pete townshend - north country girl (with eerie bits)

[Rockinravie]

Beautiful and brilliant..it just is.

[steelhorse64]

“Erie bits” , , , references the Who’s immortal Quadrophenia. The guitar riff is ‘I Am One’.

The singer contemplates how he has not really got much going for him , , , except for his true love, , a “North Country Girl”.

[macduflives]

Looks like Jagger playing drums! :)

[Freakster1970]

Real folk musicians don't need eerie bits Pete! Stick to the clumsy guitar playing your used to doing and that stooopid windmill.

[RnRanimal]

@jrushmen well done for pointing this out. I too greatly respect Bob Dylan and his work. But he drank deeply from the British well.

As for Pete, what a brilliant version. I wish he would tour with just an acoustic guitar(or two).

[GodspeedJoshua]

Bob Dylan is flat out, the greatest songwriter of all time.

[olafbigandglad]

@GodspeedJoshua ray davies gets my vote.

[sycamoresalmonpatty]

Whenever I hear Pete sing I remember being in my early twenties. His guitar and voice always gave me solace and made me feel like I wasn't alone- that someone else shared my feelings of love and loss. I love this rendition of Girl from the North Country, it has a dreamlike quality.

[TomCanaday]

I love Pete, but he simply doesn't touch Bob and Johnny on this one. Pete simply hasn't been to the north country fair and therefore he knows not how her hair's hangin' down.

[mylles23]

This is no disrespect to Bob Dylan but this song is hundreds of years old and most importantly.....He didn't write it ! So no one ripped it off. I truely enjoy so many artist' renditions of this song ! I came to Pete's site to listen to Pete's rendition. If I want to hear Roy Harper's,I go to Roy's site and so on and so on ! I like Bob Dylan very much but I must admit that I get vey tired of the infantile bitching that takes place about this song. It's such a beautiful song regardless who sings

[rerite2]

Pete. You rock.

[advokris]

Man this is beautiful. I like the Joe Cocker - Leon Russel version too.

[buggadugg]

83 comments so I did not look through. THIS IS NOT "North Country Girl". I wouldn't bother say but Pete does have a song by that name. This is Dylans song like he mentions. "Girl From North Country. But thanks for posting. It is a great one. I hear that "Eeri.

[koenan1]

I used to just leave this one on repeat when I was in high school. Another recording of this (I think a slightly better version) is available on the purple-covered "Pete Townshend: Live at the Maryville Academy"

I'd listen to My Generation and Won't Get Fooled during the day, and play this through the headphones at night - equally moved.

[aidanruben]

Listen a new young deep voice, making a lovely rendition of Dylan song, AIDAN ROMERO

[mylles23]

"Roy Harper did a version of North Country Girl based on a version done by Bob Dylan and I do a version based on the version done by Roy Harper!" Some people become "Tone Deaf" during this introduction and bash Pete for Ripping off ! I hate to buzz kill some people but Dylan "ripped it off" and put it on vinyl. The song is actually hundreds of years old.I happen to like everyone's version but this is Pete's stage and I think his eerie bits version is phenominal and I also like his studio version

[billykeene]

depth....... a song that reminds me of someone......when its sung by a pro it can still evoke that pain of missing her .......Have you loved like that? Have ya? Its tough to live without it....maybe its just tough to know its out there and has been out there but its not here now.

[rush622112]

Roy is Roy ..... Dylan is Dylan...... And Pete is Pete ! I don't give a crap for the debate of who sings the best. I've heard all the versions and I particularly like them all. With all due respect though this is Pete's stage and for me he does an incredible version. I think his studio version is also superb . When I want to hear Dylan , I go to Dylan and when I want to hear Roy , I go to Roy . And most importantly , I never leave disrespectful comments !

[grannynara]

I just love anything Pete Townshend does....

[eil33nann]

Haunting and sublime. God, so beautiful.

[RefinnejLincoln]

Beautiful Pete, she once was a true love of mine-

[sarniarocks]

Does anyone think that the intro sounds like the intro of "I'm One"? Cool...it's Pete. That's all that matters....

[Mickyfinn527]

@sarniarocks I think the first few bars of the intr is exactly it, until he hits that certain point.  But throughout the song, the picking is somewhat similar to 'I'm One'.

[dhloup1]

1:25-1:35

[edwards21416]

quite please genious at work

[edwards21416]

he should write some folk tunes or has he already?

[romu2222]

Pardon me, but what are exactly "eerie bits" ?

[colourscrash]

@romu2222 he's referring to the mood of the synth part.

[romu2222]

@colourscrash thanks ! a lot. It keeps its mystery and beauty anyway...

[joecoyote42]

This one of those magic pieces of music. That will sneak up on you and haunt you and you will remember that girl.

[joecoyote42]

This one of those magic pieces of music. That will sneak up on you and haunt you.

[Icix1]

Meh I really don't like when this song is covered...no one can capture the true dylan spirit

[reldditmot]

@Icix1 Harper nails it, I prefer the Harper version than the Dylan one, for me it has more feeling.

[knobheadsitonmyface]

Fantastic version of NCG.... thanks for posting

[RoxyBelle1960]

I love this song...and Townshend's voice...so soulful...moving...thank you for posting this...lovely.

[jrushmen]

I have a lot of respect for all the artists who have performed this song! So many various versions.This particular page has many great posts and insights-Thanks! It wasn't until I bought "All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes" that this song really caught my attention with Pete's particular style of it. I really enjoy this eerie bits version. But still all due respect to Dylan , Roy Harper , and the rest !

[spinalCJ]

every year is the same, and i feel it again, the loser, no chance to win.

[FarmerFred6969]

@spinalCJ Thanks for pointing that out there is a little of that riff in there of I'M One.

[SoulGer69]

I could listen to Pete Townshend endlessly. The man is simply a legend.

[EuchridEucrow1]

There are always going to be people who prefer the simplicity of Dylan or Harper's version of"North Country Girl".

Me, I like the little touches of creativity Pete adds here and there (the slow strings, the hammer ons in the chord progression etc.). That's what separates a composer from a songwriter.

[colourscrash]

i'm with you. and i appreciate your insightful comments!

[deafflylii1]

Fair point. Roy is brilliant though. It is about time these old timers got the airplay we need. The crap we have to put up with!

[SonnySkies]

@EuchridEucrow1 erm, but roy harpers version HAS the slow strings and the hammer on's in the chord progression. this is pretty much a carbon copy of roy harper's version.

[666767]

@EuchridEucrow1 thare all nice

[deafflylii1]

Roy, it has to be said is the genius. This is nothing like Roy's version. The heart is lacking from it, though he makes a good stab at it. You only have to know Roy to know who the lost English genius is.

[jazzfolkrocker]

the chord structure's reinterpretation sounds very much like "kathy's song" by paul simon.

[666767]

its a acoustic movement mate

[est3inb3rg]

Listen to I'm One, by the who, and Man in A purple dress

[videoportfolio]

These same lyrics can actually be found in Simon and Garfunkels Scarborough Fair/Canticle. It is an old song that is done in many forms.

"for she once was a true love of mine"

[FarmerFred6969]

@videoportfolio Dylan published it in 1963. I have heard it might be about Bonnie Beecher.

[RachelGrande1]

Just fucking beautiful..'nuff said!

[ricardog1975]

Beautiful version of a beautiful song.

[Gooseberry51]

One of my all time hero's.. he is so f* great.

[bobgreen623]

Love this Pete, thanks also for checking Roy repeatedly, the man (Roy Harper) is a largely unsung near-genius and fantastic guitarist/songwriter.

I love the fact that even on a relatively gentle and beautiful song like this Pete just can't... keep... still...! Great energy channeled into a wonderful performance and I love those eerie bits too.

[nyjetstowshend]

he should release this on record with more acoustic stuff because this is just beutiful. what a grate love song

[thatkidnamedjimi]

listen to Bob Dylan's

Boots of Spanish Leather

:)

[Karen9084]

so beautiful, it makes me weep

[TSaxman74]

You and me both.

The eerie bits are the hum of an orange Vega the highway. Or the railroad tracks rattling nearby. Or both.

[DruidBikiniWacks]

The eerie bits are the hum of a heart that wisely cuts its losses, at the vena cava.

[TSaxman74]

I think the eerie bits are the echoing reverberations of love, across time, space and all other complicated obstacles.

[Thunderklok]

@TSaxman74 ---How high were you when you typed this?

[TSaxman74]

Sorry about the personal profundity. At least my grammar and syntax are adequate.

[Thunderklok]

Thumbs up, by me, of course. Music moves us all, it simply read funny to me in the middle of the night....

[whubel]

I prefer the Dylan/Cash

[thewordofgord]

nice job pete! lovely keyboards jon carin! great thing about Mr Townsend is that he often says wonderful things between songs. There wouldn't be a lot of Harper fans at Woodstock 98, but Pete lets the cat outta the bag quite deliberately and does a lovely hommage to boot.

god bless you sir!

wordofgord

[mazakman1957]

It may seem odd to some but I wish there were a way to mix Dylan's cut with this one...

[capricious71]

Sounds like "I'm One" (Quadrophenia) at the beginning.

[joewithteeth]

its the same intro. its cool though

[Echo630]

HEY: the whole essence of folk ballads is that they are passed on orally and are often subject to change, and that is PERFECTLY acceptable. Bob Dylan did nothing with Scarborough Fair that anyone else hadn't done with any other ballad before.

[ejgiv]

This was an old English folks ballad the Dylan (Zimmermann) ripped off and called his own.

[EuchridEucrow1]

I like both versions, but the studio take from "All Cowboys..." is much more Pete Townshend (it has that catchy little D Dsus2 riff).

[Icix1]

when the strings come in it gets super epic

[medulalumosa]

I like this version a lot, but I have to say that the studio version is somehow better -more folk-ish.

[wbiro]

great song- first listen for me- and good performance (singing and guitar work) I think some low drums with dynamics by a skilled, playful drummer would have been nice, to offset (and thereby enhance) the sad tone of the piece...

[jonasjar]

This was really good! Thanks a ton Pete, for not adding drums!! :)

[nkerio]

He's got a beautiful tenor.

[callicolady]

my God...what a beautiful song

[ukleeham]

The start sounds like I'm One a lottle bit :D

[colourscrash]

yes, quite similar chords and picking pattern!

[reldditmot]

@ukleeham Hadn't noticed that before..

[alcest35]

Really nice. I had totally forgotten that Pete did a version of this song. I used to listen to it all the time when Chinese Eyes first came out. This has always been one of my favorite Dylan tunes, done by so many diverse artists, but this is a really beautiful version. Thanks for posting it.

[timcons]

In the darkness of my night.

In the brightness of my day.

[thewordofgord]

thanks colourscrash,

this is just lovely; had no idea Pete did this one. you gotta hand it to him, his heart's always in the right place...most of that crowd wouldn't know Harper at all.

Reminds me of Pete's solo version Of "No Face No Name No Number" at thew Jim Capaldi tribute.

the word of gord

[alexvokes]

It's a pity Roy Harper's version is not available - (yet)........This is great though

[pontepolentepontepi]

beautiful ... yes beautiful !

[2rainbowed]

Never heard Townshend play acousic music before. Beautiful. Thank you.

[unclealbert72]

Just beautiful...wow.

I've loved Roy Harper's version but this version is so colorful.

I actually have tears.