"The Water is Wide" (traditional song)

This was recorded at Western Michigan University around the Spring of 1980. Me and my friends would play in the dorm's coffee house. If you listen close, you can hear the stereo blasting from a dorm down the hall; such was our "studio". This piece's arrangement is based on the Karla Bonoff version with James Taylor backing. I think Kathy does an acceptionally sweet job of singing, don't you? Enjoy!

Update!!! Please go see the wonderful animated version of our recording by abukhatar at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbVjDNwf71A

He did such a great job bringing a new vision to this song! I am very thankful for his efforts.

Lyrics:
~~~ The water is wide, I can-not cross o'er. And neither have I wings to fly. Give me a boat that can carry two, And both shall row, my love and I. O love is gentle and love is kind The sweetest flower When first it is new When love grows old and waxes cold And fades away like the morning dew. There is a ship and she sails a sea. She's loaded deep as deep can be But not as deep as the love I'm in And I know not how I sink or swim.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• water
• wide
• Eicher
• WMU
• James
• Taylor
• Karla
• Bonoff
• guitar
• singing
• song
• PhotoStory

[TheElementalStorm]

This is in my music book!But a different version.Kinda.  :/

[FlyingHorseKnuckles]

@TheElementalStorm Classic, well-loved songs like this get reinterpreted with every new generation.

[Blupanther519]

This song get's into your mind and won't leave. It's like a dream you cant wake up from. I love it!

[FlyingHorseKnuckles]

@Blupanther519 I have a dream I cannot wake from, but it involves Godzilla and a cheese log - go figure! Seriously, I know what you mean. Thanks!

[Blupanther519]

@FlyingHorseKnuckles -Have you seen the instrumental version by Mark Knofler in tribute to Chet Adkins? Haunting!!!!!!! Incidentaly both are my Guitar Gods. I play a pretty good lead guitar. R u a musician by chance?

[FlyingHorseKnuckles]

@Blupanther519 I just saw the video - pretty awesome. The distortion work surprisingly well. One of my mentors is Earl Klugh (who also played with Chet). I am a musician, guitar - self taught. Visit some of my other posts and you will see (try "Fine", one of my originals). Thank you for listening - and commenting! ~Jon

[saminaraja11]

~~~ The water is wide, I can-not cross o'er. And neither have I wings to fly. Give me a boat that can carry two, And both shall row, my love and I. O love is gentle and love is kind The sweetest flower When first it is new When love grows old and waxes cold And fades away like the morning dew. There is a ship and she sails a sea. She's loaded deep as deep can be But not as deep as the love I'm in And I know not how I sink or swim.

[unkonkrable]

I remember fondly my mother singing this to us before we fell asleep. I haven't heard anything more pure or profound since. I will be singing this to my kids.

[Blupanther519]

This is one of my favorite songs and I play the video quite a lot as a play-along with my guitar. I discovered the song by accident on a cassete of instrumental music I had purchased about 20 yrs ago. I was intrigued by the quiet mood listening to it created and I intend to request someone to sing it at my wake. What a way to be sent off !!!

[gaconnochie]

@Great88 The song is a version of an existing Scottish folk song called Waly Waly which itself is basically a shortened version of the much older Scottish Ballad called Sir James Douglas. The song was circulating in both the US and England so there were both English and American versions but the verse "the water is wide" does seemingly come from England.

[Blupanther519]

@ChessNutQueen I search all avenues of media in my pursuit of any and all versions of the songs I love and this one thrills me in almost all it's versions that I've found. Thanks for your input.

[ChessNutQueen]

@Blupanther519 - I first heard it on a British Production on PBS called Oliver's Travels (Alan Bates) about 20 yrs ago! Never forgot it. It's incredibly lovely & totally unforgettable! Then @ 11yrs ago a violinist played it at a funeral I went to....so thrilled to hear it again. She told me it was a trad'l Scottish folk song.....so cool. *x*

Queen Rocks!!!!!! So does this song! Love it!! Love Queen!! *-*