"Girl from the North Country" (occasionally known as
"Girl of the North
Country") is a song written
by Bob
Dylan. It was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in New
York City in April 1963, and released the following month as the
second track on Dylan's second studio
album, The Freewheelin' Bob
Dylan. Dylan re-recorded the song as a
duet with Johnny Cash in February 1969.
That recording became the first track
on Nashville Skyline, Dylan's ninth studio
album.
Live performances by Dylan appear on the
albums Real
Live (1984)
and The 30th
Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993). A
February 1964 performance for Canadian television was included on
the DVD release of Martin Scorsese's PBS television documentary on
Dylan, No Direction Home in
2005.
Origin of the
song[edit]
The song was written following his first trip
to England in December, 1962, upon what he thought to be the
completion of his second album. It is debated as to whom this song
is a tribute; some claim former girlfriend, Echo Helstrom, and
some Bonnie Beecher, both of
whom Dylan knew before leaving for New York. However, it is
suspected that this song could have been inspired by his then
girlfriend, SuzeRotolo. Dylan left England
for Italy to search for Suze, whose continuation of studies there
had caused a serious rift in their relationship. Unbeknownst to
Dylan, Rotolo had already returned to the United States, leaving
about the same time that Dylan arrived in Italy. It was here that
he finished the song, ostensibly inspired by the apparent end of
his relationship with Rotolo. Upon his return to New York in
mid-January, he convinced Rotolo to get back together, and to move
back into his apartment on 4th Street. Suze Rotolo is the woman
featured on the album cover, walking arm in arm with Dylan down
Jones Street, not far from their apartment.
While in London, Dylan met several figures in the local folk scene,
including English folksinger Martin Carthy. "I ran into some people in
England who really knew those [traditional English] songs," Dylan
recalled in 1984. "Martin Carthy, another guy named [Bob]
Davenport. Martin Carthy's incredible. I learned a lot of stuff
from Martin." Carthy exposed Dylan to a repertoire of traditional
English ballads, including Carthy's own arrangement of "Scarborough Fair," which Dylan drew
upon for aspects of the melody and lyrics of "Girl from the North
Country," including the line from the refrain "Remember me to one
who lives there, she once was a true love of mine". Musically, this
song is nearly identical to his composition "Boots of Spanish
Leather",[1] composed
and recorded one year later for the
album The Times They Are
a-Changin'.
Notable versions
Johnny Cash and
Joni Mitchell performed a duet of the song on The Johnny Cash
Show.[2]
Cash also recorded a duet with Dylan himself during their
February, 1969 recording session while Dylan was in Nashville for
Nashville Skyline. This version appears in the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook starring Bradley Cooper
and Jennifer Lawrence.乌云背后的幸福线
Tom Northcott's 1968 single charted in Canada.
Joe Cocker and Leon Russell performed the song on the 1970
live album Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
Leon Russell performed the song on his 1970 live album at the
Fillmore East.
Roy Harper recorded his version of the
traditional[clarification needed] song on his 1974 album
Valentine.
Rod Stewart also covered this song on his 1974 album
Smiler.
Eels perform a slowed down, live, acoustic version on Eels
with Strings: Live at Town Hall as well as The Myspace
Transmissions Session 2009.
Altan performed this song on their album Another Sky
Link Wray & his Ray Men put out a version in 1965.
Rosanne Cash included the song on her 2009 album The List,
which is based on a list of 100 country songs Johnny Cash
recommended to her as "essential."
Dear Nora released a cover on their 2003 split single with
Mates of State.
Dala recorded a live version on their 2010 Girls From the
North Country album.
Bruce Hornsby's recording of this song is featured on the NPR
Mountain Stage Best of Mountain Stage, Volume 6 album.
Sting covered the song for Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob
Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.[3]
Crosby, Stills & Nash released a live cover version of
this on their video and CD release, CSN 2012.
Neil Young released a cover of this song on his 2014 album A
Letter Home.[4]
Heather Masse of The Wailin' Jennys, Richard Kriehn of The
Guys All-Star Shoe Band, and Aoife O’Donovan covered the song on A
Prairie Home Companion on April 11, 2015.[5]
Lions recorded a cover for the Sons of Anarchy: North Country
- EP released in 2009.
John Waite covered the song on his 2004 album "The Hard
Way"[6]
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