"Who Knows Where the Time Goes' by Sandy Denny (cover)

[Glennwillow]

This is my cover of Sandy Denny's song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes." Judy Collins did a terrific version of this song back on her album with the same name from 1969. I sang this song to my wife just a few weeks before we were married way back in early 1970, and just the other day, more than 47 years later, she asked me if I could find a recording of this song. The song had just popped into her mind. Ironically, I had just had a dream about this song the night before she asked this question. So I decided that I had better do a modern video recording of this song. I have to dedicate this song to my wife after all these years.

The guitar is a 50-year old Martin D-35 given to me by my father when I turned 21. Man, who knows where the time goes...

The fall is here, leaves are starting to fall from the deciduous trees, and we hear sand hill cranes flying high overhead as they migrate towards us. To add to that, I am having hip joint replacement surgery in just a couple of days and so the lines in the third verse about not being alone are pretty significant to me right now. I'm sure glad she will be here to help me recover.

I have never heard this song sung by a man, only by women, but the words are not necessarily those of a woman. So I figured this song out in a key that fit my voice. If you are interested in maybe trying this song out, the chords and lyrics are listed below. Hopefully, with all the closeups in the video, you can see how I am playing this, complete with whatever crazy right hand picking I figured out for this song to kind of emulate the march of time.

***********************************************
Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
By
Sandy Denny
Intro:
G / C / G / C /

Verse 1:
G C G C G
Across the morning sky, all the birds are leaving
G C G C
But how can they know it's time for them to go___?
Am Bm C Bm Am C
Before the winter fire, we'll still be dreaming
G
I do not count the time
D C G
Who knows where the time goes?
C C/B Am D G / C / G / C /
Who knows where the time goes?

Verse 2:
G C G C G
Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving
G C G C
Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go
Am Bm C Bm Am C
But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving
G
I do not count the time
D C G
Who knows where the time goes?
C C/B Am D G / C / G / C
Who knows where the time goes?

Verse 3:
G C G C G
And I am not alone while my love is near me___
G C G C
I know it will be so until it's time to go
Am Bm
So come the storms of winter and
C Bm Am C
Then the birds in spring again
G
I do not fear the time
D C G
Who knows how my love grows?
C C/B Am D G / C / G / C
And who knows where the time goes?
***********************************************

Thanks so much for listening.

- Glenn

[Toby Walker]

So when are you gigging near me?

That was lovely.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

So when are you gigging near me?

That was lovely.

Hi Toby,

Thanks so much! Man, you are quick!! You probably skipped all those words in my OP or else you are one incredible speed reader!!

Thanks Toby for taking the time to listen and comment! I'm really pleased that you liked this.

- Glenn

[marty bradbury]

That was really nice Glenn. First time I heard it was Judy Collins also. Loved it!
Yep, only a wife has the healing power us men need. lol,

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

That was really nice Glenn. First time I heard it was Judy Collins also. Loved it!
Yep, only a wife has the healing power us men need. lol,

Thank you Marty,

I'm glad you like this -- thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Wonderful, Glenn!! Wow, that takes me back in time (again!). I can see that Judy Collins album cover.......and all the songs on that terrific record. A year ago we saw Judy Collins in concert in a small venue here in R.I. She sang it that night.....thought I'd gone to heaven!
Lovely picking pattern you developed for this rendition......it all goes together really well.
Good luck with your med procedure .......be well.........stay the course with your wife and good health!
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Wonderful, Glenn!! Wow, that takes me back in time (again!). I can see that Judy Collins album cover.......and all the songs on that terrific record. A year ago we saw Judy Collins in concert in a small venue here in R.I. She sang it that night.....thought I'd gone to heaven!
Lovely picking pattern you developed for this rendition......it all goes together really well.
Good luck with your med procedure .......be well.........stay the course with your wife and good health!
Fred

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your comments! How terrific that you already know this song, and how cool that you have seen Judy Collins in recent years. I would love to do that myself!

Thanks for your thoughts on the coming surgery, and I most certainly will be staying the course with my wife! No question about that!! I know how lucky I have been!

Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment, Fred!

- Glenn

[ITB]

A fine performance! Love that old D-35.

[Bob Womack]

Nice! Going back to the old original Fairport Convention recording makes me wonder. Think about Gregg Allman's "Melissa." It sounds like they share the same E progression and electric guitar fills float around the vocals. They were both written and demos were recorded the same year (1967). They didn't debut on an album until 1972 (Melissa) and 1973 (Who Knows).

Just thinking out loud. Influence of the times? They are remarkably similar but I can't see any real chance that one was stolen from the other.

Bob

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by ITB

A fine performance! Love that old D-35.

Thank you ITB!

I appreciate your listening and commenting and I'm very pleased that you like this!

I do think that old D-35 has a special sound. I have a dozen very good acoustic guitars if I include my Guild F512 12-string. I tried playing this song on each of them, yet the D-35 really had the best sound for this song. The 12-string also sounded good, but maybe a little too busy and hard to control. So in the end I came back to the D-35.

Thanks for your comments!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Nice! Going back to the old original Fairport Convention recording makes me wonder. Think about Gregg Allman's "Melissa." It sounds like they share the same E progression and electric guitar fills float around the vocals. They were both written and demos were recorded the same year (1967). They didn't debut on an album until 1972 (Melissa) and 1973 (Who Knows).

Just thinking out loud. Influence of the times? They are remarkably similar but I can't see any real chance that one was stolen from the other.

Bob

Thank you Bob!

Very nice of you to listen and comment!

I do think that not just in music but in science, in medicine, in engineering, ideas seem to be floating around in the air. Different people in different places seem to pick up on similar ideas at the same time, where there was no collaboration, no obvious communication, yet completely unrelated, disconnected people seem to come up with very similar ideas at the same time.

Back in 1967 people were spending a lot of time looking for "the lost chord," and for different people, depending on their musical influences, the lost chord might be some "add9" chord or some kind of major 9th. I think the search for interesting sounds on the guitar also led to similar ideas in songs at the time.

Guitar players are still looking for interesting ways to play things on the guitar -- John Mayer is just one example among younger players who is making really interesting sounds on the guitar.

Glad you are listening, Bob!

- Glenn

[PeterM]

Songs from the past are funny...
A couple of years ago, I heard Sandy Denny doing the tune. Remembered how much I liked it. Played it for my sweetie; she says "Oh Judy Collins". Well, I had NEVER heard the Judy Collins version so youtubed it of course. How does one get thru life never hearing Judy Collins do that song as it apparently was made much more famous by her?
Anyway, in my mind it was always common knowledge that Greg "borrowed" the licks from Sandy. What is correct here?

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Songs from the past are funny...
A couple of years ago, I heard Sandy Denny doing the tune. Remembered how much I liked it. Played it for my sweetie; she says "Oh Judy Collins". Well, I had NEVER heard the Judy Collins version so youtubed it of course. How does one get thru life never hearing Judy Collins do that song as it apparently was made much more famous by her?
Anyway, in my mind it was always common knowledge that Greg "borrowed" the licks from Sandy. What is correct here?

Hi Peter,

Who knows who borrowed what from whom?

Music is like some giant pot of musical stew, and we musicians are always dipping in to see what we like and what we can appropriate as our own. We take sustenance from this universal pot of musical food.

I really think the feeling is that we are playing with a universal language and that it belongs to all of us. If you or I discover a new word (or sound) in the language, which someone else has found, we are allowed to use it in our own way and in our own song.

Obviously, we can't just steal each others' songs without letting others know who the real author is/was, but we are most certainly allowed and encouraged to use other people's chords and voicing ideas and progressions.

And really, that's how the language develops, by smart and creative people throwing in and sharing their ideas with others so that we can all build on this language.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Greg "borrowed" the licks from Sandy. Or, vice versa. And why not?

Interesting that you had not heard Judy Collins version of this song when you had heard Sandy Denny's version. My own experience was the other way around. I only recently heard Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention perform this song off YouTube.

YouTube is such an amazing reference...

Thanks for your comments, Peter.

- Glenn

[LiveMusic]

I loved it Glenn. I also noted that D35 sounds very full.

I also note that several years ago, I wrote a song called "Where Does Time Go" and I have never heard this song you posted. They seem very much different, so, that's good! Only a close match on the title.

Loved the story of the song and your history with it. Good luck with the mend.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

I loved it Glenn. I also noted that D35 sounds very full.

I also note that several years ago, I wrote a song called "Where Does Time Go" and I have never heard this song you posted. They seem very much different, so, that's good! Only a close match on the title.

Loved the story of the song and your history with it. Good luck with the mend.

Thanks so much, Bill!

I appreciate your thoughts on the song and the good wishes on the coming surgery tomorrow.

I'm very glad that you like this song! How interesting that you wrote a similar themed song!

So many songs about time... I think of Paul Simon in "Hazy Shade of Winter" -- "Time, time, time, see what's become of me?..." Or Joni Mitchell's "The Circle Game"...

Take care, Bill!

- Glenn