"Girl from the North Country"

 Girl from the North Country 

Bob Dylan with Suze Rotolo (the Girl from the North Country)

This is a much-covered song originally written and recorded by Bob Dylan back in 1963. At the time he had just arrived in England and was soaking up folk music culture. If you compare both the tune and lyrics you see an astonishing similarity to the folk standard, “Scarborough Fair”, later recorded so definitively by Simon and Garfunkel.

Dylan's motivation for this song was a break up with his girlfriend of the time, Suze Rotolo - he was desperate to reunite with her.  Dylan left England for Italy to search for Rotolo, whose continuation of studies there had caused a serious rift in their relationship.

"Unbeknownst to Dylan, she had already returned to the United States, leaving about the same time that he arrived in Italy. It was there 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 persuaded her to get back together, and to move back into his apartment on 4th Street. Rotolo is the woman featured on the album cover, walking arm in arm with Dylan down Jones Street, not far from their apartment.” (Wikipedia).

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Personally I find the folk versions anaemic: I am much more taken with Walter Trout's full-on blues version: a heartfelt, poignant vocal performance, with guitar work of lacerating sadness. It sounds like he has been there too.

Wikipedia tells us that: “Between 1981 and 1984, Walter Trout was the lead guitarist in Canned Heat. He toured with them extensively in the US, Europe, and Australia. From 1984 to 1989, he was the lead guitarist in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers following in the footsteps of guitarists such as Peter Green and Eric Clapton. Trout recorded and toured with the Bluesbreakers worldwide.” 

Who would have thought you could make yourself a solid global - if niche - reputation with such an unusual and perhaps risible name,  self mockingly referenced in the superlative live album, “No More Fish Jokes”.

So I've taken to listening quite a bit to Walter Trout's extensive body of work. I rate him higher than the very accomplished Joe Bonamassa, not least for the authenticity and emotion of his performances.

Perhaps we all, in our most private memories, recall a girl from the north country: (not all of them were ephemeral...).

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This is Clare in watercolour, wearing a coat so warm: from the north country of Liverpool, but here pictured in the Memorial Amphitheatre,  Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA in a chilly January, 2002.

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Lyrics

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

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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

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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.

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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

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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