Buy on Bandcamp: "Twisted Roots & Twisted Highways"
https://chriso1.bandcamp.com/track/the-north-country
https://chriso1.bandcamp.com/album/twisted-roots-twisted-highways

Old Irish lyrics from the 1800's or before, set to a contemporary instrumental. (My love she comes from the North Countrie. Martin Kirwan composed and played the instrumental (guitar, shruti, sitar) https://soundcloud.com/martkirwan

Chris O re-arranged & re-wrote the lyrics and vocal melody & added some  bits and bobs to the instrumental (slide guitar, vocals, whistle). Original Lyrics collected in the early 1800's - Southern Ireland (but this sounds like an English song, Shakespeare was writing about this stuff in his sonnets).

Here's Martin's original instrumental that inspired this song to be born:
https://soundcloud.com/martkirwan/last-of-the-leaves

My love she comes from the North Countrie (original version ~ pre 1860)

My love she was born in the north countrie
Where hills and lofty mountains rise up from the sea;
She's the fairest young maiden that e'er I did see,
She exceeds all the maids in the north countrie.

My love is as sweet as the cinnamon tree;
She clings to me close as the bark to the tree;
But the leaves they will wither, the roots will decay,
And fair maidens' beauty will soon fade away.

Twisted Roots & Twisted Highways

The North Country ~ Chris O & Martin Kirwan (Trad. Arr. Okunbor & Kirwan)

Chris, hailing  from North West  Tasmania in Australia, is a singer-songwriter who pens originals, and  plays vintage music the way it used to be.  Her mashup of  Folk, Blues,  &  Americana  draws on a lifetime of  encounters with places, people, and the magic of nature;  echoing  a multitude of  global grassroots traditions. 
Traveling around carrying her “band” like a pack pony ~ lap-slide, banjo, uke, as well as a few plain ole guitars, she  regularly performs in Australia and Europe.
Growing up in Merseyside, England, Chris was exposed to the vibrant music scene of the late 60’s and 70’s,  and her music is has been influenced by  traditional folk, country blues, and  world music .
In 2016 she represented her State at the International Blues Challenge & National Women in Blues Showcase in Memphis,  and her second album,  “Wailin’ & Raggin’ the Blues” was  a   finalist for “Best Self-produced CD with the Blues Foundation , USA.  Her third album, “Twisted Roots & Twisted Highways” was  a finalist for Blues & Roots Radio Album of the Year in 2018.
www.chrisokunbor.net

The North Country ~ Chris O & Martin Kirwan (Trad. Arr. Okunbor & Kirwan)

Chris O (2)