A traditional ballad from the British Isles and Newfoundland, recorded by Dylan for Self Portrait with strings added afterwards.
The words
A returning young man tests his sweetheart's faithfulness while in disguise, then reveals himself when she stays true.
The song tells an old ballad story: a man meets a young woman by the shore and, without saying who he is, asks for her hand. She refuses, explaining that she is waiting for her own love, who has been away. Satisfied of her loyalty, he reveals that he is that very man. Dylan sings it slowly and tenderly, with a lush string arrangement that some listeners found surprising.
A traditional song
Lyrics on bobdylan.com ↗Listen and watch
The words
A returning young man tests his sweetheart's faithfulness while in disguise, then reveals himself when she stays true.
The song tells an old ballad story: a man meets a young woman by the shore and, without saying who he is, asks for her hand. She refuses, explaining that she is waiting for her own love, who has been away. Satisfied of her loyalty, he reveals that he is that very man. Dylan sings it slowly and tenderly, with a lush string arrangement that some listeners found surprising.
A traditional song
Lyrics on bobdylan.com ↗The same year · 1970
Read onMusicBrainz ↗