"Make You Feel My Love," also called "To Make You Feel My Love," is a song written by Bob Dylan for his album Time Out of Mind, which was released in September 1997. The song was first sold commercially in August 1997 as part of Billy Joel's compilation album Greatest Hits Volume III.
This song is one of the few from the 21st century to become a "standard," meaning it has been performed by more than 450 different artists. Well-known versions of the song include those by Adele, Michael Bolton, Neil Diamond, Elkie Brooks, Boy George, Bryan Ferry, Joan Osborne, Garth Brooks, Nick Knowles, and Pink.
Reception
Spectrum Culture listed the song in its article titled "Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the 90s." In the same article, critic John Paul described the song in this way:
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matthew Wilkening ranked "Make You Feel My Love" as the 7th best song Dylan recorded between 1992 and 2011. He called it "a weary, textured masterpiece."
A 2021 article in The Guardian included the song in a list titled "80 Bob Dylan songs everyone should know."
Live performances
According to Dylan's official website, he performed the song live more than 300 times during concerts from 1997 to 2019 as part of the Never Ending Tour. A live recording from a 1998 performance in Los Angeles was included on Dylan's "Things Have Changed" CD single in 2000 and on The Bootleg Series Vol. 17: Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997). The first live performance of the song took place at Columbia Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina, on November 2, 1997. The most recent performance (as of now) occurred at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., on December 8, 2019.
Cover versions
Billy Joel released the original version of the song "To Make You Feel My Love" on his compilation album Greatest Hits Volume III in 1997. The song was the first single from the album and reached number 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Joel's version came out one month before Bob Dylan released his own version of the song.
Garth Brooks performed the song as "To Make You Feel My Love" in 1998. It was included on the soundtrack of the 1998 film Hope Floats, along with a version by Trisha Yearwood, who later married Brooks in 2005. Yearwood's version was the only one included on the 2007 reissue of the soundtrack. Brooks' version was also added as a bonus track on his album Fresh Horses and later included on all future pressings of the album. Brooks' performance earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and Dylan's song received a nomination for Best Country Song.
In 2007, English singer Adele recorded "Make You Feel My Love" for her debut album 19, which was released in 2008. The song was the fourth and final single from the album, released on October 27, 2008, on CD and vinyl. It initially reached number 26 on the charts.
"Make You Feel My Love" is the only cover song on 19. Adele wrote or co-wrote all the other tracks on the album. Adele was unsure about including a cover song, fearing it might suggest she could not write her own music. However, she listened to the song at her manager's request and decided to record it.
The song was performed by Neil Cowley on piano, and Adele played bass. Critics praised Adele's version for its emotional delivery and the use of piano as the only instrument. In 2013, Heart Radio named Adele's version the number one song of all time in the UK's Hall of Fame Top 500.
The song first reached number 26 on the charts but gained popularity again in 2010 after being performed on The X Factor. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 24 and later reached number 4. The song was also featured in the 2010 film When in Rome and on a compilation album to support those affected by Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
In 2016, Adele performed the song at London's O2 Arena on the day of the Brussels bombings and dedicated it to the victims. The music video, filmed at the London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf and directed by Mat Kirkby, has received over 200 million views on YouTube as of January 2025.
Adele performed the song during a BBC special in 2015, where she disguised herself as a nanny named "Jenny" and joined eight impersonators for a prank. Her version was also released in different formats, including live recordings and video versions.