Girl of the north country
(„The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”, 1963 Columbia)
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.
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.
Chords (Freewheelin' version): 
G 
C/g 
Em9 
D7/F# 
Em (Nashville skyline version:) G 
Bm(h) 
C (Real Live and most other live renditions:) G C/g 
”D” C Em
”Girl from the North Country” is a song written by Bob Dylan. It was first released in 1963 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 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 and The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration.
Released on Freewheelin' (1963) and in different versions on Nashville Skyline (1969) and Real Live (1984)
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. The song is a tribute to a former girlfriend, Echo Helstrom who Dylan knew before leaving for New York. Dylan left England for Italy to search for his then-girlfriend, Suze Rotolo, 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”,[citation needed] composed and recorded one year later for the The Times They Are A-Changin' album.
Released on Freewheelin' (1963) and in different versions on Nashville Skyline (1969) and Real Live (1984)