542. Go 'Way From My Window (John Jacob Niles)

Folksinger and musicologist, John Jacob Niles claimed to have composed this song when he was 16 years old, but did not perform it until 1930.

It has been recorded by many singers, including Harry Belafonte, Marlene Dietrich and Linda Ronstadt.

Niles was one of the many influences on Bob Dylan, as can be seen in this extract from Chronicles: "I listened a lot to a John Jacob Niles record, too. Niles was nontraditional, but he sang traditional songs. A Mephistophelean character out of Carolina, he hammered away at some harplike instrument and sang in a bone chilling soprano voice. Niles was eerie and illogical, terrifically intense and gave you goosebumps. Definitely a switched-on character, almost like a sorcerer. Niles was otherworldly and his voice raged with strange incantations. I listened to 'Maid Freed from the Gallows' and 'Go Away From My Window' plenty of times."

Dylan refers to this song in the first line of his song, "It Ain't Me, Babe".

I try to sing it here something like the way Niles did it. Some people will find it a bit too weird!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• america
• countertenor
• bob
• dylan
• it
• ain't
• me
• babe

[Phewson60]

BRAVOO !! BRAVOOO !!! WONDERFUL !!!! SO HEARTFELT.. I can feel that you have an emotional bond with this song. Just wonderful :)

[raymondcrooke]

@Phewson60 Thanks. I'm glad you liked it.

[mtsongs]

good on ya raymond

jj niles is some singer

[raymondcrooke]

@mtsongs Not to everyone's taste, but I really like his style.

[cailleachthehag]

Love this song, and have been listening to a bunch of the versions. I so absolutely love what you wrote about John Jacob Niles very eloquent. It looks like he used a bunch of different stringed instruments through out his career. It's going to be fun figuring out what they are called, if they aren't all just custom made.

[raymondcrooke]

@cailleachthehag Probably the part you are referring to is the quote from Bob Dylan. I think most of the accompaniment I've heard has been the dulcimer. He's certainly a unique figure on the American folk scene.

[cailleachthehag]

@raymondcrooke Oops! I did not notice it was a quote. Thanks for setting it straight.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for your advice,

[teledestiny]

the first high note in each verse is supposed to be minor.

so if you are in E its G-natural and THEN G-sharp.

also, there are more than two chods in this song.

[raymondcrooke]

I actually like his very unusual style. I wouldn't attempt to sing many songs in this way though.