Bob Dylan wrote it. Billy Joel sang it first. Adele made it a global anthem.
It’s rare. Usually, a song belongs to one person, one voice, one specific moment in time. But To Make You Feel My Love is different. It’s a shapeshifter. Since it first appeared on Dylan’s 1997 album Time Out of Mind, it has been covered by over 450 different artists. Think about that number for a second. That is a staggering amount of musical interpretation for a song that’s barely thirty years old.
Why? Honestly, it’s because the song is fundamentally "unfussy."
The lyrics don’t try to be clever. They don’t use complex metaphors or abstract Dylan-esque imagery about chrome pipes or desolation rows. It’s a direct, almost desperate plea. When you hear those opening chords, you know exactly where you’re going. It’s a journey through the heavy lifting of loving someone who isn’t quite ready to be loved back yet.
The Dylan Origin and the Joel Pivot
Most people assume Adele wrote it. She didn't.
Bob Dylan recorded it in early 1997 during the sessions for Time Out of Mind, an album widely considered his big "comeback" to relevance. But here’s the weird part: Billy Joel actually released his version before Dylan’s album even hit the shelves. Joel included it on his Greatest Hits Volume III.
Joel’s version is... fine. It’s very Billy Joel. It’s got that polished, New York piano man vibe. It reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. It did okay. But it didn't have the grit.
Then Dylan’s version came out. It’s haunting. Dylan’s voice by 1997 was basically a collection of gravel and cigarette smoke, and that’s exactly what the song needed. While Joel made it sound like a nice Valentine's Day card, Dylan made it sound like a man standing outside in the rain, literally "crawling down the avenue" because he has nothing left.
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Why Adele’s Version Changed Everything
Fast forward to 2008. A young singer from North London named Adele Adkins is putting together her debut album, 19.
Her manager suggested the song. Adele reportedly hated the idea at first. She thought it was too "cheesy" or didn't fit her vibe. But she eventually sat down and recorded it, and the rest is basically history.
What Adele did to To Make You Feel My Love was simplify it even further. She stripped away the production. She leaned into the vulnerability of her own youth. When she sings "the shadows are falling," you believe her. It’s not just a cover; it’s a reclamation.
Her version peaked at number 4 in the UK, but its longevity is what’s truly insane. It stayed on the charts for years. It became the go-to song for every televised singing competition from The X Factor to American Idol. If you can’t sing this song, you basically can’t get a record deal in the 2010s. That’s the unwritten rule.
The Garth Brooks Factor
We can't talk about this song without mentioning the 1998 film Hope Floats. Garth Brooks covered it for the soundtrack.
It was a massive country hit. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot Country Solo chart. This is the moment the song proved it was genre-agnostic. It worked as a folk song, a pop ballad, and a country anthem. It didn't matter if you were wearing a cowboy hat or a leather jacket; the sentiment remained bulletproof.
The Anatomy of the Lyrics
What makes the writing so effective? It’s the "nothing else" factor.
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- "I’d go hungry"
- "I’d go black and blue"
- "I’d go crawling down the avenue"
These aren't poetic flourishes. They are physical, painful actions. Dylan writes about love as a form of endurance. The world is "on your case" and the "storms are raging on the rolling sea." The song sets up a massive, hostile universe and then positions the singer as a shield.
It’s a bit masochistic, isn't it?
Actually, that’s why it resonates. Real love isn't just sunshine. Sometimes it’s just staying present when things are terrible. The line "I could make you happy, make your dreams come true" is the only "positive" promise in the song, and it’s tucked away at the very end of a list of sacrifices.
Why Artists Keep Coming Back to It
Musically, the song is a gift to singers.
The melody is incredibly intuitive. It follows a standard chord progression that feels familiar even if you’ve never heard it before. This "familiarity" is a psychological trick. It makes the listener feel safe.
Because the structure is so sturdy, it allows for massive vocal expression.
Pink did a version. Bryan Ferry did a version. Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Ane Brun—they all took a swing. Some went for the power-ballad belt. Others, like Ane Brun, went for a whispery, Scandinavian folk approach. The song didn't break. You can’t break a song this well-built.
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The Hidden Complexity
Despite the simple lyrics, the bridge provides a necessary shift in perspective.
"The storms are raging on the rolling sea / And on the highway of regret."
That "highway of regret" is a classic Dylanism. It reminds us that this isn't a song for teenagers. It’s a song for people who have messed up. It’s for people who have a history. When you realize the narrator is likely an older person looking back at a lifetime of mistakes, the offer of "To Make You Feel My Love" becomes much more poignant. It’s an apology as much as it is a promise.
The Cultural Impact and Discoverability
If you look at search trends, people aren't just looking for the lyrics.
They’re looking for "who wrote To Make You Feel My Love" because it sounds like a song that has existed forever. It sounds like a traditional hymn or a folk standard from the 1800s.
That’s the ultimate achievement in songwriting. To write something that feels like it wasn't "written," but rather "discovered."
It has appeared in countless TV shows, from Smallville to Grey's Anatomy. It’s the quintessential "sad scene" song. But it also dominates wedding playlists. It’s one of the few tracks that can play at a funeral and a wedding and feel equally appropriate in both settings. That is a very narrow needle to thread.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
If you’ve only ever heard the Adele version, you’re missing out on the full story of this masterpiece. To truly appreciate the song, you should listen to the versions in a specific order to see how the "DNA" of the track evolved.
- Start with the Dylan original. Listen to the 1997 Time Out of Mind recording. Pay attention to the organ and the grit in his voice. It feels like a late-night confession.
- Move to the Garth Brooks version. Notice how the steel guitar changes the emotional texture. It becomes more about "home" and "steadfastness" than Dylan’s "desperation."
- Check out Ane Brun’s cover. This is the one that proves the song works as a haunting, minimalist art piece.
- End with Adele at the Royal Albert Hall. Watch the live performance. You’ll see thousands of people singing every word. It’s the moment the song officially became part of the global collective consciousness.
Ultimately, the song works because it’s a universal truth packaged in 150 words. We all want someone to go to the ends of the earth for us. And, occasionally, we want to be the person brave enough to say we’d do the same.