此首《The Water Is Wide》是源自於蘇格蘭的古老民歌。早期的資料常以沒有音樂的「大報 (broadsheets)」 形式出刊，而表演者或出版商也會在一首曲子中插入、刪除或改編歌詞，故此曲雖旋律相同，但歌名及內容有多個不同版本。1906，英國人Cecil Sharp整合了相關資料 ( 故各段的歌詞極有可能是在不同時序、背景下所創作的 ) 及重訂歌名，並在「Folk Songs From Somerset ( 薩默塞特的民歌)」中發表了這首歌，之後成為眾多人傳唱依據的版本。

這是一首情歌，講的是男子和愛人的感情發生質變，倆人無法繼續下去 ( 共同乘船划到愛的彼岸 )。雖說是關於男人的愛情，但詮釋此曲的以女性居多。以下所貼是Bob Dylan於1975在波士頓音樂廳的現場演唱版本，歌詞略有修改，幫忙合音的是Joan Baez，效果的確是不一樣，較倆人各自獨唱的版本為佳。另，The Seekers 2013的現場版也很不錯聽。

Baez & Dylan在台上演唱 ( 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue )

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The water is wide and I can't cross over
Neither have I wings that I could fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I

There is a ship and it sails on the sea
Loaded deep as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I'm in
I know not if I sink or swim

I leaned my back up against an oak
Thinkin' it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke
Just like my own false love to me

Oh love is gentle, love is kind
Gay as a jewel when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away like some morning dew

The water is wide and I can't cross over
Neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I