Lyr Req: Portland Girl

Subject: Portland Girl
From:
Date: 11 Nov 00 - 09:01 PM

Help! Does anyone know the lyrics to "Portland Girl".

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Margo
Date: 11 Nov 00 - 11:27 PM

Sometimes telling a bit about the song can help to jog memories... like what is it about? Margo

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: The Shambles
Date: 12 Nov 00 - 04:02 AM

There is this one in the DT? THE LEAN AND UNWASHED TIFFY

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: The Shambles
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 07:50 PM

I assume not. Having married a Portland girl ("Portland girls are raving beauties"), I would be interested in the answer to this one.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Dale Rose
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 01:06 AM

I have a recording of Portland Girl, done in Mountain View, Arkansas a few years ago. Arkie may know more of the origins of the song. I will contact him and alert him to this thread.

The song starts out I met a little girl in Portland, boys, like you have never seen, eyes as blue as the deep blue sea. The lyrics also contain the "blow the candle out" theme.

I hope this jogs the memories of others who may know the song as well.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 01:45 PM

Could this be Portland Girl by New Riders of the Purple Sage?

"We pulled out of Portland town,almost right on time
The little girl that I had met,well her I left behind"

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: harpmolly
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 03:26 PM

er, um...

I'm assuming the song doesn't refer to Portland, Oregon *g*

The *other* Portland girl ;)

Subject: Lyr Add: PORTLAND GIRL
From: Dale Rose
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 06:51 PM

PORTLAND GIRL
from the singing of Jody Nelson, Mountain View, Arkansas

I met a little girl in Portland, boys, like you have never seen
Eyes as blue as the deep blue sea and hair like a raven queen
She told me that she loved me, that she would faithful be
I would find her waiting when I returned from sea. (or just return?)

She told me that she loved me, that she would faithful be
She put a candle in her window for all the world to see
She'd light it every evening, she'd light it just for me
She'd light that candle every night when I returned from sea.

When I got back to Portland, boys, it's as I said before
She had a candle in the window, and she was waitin' by the door
I took her in my arms, boys, I had no fear to doubt (fear or doubt/fear nor doubts?)
I rolled her in my arms, boys, and I blew the candle out.

I like her good behavior, and I like her easy ways
I cannot sleep contented, for the night seems like a day (like a daze?)
But when this trip is over, I'll sail no more, I'm bound (? about I'm bound)
I'm going back to Portland, boys, and she'll become my wife.

And when she has a baby boy, she'll name him after me
She'll keep him neat and kiss him and rock him on her knee
But when this trip is over, I'll sail no more, I'm bound
I'm going back to Portland, boys, to blow the candle out.

I'm going back to Portland to blow the candle out.

This is pretty close to what Jody was singing on her tape, which was released about 1995 when she was about 15. (Semi-educated guess) Any errors I might have would be minor. I placed a few questions that I still have in parentheses.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Dale Rose
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 10:37 AM

Oldtimemusic1 asked later in another thread, and gave the line I met a little girl in Portland boys, like you have never seen. Eyes as blue as the deep blue sea, and hair like a raven's wing....

He is right about the raven's wing phrase ~~ that IS what Jody is singing, though I obviously didn't hear it as well as I should have. Makes better sense, though it doesn't rhyme as well. We still could use some help if anyone else knows it.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: harpgirl
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 11:34 AM

Hi Dale, Does that come from the website with all the Arkansas/Missouri singers on it? Have you got that url handy? I don't have it bookmarked on my office computer and right now I don't feel like working...I appreciate your scholarship so much!

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Dale Rose
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 01:07 PM

No, that comes from Jody's cassette Memories I Don't Have that I purchased at the Folk Center and transcribed the lyrics from. I asked Arkie about the song, but he did not know its origin beyond the fact that Jody had done it. He thought he might have seen it in Sing Out back in the 60s. Jody no longer lives in the area, or I would ask her. There is one other person associated with the recording that I could ask, but no telling when I might see him.

Here is the link to the thread that talks about the Max Hunter Collection and a whole bunch more good stuff. It has been enlarged since I originally posted that in March. Joe recently fixed some of the links which had changed, so everything should work.

And thanks ~~ it is always nice to know that what you do is appreciated.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 01:37 PM

Anybody know which came first - is this the source for Blow the Candle Out, or vice-versa?

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From:
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 10:20 PM

Dale - I appreciate your supplying me with the words to "Portland Girl". Jody Nelson is where I heard it.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: Dale Rose
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 10:32 PM

That is a mighty short circle isn't it? (guess you can't even call it a circle) I had hoped that you might have had another source for it. My guess is that she got it from Nelle (Poe) Yandell, Georgia and Sheryl Irvine, or maybe Alicia Williams. Like I said, she is not around to ask, and I never thought to ask back when I saw her frequently.

Well, obviously you have been to MtV, or have run into Jody somewhere else. Glad to be of help.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From:
Date: 01 Dec 00 - 03:30 PM

Dale - My guess is that Jodie got Portland Girl from Sheryl Irvine. Sheryl worked with her and taught her a lot of songs when Jodie was 14 or 15. And just about any song Sheryl doesn't know - Georgia knows.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From:
Date: 01 Dec 00 - 03:31 PM

Dale - My guess is that Jodie got Portland Girl from Sheryl Irvine. Sheryl worked with her and taught her a lot of songs when Jodie was 14 or 15. And just about any song Sheryl doesn't know - Georgia knows.

Subject: RE: Portland Girl
From: harpgirl
Date: 01 Dec 00 - 03:42 PM

...thanks for the pixs, Dale. I do remember the music of the Morrison twins. I knew Hugh Ashley, too. I used to go to his music store in Harrison and talk politics whenever I was around. Thought I had played with Jody but she is so young, probably not! Have played with Cheryl and Georgia, though....always learn interesting tunes from them...Do you know Monty Avery? He is an old friend...Played with him in a band called Medicine Wheel...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Portland Girl
From: GUEST,julia L
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 06:14 PM

This song was recorded by the Kingston Trio as
"Blow the candle out" on their 1961 Make Way album. Wondering where they got this version that specifies Portland Maine?

thanks- Julia