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
Rosemary Lane
Bellowhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Oh you'll pick me out the finest girl there
And l will make her a true love of mine
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Where every rose grows merry and fine
To be done without needle or needlework
And tell her to wash it in yonder well
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where water ne'er sprung and rain never fell
Then she will be a true lover of mine
Tell her to dry it on yonder green thorn
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where bloom never grew since Adam was born
Then she will be a true lover of mine
And when she has finished all of her work
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Oh tell her I‘ll call for my cambric shirt
Then she will be a true lover of mine
If you will go down to Rosemary Lane
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Oh you'll pick me out the finest boy there
And I will make him a true love of mine
Tell him to get me an acre of land
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Between the salt sea and the salt sea strand
Then he will be a true lover of mine
Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn,
Where every rose grows merry and fine
And sow it all over with one grain of corn
And then he will be a true lover of mine
Tell him to reap it with a cock's feather
Where every rose grows merry and fine
And bind it all over with strappings of leather
Then he will be a true lover of mine
Tell him to draw it home on a snail
Where every rose grows merry and fine,
Thrash it all over with an ox's tail
Then he will be a true lover of mine
Every rose grows merry and fine
The lyrics to "Rosemary Lane" by Bellowhead tell the tale of a young man who asks his friend to go to Rosemary Lane and pick out the finest girl there for him. He instructs her to make him a cambric shirt without needle or needlework, wash it in a well that has never seen water, dry it on a thorn where no bloom has grown since the time of Adam, and when she finishes all of this work, he will call for the shirt and she will be his true love. In the second verse, the tables are turned, and the young man instructs his friend to pick out the finest boy in Rosemary Lane for her. She must tell him to acquire an acre of land between the salt sea and the strand, plough it with a ram's horn, sow it with one grain of corn, reap it with a cock's feather, and thrash it with an ox's tail. If he completes all these tasks, he too will be her true love.
At first glance, the lyrics may seem nonsensical, but they can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about falling in love with someone simply because they complete impossible tasks. The young man and woman in the song are setting unattainable standards for one another, and this can be seen as a metaphor for the unrealistic expectations that people often place on romantic partners.
Line by Line Meaning
If you will go down to Rosemary Lane
If you visit Rosemary Lane
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
Oh you'll pick me out the finest girl there
You will help me choose the best girl there
And l will make her a true love of mine
I will love her truly
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Ask her to sew me a cambric shirt
To be done without needle or needlework
To be made without a needle or stitching
Then she will be a true lover of mine
If she does this, I will truly love her
And tell her to wash it in yonder well
Also ask her to wash it in that nearby well
Where water ne'er sprung and rain never fell
Where no natural water source exists
Tell her to dry it on yonder green thorn
Dry it on that thorn over yonder
Where bloom never grew since Adam was born
Where nothing has ever grown before
Then she will be a true lover of mine
If she completes these tasks, I will truly love her
And when she has finished all of her work
When she's done with everything
Oh tell her I'll call for my cambric shirt
Tell her I will come get the shirt
Then she will be a true lover of mine
If she does this, I will truly love her
If you will go down to Rosemary Lane
If you visit Rosemary Lane
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
Oh you'll pick me out the finest boy there
Help me pick out the best boy there
And I will make him a true love of mine
I will truly love him
Tell him to get me an acre of land
Ask him to get me an acre of land
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
Between the salt sea and the salt sea strand
Between two salty bodies of water
Then he will be a true lover of mine
If he does this, I will truly love him
Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn,
Ask him to plow the land with a ram's horn
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
And sow it all over with one grain of corn
Plant the whole land with just one grain of corn
And then he will be a true lover of mine
If he does this, I will truly love him
Tell him to reap it with a cock's feather
Instruct him to harvest the crop with a feather from a rooster
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
And bind it all over with strappings of leather
Tie the crop with leather straps
Then he will be a true lover of mine
If he does this, I will truly love him
Tell him to draw it home on a snail
Ask him to bring the crop home on a snail
Where every rose grows merry and fine
Where everything is lively and attractive
Thrash it all over with an ox's tail
Beat the crop with an ox's tail
Then he will be a true lover of mine
If he does this, I will truly love him
Every rose grows merry and fine
Everyone and everything is lively and attractive
Contributed by Aria A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.