They released one Ep, E.P.onymous in October 2004, and five albums, Burlesque in October 2006, Matachin in October 2008, Hedonism in October 2010, Broadside in October 2012 and Revival in June 2014.
http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/releases.html
They announced in 2015 that the 2016 tour would be the last.
www.bellowhead.co.uk/home/item/142-thats-all-folks.html
Band Members ...
Jon Boden - lead vocals and fiddle
John Spiers - melodeon & concertina
Benji Kirkpatrick - bouzouki, guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo
Paul Sartin - Fiddle, oboe and vocals
Rachael McShane - Cello, fiddle, vocals
Ed Neuhauser - Sousaphone, Helicon & Tuba
Pete Flood - percussion
Andy Mellon - trumpet & flugelhorn
Brendan Kelly - soprano & tenor saxes, bass clarinet
Justin Thurgur - trombone
Sam Sweeney - Fiddle, Bagpipes
www.bellowhead.co.uk/band.html
Jordan
Bellowhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw John Ball a coming a calling
With four blind horses riding in the clouds
To look on the other side of Jordan
Chorus:
Pull of your old coat and roll up your sleeves
Jordan is a hard road to travel I believe
Thunders in the clouds, lighting in the trees
What do you think that I told him?
It's goodbye son 'til the next kingdom come
And I'll meet you on the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
The ladies of England have made a big address
About slavery and hardships according
They better look at home to their own white slaves
They're starving on the English side of Jordan
[Chorus]
There were snakes in Ireland not many years ago
St Patrick saw the vermin all a crawling
But with his shillelagh he hit them on the head
And he drove them 'cross the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
And Jonah spent three days in the belly of a whale
Three days and two nights then according
He tickled him with a straw which caused him to laugh
And he chucked him on the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
The song "Jordan" by Bellowhead is a traditional British folk song that seems to be talking about crossing the River Jordan, which, in Christianity, is symbolized as the threshold between life and death, man and God. The singer seems to be describing visions he's had, seeing John Ball, a 14th-century English radical who fought for the rights of commoners, using four blind horses to ride across the clouds to cross over to Jordan. The first verse sets the tone for the song, and from the chorus onward, it's clear that the song is making a social and political statement on classism, slavery, and inequality, represented by the metaphor of crossing Jordan. The song is about struggles and hardships on both sides of the river, implying that life may not be easier on the other side.
The chorus is almost like a call and response between the singer and the listeners or readers - "Pull off your old coat and roll up your sleeves/Jordan is a hard road to travel, I believe." It's a way to acknowledge that the journey ahead is going to be challenging, and it requires effort and hard work to cross over. The second verse is a critique on the hypocrisy of the English ladies who speak against slavery but ignore the suffering of their lower-class white workers. The third verse references St. Patrick, who drove away snakes from Ireland and thereby represents the power to overcome hardships. The last verse is about the biblical story of Jonah and how he was cast into the belly of a whale until he reached the other side (of Jordan). Perhaps it's a metaphor for personal struggles, and how we can emerge on the other side of our own "belly of the whale."
Line by Line Meaning
I looked to the east, I looked to the west
I scanned the horizon in every direction
I saw John Ball a coming a calling
I saw John Ball approaching, beckoning me
With four blind horses riding in the clouds
Four horses were riding in the clouds, though they were blind
To look on the other side of Jordan
Their destination was the other side of Jordan, where they would look
Chorus:
Refrain:
Pull of your old coat and roll up your sleeves
Prepare for action and get ready to work
Jordan is a hard road to travel I believe
The path to Jordan is challenging, in my opinion
Thunders in the clouds, lighting in the trees
Thunder rumbles through the sky, and lightning strikes the trees
What do you think that I told him?
What do you believe I said to him?
It's goodbye son 'til the next kingdom come
We must bid farewell until the next realm comes
And I'll meet you on the other side of Jordan
I'll see you again on the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
Refrain:
The ladies of England have made a big address
The women of England have made a significant statement
About slavery and hardships according
Regarding slavery and difficulties
They better look at home to their own white slaves
They ought to examine their own white servants at home
They're starving on the English side of Jordan
These servants are malnourished on the English side of Jordan
[Chorus]
Refrain:
There were snakes in Ireland not many years ago
Ireland had snakes until recently
St Patrick saw the vermin all a crawling
Saint Patrick observed the pests slithering about
But with his shillelagh he hit them on the head
Using his shillelagh, he struck them on the skull
And he drove them 'cross the other side of Jordan
He drove them to the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
Refrain:
And Jonah spent three days in the belly of a whale
Jonah spent three days inside a whale
Three days and two nights then according
And according to some accounts, three days and two nights
He tickled him with a straw which caused him to laugh
He amused the whale with a piece of straw, causing it to laugh
And he chucked him on the other side of Jordan
And then he tossed him to the other side of Jordan
[Chorus]
Refrain:
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.