Video Du Jour: Miley Cyrus

Why Miley Cyrus? Well, today marks the release of Chimes of Freedom, a 4-CD, 76-song set featuring various artists doing the songs of Bob Dylan. It’s all to benefit Amnesty International, the human rights organization, on the occasion of its 50-year anniversary.

The likes of My Morning Jacket, Tom Morello, Ziggy Marley, Flogging Molly, Joan Baez, Maroon 5, Queens of the Stone Age, Steve Earle and many more show up for this event, which makes one wonder why they chose Hannah Montana doing “You’re Going To Make Me Lonesome When You Go” as the first video. Some people are saying they love this, others claim she defiles the song. You decide. (By the way, Amnesty International points out that at age 19, Cyrus is the youngest artist here while the oldest, at age 92, is Pete Seeger. Of course.)

Highlights include Johnny Cash duetting from the grave with the Avett Brothers on “One Too Many Mornings,” Mexican pop star Ximena Sariñana emoting “I Want You,” Paul Rodgers and Nils Lofgren settling into “Abandoned Love” and My Morning Jacket sounding for all the world like Rick Danko and his Band mates from Woodstock. The jury’s still out on stuff like Ke$ha, rasping her way through “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” which has earned her some good press – but I don’t hear it.

Go here to listen to all 76 songs. You can buy individual tracks on iTunes – which may be a good idea – and Starbucks is supposedly putting out a truncated 2-CD version for the overcaffeinated ADD freaks among us.

YouTube: “You’re Going To Make Me Lonesome When You Go” by Miley Cyrus and Johnzo West

Amnesty International USA official website