Singing since the 1960s in folk clubs and festivals, in 1973 Caddick joined the street theatre group Magic Lantern, formed by Taffy Thomas and described by Mel McClellan on the BBC website as "legendary". He left Magic Lantern in 1975 to concentrate on his solo career, becoming well known as a festival artist in Britain and overseas. In 1977 he joined the Albion Band in the National Theatre productions of 'Lark Rise' and 'The Passion'. Caddick later collaborated with Tim Laycock and Peter Bond in a stage show and album about circus life, called "A Duck on his Head". About this time, he wrote songs for radio and TV, and performed his own songs in a film about the Tolpuddle Martyrs. From 1980 to 1985 Caddick was a member of the renowned folk-rock band Home Service. He continued to write and perform at clubs and festivals, albeit in a more low-key way than before as well as continuing his involvement with the National Theatre, writing and appearing in several plays which included "Don Quixote", and "The Mysteries" (an award winning trilogy performed in the West End, on TV and throughout Europe, as well as at the National).
In later life Caddick ran a folk club in his home village of Jackfield and, as well as his solo career, was a member of three groups: local band the Jackfield Riverbillies, ceilidh band All Blacked Up and as part of the Anne Lennox Martin Band.
His songs, such as "Unicorns" and "She Moves Among Men", have been recorded by numerous other musicians including June Tabor, Chris Foster, Alex Campbell, Christy Moore, Peter Rowan, John Kirkpatrick, Artisan, Coope Boyes and Simpson and The Yetties.
Discography
Solo recordings
Rough Music (1976)
Sunny Memories (1977)
Reasons Briefly Set Down (1979)
Wild West Show (1986)
Urban Legend (1991)
Winter With Flowers (1995)
Unicorns (2002)
In 2009 Two-Fisted Heroes from Wild West Show was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten as track seventeen on the fifth CD.
Group recordings
(With The Albion Band) Lark Rise To Candleford (1979)
(With Bond, Caddick & Laycock) A Duck On His Head (1980)
(With Home Service) Doing The Inglish (1981)
(With Home Service) Home Service (1984)
(With Home Service) The Mysteries (1984)
(With Home Service) The Mysteries EP (1985)
(With Home Service) Early Transmissions (1996)
(With Home Service) Wild Life (1999)
(With The Jackfield Riverbillies) Cherokee (1999)
As session musician
John Kirkpatrick - Going Spare (1978)
Richard and Linda Thompson - First Light (1978)
Peter Bond - See Me Up, See Me Down (1979)
Tim Laycock - Capers & Rhymes
Various Artists - All Through The Year
Ashley Hutchings - The Guv'nor Vol 2 (1997)
Jan Davies - Magpies
Les Barker - Tubular Dogs
Various Artists - Festival
Anne Lennox-Martin - Born To The Breed (2004)
John O'Dreams
Bill Caddick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seek out your blanket and your feathered bed,
Home comes the rover,his journey's over
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Across the hill the sun has gone astray
Tomorrows cares are many dreams away
Yield up the night time to oldJohn O'Dreams
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Both man and master in the night are one
All things are equal when the day is done
The prince and the ploughman,the slave the free man
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear
The hawks of morning cannot reach you here
Sleep is a river,flow on for ever
And for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams
Yes for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams
Bill Caddick's song, "John O'Dreams," is essentially a lullaby that speaks about the importance of sleep and the dream world. The first stanza focuses on the anticipation of sleep after a long day's work, summoning the "rover" back to his "feathered bed" and bidding farewell to the night. In the second stanza, the shift from sunset to a new day is depicted lyrically, with the metaphor of the stars "flying" and the candle wax burning out. However, the lyrics remind the listener that all people are equal in their need for sleep and the comfort of their dreams, whether they are "the prince and the ploughman, the slave the free man," all equally find solace in the arms of "old John O'Dreams."
In the final stanza, the focus entirely shifts to the world of dreams. Caddick describes sleep as a river and dreams as a boat, carried forth by the "boatman" of old John O'Dreams. His language is gentle, with "dreams coming clear" once sleep arrives, offering escape from the harshness of reality. This song seems to be an ode to the sanctity of sleep, extolling its virtues and the vital role it plays in balancing human life and consciousness.
Line by Line Meaning
When midnight comes and people homeward tread
When it's late at night and everyone is heading home
Seek out your blanket and your feathered bed
Get ready for bed and make yourself comfortable
Home comes the rover,his journey's over
The person who was traveling is now back at home
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Give in to sleep and let your mind wander to dreamland
Across the hill the sun has gone astray
The sun has set and night has arrived
Tomorrows cares are many dreams away
Don't worry about tomorrow, focus on sleeping and dreaming
The stars are flying,your candle's dying
The night is passing quickly and you should go to sleep before it's too late
Both man and master in the night are one
During the night, everyone is equal regardless of their status
All things are equal when the day is done
At the end of the day, all problems and worries disappear
The prince and the ploughman,the slave the free man
No matter who you are, you can find comfort in sleep and dreams
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
Everyone can find solace in the dreams that old John O'Dreams brings
When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear
When you fall asleep, your dreams become vivid and easy to remember
The hawks of morning cannot reach you here
You are safe from the troubles of the day when you're in a deep sleep
Sleep is a river,flow on for ever
Sleep is a constant and never-ending source of relaxation
And for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams
To guide you through your dreams, trust in old John O'Dreams
Contributed by Lily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@oswaldthree
A favourite from when my late Beloved used to sing this - good to finally hear the original!! RjB
@davidbrennan3613
Beautiful song
@burkaboy1
Always sounds the best sang by the writer imo
Beautiful
@johnobrien3111
Tyvm bill for a fantastic song
@stefankaye9342
Love this original best of all, but Daoirí Farrell does a tasty cover of it too!
@Eileenjennifer69
I’ll check that out. I love his work!