cover version on her album, as she was worried it would imply she was incapable of writing enough of her own songs, she listened to the song under pressure from her manager, Jonathan Dickins and loved it.[26] She told the Huddersfield Daily Examiner:

I wrote nine songs in a short space of time, all about this awful relationship I was in. I never quite got down what I was really feeling in those songs, though. It wasn't that I was holding back or anything, but I just couldn't get it down. I was bitterly upset and then [Dickins] played me this Bob Dylan song 'Make You Feel My Love'. The lyrics are just amazing and summed up exactly what I'd been trying to say in my songs. It's about regretting not being with someone and it's beautiful. It's weird that my favourite song on my album is a cover, but I couldn't not put it on there. I'm not normally a Dylan fan either.[27]

Piano is played by Neil Cowley and Adele is credited with bass.[28]

Critical reception

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According to Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy, the version expresses Adele's affection for the song, "with just piano as backing, her dreamy, passionate vocals are allowed to shine".[29]

According to Dave Simpson of The Guardian, with her "hushed delivery", Adele makes the song "her own".[30]

In January 2013, Heart Radio listed Adele's recording as the UK's number one song of all time in its Hall of Fame Top 500.[31]

Chart performance

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Initially, the song only reached a peak of number 26, but found a new lease of life in 2010, two years after its release, following performances by several contestants on the seventh series of The X Factor. In September 2010, after it was performed by Annastasia Baker,[32] it re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 24. The song then surged to number 4 the following month after a second performance by Gamu Nhengu.[33][34] Following a third X Factor performance and heavy use in the Comic Relief 2010 television, it spent three more non-consecutive weeks in the top 10. Thanks to this newfound attention, "Make You Feel My Love" was the 48th biggest-selling song of 2010. In early 2011 the song returned to the top 40 again, at number 34, after it was used on the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent.

After years of trickle selling, "Make You Feel My Love" passed the million sales mark in the UK in 2017.[35]

Music video

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The song's music video features Adele singing the song in London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf.[citation needed] It was directed by Mat Kirkby.[36] As of June 2024, the music video has received over 190 million views on YouTube.[37]

Live performances

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On Friday, November 20, 2015, Adele sang the song during a BBC special, Adele at the BBC, hosted by talk show host Graham Norton. One segment of the show, which went viral,[38] featured a prank in which eight Adele impersonators were invited to audition at the Wimbledon Theatre for a nonexistent show.[39] Adele herself, disguised as a nanny named "Jenny", pretended to also be an Adele impersonator, and was the last one to sing. When she started singing "Make You Feel My Love", the other performers finally recognized her and realized they had been pranked.[40][41]

Usage in media

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Adele's version features in the soundtrack of the 2010 romantic comedy film When in Rome. Her cover version was also featured in the compilation album for the benefit of those affected by Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines entitled Songs for the Philippines.[42]

During a concert at London's O2 Arena on March 22, 2016, the day of the Brussels bombings, Adele dedicated a performance of the song to the victims of the attacks.[43]

In addition, Adele's video of the song, directed by Mat Kirby, was released on music channels in late September 2008 and continues to be featured on her website.[44]

List of recordings

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Digital download (version 1)

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" – 3:32[45]

Digital download (version 2)

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" – 3:32
  2. "Make You Feel My Love" (video) – 3:32

CD single

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" – 3:32
  2. "Painting Pictures" – 3:33

19 version

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" – 3:32

19 Deluxe version

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" (live at Hotel Cafe) – 3:52

Chimes of Freedom live version

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" (recorded live at WXPN) – 4:04

Live at the Royal Albert Hall live version

  1. "Make You Feel My Love" (Live) – 3:48

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[62] Gold  
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[63] Gold 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[64] 5× Platinum 400,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[65] Platinum 90,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[66] Platinum 50,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[67] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[68] 4× Platinum 2,400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[69] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Zemler, Emily (October 16, 2019). "Kelly Clarkson and Ben Platt Cover Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love'". Rolling Stone.
  2. ^ a b c Browne, David (October 28, 2019). "How Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love' Became a Modern Standard". Rolling Stone.
  3. ^ "I'm a Celebrity: Nick Knowles' kids love dad's budgie smugglers". BBC News. December 6, 2018.
  4. ^ Meredith, Karenna (March 16, 2020). "Pink Covered 'Make You Feel My Love,' and Her Performance Is a Beautiful Escape For Your Mind". PopSugar.
  5. ^ Read, Gardner; Burge, David; Badings, Henk; Penderecki, Krzysztof (March 1970). "A Song of Sixpence, for Soprano and Piano (1967)". Notes. 26 (3): 618. doi:10.2307/896896. ISSN 0027-4380. JSTOR 896896.
  6. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (May 24, 2011). "Top 10 Bob Dylan songs of the last 20 years (1992-2011)". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Docx, Edward (May 22, 2021). "Beyond Mr Tambourine Man: 80 Bob Dylan songs everyone should know". The Guardian.
  8. ^ "Make You Feel My Love". www.bobdylan.com. The Official Bob Dylan Site.
  9. ^ "2000". searchingforagem.com.
  10. ^ Murray, Robin (November 17, 2022). "Bob Dylan Announces 'Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  11. ^ "Setlists". The Official Bob Dylan Site.
  12. ^ "Billy Joel: Singles & EPs". AllMusic.
  13. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 146.
  14. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. September 22, 1997. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  15. ^ "Billy Joel – To Make You Feel My Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. ^ "Music: Top 100 - Billboard Hot 100". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary Chart - Billboard". Billboard. August 30, 1997.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7945." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. September 21, 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 3660." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 17, 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  20. ^ "Garth Brooks Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Garth Brooks Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  22. ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1998". RPM. December 14, 1998. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  23. ^ "1998 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-95. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  24. ^ "Best of 1998: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  25. ^ "MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE: Adele". Official Charts Company.
  26. ^ a b Quan, Denise (January 26, 2018). "Revisiting Adele's Breakthrough: '19' Turns 10". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
  27. ^ YorkshireLive (January 27, 2008). "Rapid rise to fame of teenage Adele". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Huddersfield. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  28. ^ Paskett, Zoe (September 29, 2016). "Neil Cowley: 'Adele's Hometown Glory only took one take to record'". Islington Gazette. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  29. ^ Fletcher, Alex (October 23, 2008). "Adele: 'Make You Feel My Love'". Digital Spy.
  30. ^ Simpson, David (April 15, 2011). "Adele – review". The Guardian.
  31. ^ "Adele wins Heart's best song of all time". Radio Today. January 2, 2013.
  32. ^ The X Factor UK (August 28, 2010). "Annastasia Baker's X Factor Audition (Full Version) - itv.com/xfactor". Archived from the original on September 1, 2010 – via YouTube.
  33. ^ Jones, Alan (October 3, 2010). "Music Week (October 3, 2010)". Buzzjack. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  34. ^ Copsey, Robert (September 29, 2010). "Adele enjoys 'X Factor' chart boost". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  35. ^ Copsey, Rob (September 19, 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  36. ^ ADELE - 'Make You Feel My Love' on YouTube
  37. ^ "ADELE - 'Make You Feel My Love' - YouTube". www.youtube.com. September 25, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  38. ^ Goodman, Jessica (November 24, 2015). "Adele impersonator interview: Talullah Windmill explains the BBC video". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adele at the BBC: When Adele wasn't Adele at all... but was Jenny!". BBC. November 20, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  40. ^ Saad, Nardine (November 24, 2015). "Adele gets a make-under for BBC Music special, pranks Adele impersonators". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  41. ^ "EXTENDED version of 'When Adele Wasn't Adele' - Adele: Live in London". BBC America. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 18, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  42. ^ Grow, Kory (November 26, 2013). "Beatles, Eminem, U2 Set for Philippines Benefit Album". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  43. ^ "Adele fans pay tribute to victims of Brussels attacks at London concert". BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. BBC. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  44. ^ "Make You Feel My Love". Adele website. Archived from the original on February 17, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  45. ^ "Adele: The full story". BBC News. February 26, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  46. ^ "Adele – Make You Feel My Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  47. ^ "Adele Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  48. ^ "Chart Search Results – European Hot 100 Singles 2010-10-16". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  49. ^ "Adele Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  50. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Make You Feel My Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  51. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Adele" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  52. ^ "Adele – Make You Feel My Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  53. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  54. ^ "Adele – Make You Feel My Love". Singles Top 100.
  55. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  56. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
  57. ^ "Digital Song Sales". Billboard.biz. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  58. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2009". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  59. ^ "Dutch Charts ... Single 2009". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved February 15, 2011.
  60. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  61. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2011". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  62. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2015". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  63. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  64. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love". Music Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  65. ^ "Danish single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  66. ^ "Italian single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Make You Feel My Love" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  67. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  68. ^ "British single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  69. ^ "American single certifications – Adele – Make You Feel My Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
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