Before making it to Broadway, the musical Girl from the North Country had its debut in London at the Old Vic and the West End. The play by Conor McPherson, in its various incarnations, featured a number of wonderful covers of Bob Dylan songs. One of those outstanding performances came from Sheila Atim in the 2017-2018 original London production.
In the play, Atim performed “Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love).” The song first appeared on Dylan’s 1985 album, Empire Burlesque. Although few rank the album among Dylan’s best and many criticize its 1980s production, I have always had a fondness for “Tight Connection to My Heart.” I recall it being one of the first Dylan videos I saw on MTV, and it was one of my favorite songs on that channel for some time.
Dylan’s “Tight Connection”
Dylan initially recorded an earlier version of “Tight Connection to My Heart,” then entitled “Someone’s Got a Hold of My Heart,” while making his Infidels album. Despite attempting a number of takes of the song, Dylan decided not to release it on that 1983 album. One of the takes would appear on the 1991 box set The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991.
While I like the early incarnation of ths song too, I am especially fond of the Empire Burlesque version with its Gospel backing vocals and synthesizers. Not surprisingly, at least to me, Rolling Stone lists “Tight Connection to My Heart” among “20 Overlooked Bob Dylan Classics.”
Sheila Atim’s “Tight Connection”
And now I am a fan of Atim’s version. The play’s slower take on the song is perhaps more similar to Dylan’s original vision of “Someone’s Got a Hold of My Heart” rather than the recorded version of “Tight Connection to My Heart.”
Taken from the Bob Dylan album and put in the context of the play, “Tight Connection to My Heart” becomes a heartbreaking epic in Atim’s voice. Unlike Dylan’s upbeat recording, the play’s version and music digs deep into the sadness of the lyrics. In choosing the song for the play, McPherson clearly recognized the cinematic aspect of the lyrics. Those lyrics fit well on stage, perhaps, because as Dylan scholar Michael Gray has noted, Dylan included several lines from Humphrey Bogart films in the song.
In Girl from the North Country, Atim played a pregnant woman abandoned by her lover. As The Guardian explained, “An arrangement for piano and double bass, with a choir of cast members providing gentle harmonies in support of Atim’s direct, unaffected and perfectly poised delivery, helps McPherson locate an essence that the song may never have known it possessed.”
Atim knew of Dylan’s music before working on Girl from the North Country. But, as you can see from her connection to “Tight Connection to My Heart,” she became a fan of Bob Dylan’s music, finding a deep connection, while working on the play.
Atim, who was born in Uganda and grew up in the United Kingdom, has had a succussful career on the stage. Additionally, she composes music and plays several instruments. In more recent years, she has made several television and film appearances. With her great talent, we look forward to whatever she does next.
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