Keith Richards’ Hot Take On Bob Dylan “Girl from the North Country”

“Girl from the North Country” by Bob Dylan is a timeless folk classic. The song was first included on Dylan’s 1963 album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. In 1969, it was reworked as a duet with Johnny Cash on Nashville Skyline. Although many people adore the Cash duet, Keith Richards, the guitarist for the Rolling Stones, has good reasons for preferring the original solo version.

Two Timeless Versions of the Classic Song

The duet between Dylan and Cash is iconic. Two legends, one beautifully written song—it’s no surprise that many fans and critics see it as the best version. But not Richards. In a 2011 Rolling Stone feature, he explained why Dylan’s solo take hits harder for him. Richards said:

“In the lyrics and the melody, there is an absence of Bob’s later cutting edge.
“There’s none of that resentment. He recorded it again later with Johnny Cash, but I don’t think it’s a duet song. Bob got it right the first time.”

Why Richards Loves the Original

For Richards, the song is more than just a favorite—it represents a turning point in American music. “While the British Invasion was going on, Bob Dylan was the man who really pulled the American point of view back into focus,” he shared.

He praised the song’s roots in folk tradition, saying, “At the same time, he had been drawing on Anglo-Celtic folk songs, and that’s certainly true of ‘Girl from the North Country.’ It’s got all the elements of beautiful folk writing without being pretentious.”

A Folk Trilogy in Disguise?

Richards also made an interesting connection, grouping the song with two other Dylan tracks: “Boots of Spanish Leather” and “To Ramona.” He explained:

“The guitar picking is almost the same lick in ‘Boots of Spanish Leather’ and ‘Girl from the North Country.’ It’s like an extension of the same song.”

Whether you love the solo version or prefer the duet, one thing’s clear: Dylan’s folk ballad still strikes a chord—and for Keith Richards, it’s the one that rings the truest.