Well, I sat by her side and for a while I tried
To make that girl my wife
She gave me her best advice and she said
Go home and lead a quiet life
Well, I been to the east and I been to the west
And I been out where the black winds roar
Somehow though I never did get that far
With the girl from the Red River Shore
Red River Shore is an unheralded later day 8 verse love song from Dylan. Recorded during the sessions for his 1997 album Time Out of Mind, this song remained unreleased until it surfaced in the 2008 Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs. Why such a compelling piece of music was left in the vaults for over a decade is a mystery that continues to intrigue fans and critics alike. Also it was never performed live. I have listened to this song front to back, over and over and read it as a stand-alone poem. The song’s lyrics weave a poignant narrative of unfulfilled love and nostalgia, encapsulating a timeless quality. Every partaking feels like I’m drinking from the wellspring of a lost paradise; a mythical place called The Red River Shore. Consider the following in the illuminating article Red River Shore 1997 – My Year With Bob Dylan:
If you look closely at a traditional Persian rug, you will always find a mistake in the pattern. A shape might be missing the border along one edge. A horse motif might have five legs. This is deliberate, an expression of religious humility. Only God is perfect, the thinking goes, so it would be wrong to attempt to create a perfect pattern. There should always be a small, deliberate error.
The tradition is widespread in the Muslim world, but it originated in Judaism.
Maybe it is some nod to the faith of his fathers, then, that causes Bob Dylan to infuriate his fans and the musicians who play with him by, time after time, leaving the best song from a recording session off the subsequent album.
He left ‘Blind Willie McTell’ off Infidels. He left ‘Series of Dreams’ off Oh Mercy. He left ‘I Shall be Released’ off The Basement Tapes. And he left this song off Time Out of Mind.
‘Red River Shore’, as in so much of Dylan’s best work, takes bits and pieces of something traditional, combines and shapes them in new ways, and produces a song which is both authentic and new.
The mid-90s found Dylan grappling with the weight of his legacy and a changing music landscape. With Time Out of Mind, Dylan reclaimed his position as a vital voice in contemporary music, diving deep into themes of loss, longing, and existential reflection. The recording sessions for Time Out of Mind were famously intense, with producer Daniel Lanois fostering a moody, atmospheric soundscape that complemented Dylan’s introspective lyrics. Dylan faced a serious health scare just before its release in 1997. In May of that year, Dylan was hospitalized due to a life-threatening condition called histoplasmosis.
References:
1. Red River Shore 1997 – My Year With Bob Dylan
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
One of the good ones!:)
“Red River” surely sounds sweet. Dylan’s catalog is just mind-boggling. One can only imagine how many other unreleased treasures may still be hidden in his vaults.
I love the lyrics here.
There may still some unreleased treasures despite the release of 17 volumes of ‘Bootlegs’ as of 2023. Cheers Christian.
I have to admit…I don’t know this one…but of course I like it. I really like his voice in this.
Yes it seems new to some here. I loved it ever since I first heard it. I can’t help but immerse myself in his rich lyrics here. Also I can’t help but associate ‘Sara’ with ‘that girl’.
Yea I would bet it probably is.
There is a solid argument put forward as well in the reference within: ‘It seems to mean something, at first. But think it through, and understanding vanishes like a fish which has shaken the hook.
It is fitting then that towards the end of the song we learn that the girl may never have even existed.
It is a clever and smart song I agree…but that is what I expect from him.
Hey Max, if you have five minutes free check out this fan version of Red River Shore:
Oh man! This is sweet! A new one for me but I can see it becoming a favorite. Dylan is amazing. Thanks, Matt.
I just love letting his lyrics envelope me here. There are so many images which spring to mind. The song never feels repetitive despite there being no chorus. I’m elated I introduced you to this song and you liked it so.
If you get a chance hear this fandom song:
I loved it! Thanks for the share, Matt!
You’re welcome. It’s pretty cool isn’t it? Hehe
Love this song so much. Haunting, ethereal…..
Great descriptor words for this song! I couldn’t agree more. That’s my experience with it