People can’t seem to agree who was the woman behind Bob Dylan’s early composition “Girl from the North Country.” Many are convinced it was his high school sweetheart, the fellow Minnesota native Echo Helstrom. Others insist it was another early girlfriend, actress, and activist, Bonnie Beecher. The third woman who is often mentioned as the source for the song was Dylan’s long-time girlfriend, Suze Rotolo, who was with him as he progressed from a relatively unknown folk singer to one of the most important cultural icons of his generation. Her political beliefs influenced Dylan to write songs with a more political bent, and it is she who is walking arm-in-arm with him on the cover of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.”
Musically, “Girl from the North Country” was inspired by Bob Dylan’s recent trip to England is his immersion in the various styles of folk music prevalent there. He met many of the local folk musicians and based this composition partly on a local version of the classic “Scarborough Fair.”
“You Haven’t Done Nothin'” by Stevie Wonder
It’s not every day that mild-mannered pop and funk superstar Stevie Wonder releases a seriously political song. Love songs were more up his alley. But this was the mid-70s. The Vietnam War was still a fresh memory, and the societal fabric seemed to be fraying badly. And along comes Stevie Wonder, who throws some serious shade at president Richard Nixon, who was the clear and unambiguous target of Wonder’s ire. And as a huge coincidence (or was it?) Nixon resigned a mere two days after the song was released.
In a further surprise twist, the Jackson 5 (featuring a young Michael Jackson), another band not known for their overt political statements, sang backup vocals on this track. Stevie Wonder even called the Jackson boys out by name right in the middle of the song. “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” was later covered by Roger Daltrey of The Who.
“Jennifer Juniper” by Donavan
Oh, those Boyd sisters! Older sister Pattie Boyd was the inspiration for “Layla” as well as a number of other songs by Eric Clapton and George Harrison, and here we have younger sister Jenny Boyd inspiring classic folk and psychedelic rocker Donovan’s 1968 song “Jennifer Juniper.” Like her older sister, Jenny was a well-known model, but she quit the business when, along with much of the rock community she was hanging out with, started visiting India and getting into Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Donovan and Jenny were never a couple, though, at the time, he wished they were. Boyd ended up with Mick Fleetwood of the classic rock band Fleetwood Mac, marrying and divorcing him twice after having two daughters with him. She later married and divorced King Crimson’s drummer Ian Wallace. After her modeling days were over, she got a Ph.D. in psychology and worked as a clinical consultant, co-authoring the book "Musicians in Tune."
Donovan, on the other hand, has been going strong in the music business for over half a century. While he never again reached the heights of fame and success that he had in the 60s, still he has barely slowed down. He is best known for the hits “Sunshine Superman,” “Mellow Yellow,” “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” and “Atlantis.”
“In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel was living with actress Rosanna Arquette at the time “In your Eyes” was written, which has made it a commonly repeated theory that she was the inspiration for the song. Not only that, but she also allegedly inspired the Toto song “Rosanna,” which was released while she was dating the keyboard player Steve Porcaro. Both Peter Gabriel and Toto have been less than forthcoming in confirming the speculation about their songs’ origins, but that hasn’t stood in the way of the received wisdom regarding them. How many women can claim to be the muse behind not one but two very popular rock songs?
Rosanna Arquette has reinvented herself as an actress many times over the last three decades, taking both serious and quirky roles over the years. Among her most memorable performances are a starring role alongside Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan and an unforgettable cameo as a drug dealer’s wife in Pulp Fiction.
“You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon
Carly Simon wrote “You’re So Vain” in 1972, and it was a number 1 hit single. And for more than 40 years now, controversy and speculation have raged: Who is the song about?? One thing that Simon has made clear is that the three verses are about three different conceited men, and it has long been assumed and acknowledged that the second verse is about actor Warren Beatty. In fact, he still claims that the whole song is about him. Carly has denied that her ex-husband, musician James Taylor inspired the song, nor did Mick Jagger. Both had been suspected of being behind the song. Music industry executive David Geffen was also a speculated choice, but Simon says she never even met him. Other names often bandied about as having been vain enough to inspire “You’re So Vain” are David Cassidy, Cat Stevens, and David Bowie.
Carly Simon has been a major force in singing and songwriting since the 1970s. She has had a number of comebacks and has managed to stay relevant after many others have passed into obscurity. Among her best-remembered songs, in addition to “You’re So Vain,” are “Haven’t Got Time For the Pain,” “Coming Around Again,” “The Stuff That Dreams are Made Of,” and “Let the River Run,” for which she won an Oscar.