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
Yarmouth Town
Bellowhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who kept a tavern by the sand
This landlord had a daughter fair
A plump little thing with the golden hair
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Well to this tavern came a sailor man
He asked the daughter for her hand
Why should I marry you? she said
I get all I want without being wed
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
But she says if you want with me to linger
I'll tie a string all around my finger
You come by and you pull on the string
I'll come down and I'll let you in
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Well the very next night that sailor man
He went to the tavern by the sand
He went by, and he pulled on the string,
She came down and she let him in
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Well he'd never seen such a sight before
For the string around her finger was all she wore
And when he went and he pulled on the string
She pulled back the blankets and let Jack in
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Instrumental
And there he spent the whole night through
And early in the morning went back to his crew
Told them all about that maiden there
The plump little thing with the golden hair
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
And the word it soon got round
And the very next night in Yarmouth town
There were fifteen sailors pulling on the string
She came down and she let them all in
And won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Instrumental
So come all you young sailors who down to Yarmouth do go
To see a plump little thing with her hair hanging low
Well all you've got to do is pull on the string
She'll come down and she'll let you in
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Instrumental
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
The song "Yarmouth Town" by Bellowhead tells the story of a sailor who frequents a tavern owned by a man with a daughter. The daughter is described as a "plump little thing with the golden hair." The sailor asks for her hand in marriage, but she tells him that she does not need to get married because she gets everything she wants without it.
She then tells the sailor that she will tie a string around her finger, and he can come by and pull on the string to let him in. The sailor returns the next night and pulls on the string, and the daughter lets him in. The lyrics then suggest that other sailors soon find out about this arrangement and come to Yarmouth town to see the girl and pull on the string.
The song is based on a traditional folk song from the 1800s and is often categorized as a sea shanty. The lyrics are meant to be humorous and lighthearted, with the suggestion that the daughter is leading the sailors on and enjoying the attention.
The song has been covered by several artists over the years, including Shirley Collins, who recorded a version in the 1960s. However, Bellowhead's version of the song is most well-known, and their lively arrangement can often be heard at folk festivals and gatherings.
Line by Line Meaning
In Yarmouth town, there lived a man
This story takes place in the town of Yarmouth, where a man resided.
Who kept a tavern by the sand
The man owned a tavern near the beach.
This landlord had a daughter fair
The man had a daughter who was lovely.
A plump little thing with the golden hair
The daughter was slightly chubby but had beautiful golden hair.
Oh won't you come down, won't you come down,
The singer is asking someone to come visit Yarmouth town.
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
The singer is inviting the listener to come to Yarmouth town.
Well to this tavern came a sailor man
A sailor visited the tavern.
He asked the daughter for her hand
The sailor proposed marriage to the daughter.
Why should I marry you? she said
The daughter questioned why she should marry the sailor.
I get all I want without being wed
The daughter didn't see the need to marry as she already had all she wanted.
But she says if you want with me to linger
The daughter gave the sailor an alternative option.
I'll tie a string all around my finger
The daughter offered to tie a string around her finger.
You come by and you pull on the string
The daughter instructed the sailor to pull on the string if he wanted to see her.
I'll come down and I'll let you in
The daughter promised to come down and let the sailor in if he pulled the string.
Well the very next night that sailor man
The sailor visited the tavern the following night.
He went by, and he pulled on the string,
The sailor followed the daughter's instructions and pulled on the string.
She came down and she let him in
The daughter kept her promise and let the sailor in.
Well he'd never seen such a sight before
The sailor was surprised by what he saw.
For the string around her finger was all she wore
The daughter was only wearing the string around her finger.
And when he went and he pulled on the string
The sailor continued to pull on the string.
She pulled back the blankets and let Jack in
The daughter allowed the sailor named Jack into her bed.
And the word it soon got round
News of what happened between the sailor and the daughter quickly spread.
And the very next night in Yarmouth town
The following night, other sailors visited the tavern.
There were fifteen sailors pulling on the string
Fifteen sailors attempted to see the daughter by pulling on the string.
She came down and she let them all in
The daughter allowed all fifteen sailors into her bed.
So come all you young sailors who down to Yarmouth do go
The singer is addressing all young sailors who visit Yarmouth town.
To see a plump little thing with her hair hanging low
The singer is inviting them to see the daughter with her hair down.
Well all you've got to do is pull on the string
The sailors only need to pull on the string to see the daughter.
She'll come down and she'll let you in
The daughter will come down and let the sailors in if they pull the string.
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
The singer is repeating the invitation to come to Yarmouth town.
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
The singer is still inviting the listener to come to Yarmouth town.
Won't you come down, won't you come down,
The singer is still repeating the invitation.
Won't you come down to Yarmouth town?
The singer is still inviting the listener to come see the daughter in Yarmouth town.
Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@virginiarobinson2042
Totally BRILLIANT !!!! and the best night ever Portsmouth 2022 😍
@chadderschadwick5575
My 12 yo daughter loves this song but still has no concept of what the song is about, innocence personified!
Great band that is so wide of mainstream it’s on another level!
@bethbarrie118
My late mum was a folk singer and musician, but she could be a little bit of a prude at times. She once had me buy her a floor-length, Victorian-style nightie for a folk club’s fancy-dress Christmas party, and on the night she asked me to help tie a bit of string round her finger. When I finally asked what she was going as she told me, the girl from Yarmouth Town...
To which I replied, er Mum, I don’t think you’ll be needing the nightie! 😂
She ‘d have loved this.
@timread8448
Seen Bellowhead 4 times... hoping for a permanent reunion.... Just fab...oh and yes live in Norfolk ..Yarmouth ...hasnt changed...
@davidnassur7202
Glorius !
@wigglyziggly
0:30 in case people wanna skip that fascinating historical trivia. Such a jam!
@mikeandtriciajohnson7241
I first encountered Bellowhead in the televised folk Prom from the Albert Hall, then the televised Christmas Special that gets regularly rebroadcast. Always wanted to see them live as it looked so much fun. Then heard that they'd disbanded. I understand quitting while ahead but I believe that there were potentially many more years for them as a band. I know this tune, Yarmouth Town, from the version by the Irish folk band Planxty and while this version is in Bellowhead's particular style I think it's great.
I'd still love to see them performing live, I suppose I'll have to wait for another reunion gig.
@chrisodell6605
My wife and I have had the glorious pleasure of watching them live a couple times, and they are (well...were) amazing. Such great energy.
@andykey78
November 2022
@timread8448
Yarmouth hasn't changed much :)