'Bob went away to...Italy and in the time he was away...he wrote 'Girl From The North Country', cause he came back and he said "I've got a song to play you." It was at the Troubadour, and he started to play, and he had that little guitar thing that I play in "Scarborough Fair". He was singing the song and he went into this figure and he just burst out laughing...and he wouldn't do the rest of it. He went all red.'
Martin Carthy
Bob's first love song and maybe his finest. The song may have been written for a number of women in Bob's life and that mystery may never be solved, but what remains is the strength and beauty of this magnificent song.
Well, if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she’s wearing a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin’ winds
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
If it rolls and flows all down her breast.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
That’s the way I remember her best.
I’m a-wonderin’ if she remembers me at all
Many times I’ve often prayed
In the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day
So if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Scarborough Fair, the original song it is derived from, written by Martin Carthy, is a song of magnitude as well.
Here's Simon & Garfunkel's timeless rendition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWu6ney5hYQBob's performed this song all throughout his career and there are so many great ones, both officially and un-officially, to talk about.
There's Freewheelin' of course which could never be topped.
Here's a 1964 television version of that original:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtcxn_ ... ry-1_musicJohnny Cash once gave his daughter Roseanne a list of 100 essential songs to cover and this was of course on there. Of course there's Bob & Johnny's lovely duet from Nashville Skyline and of course later on The Johnny Cash Show:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 450371966#Johnny performed it again on his show with Joni Mitchell and it was even better IMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1QO0jQ0PB0Of course there's also Bob's wistful version on 1984's Real Live & the oh so forgettable version from 1992's 30th Anniversary Celebration.
And for me personally, I have many favorites from the NET, so many lovely, powerful version all throughout the years, but one stands a hair above the rest for me and it's from that golden year of 1998.
In a rare year of only 5 performances of the song, I think the first from Madison Square Garden is the loveliest, most breathtaking version I've ever heard from the man...
New York City
January 20 1998
http://www.sendspace.com/file/2v0bw1Does anyone else have some great favorite versions? Any thoughts or stories about the song? Anyone care to possibly comment on who the "Girl" just may be??
Regardless, let's hear some love for this gorgeous gem of a song:)