Formed in the mid 1990's, Bluehorses are fronted by co-founder and lead singer Lizzy Prendergast playing electric violin, electric Celtic harp, space-mandolin and synthesizer. The band also comprises Nic Waulker, on drums - co-founder and co-songwriter, Rhayn Jooste on Bass and Jay MacDonald on guitar.
Fusing the passionate intensity of Celtic themes, a heavy rock and roll mindset and stunning improvisations, Bluehorses' music is a genuinely unique hybrid.
Bluehorses have shared stages with bands as diverse as Hawkwind, The Levellers, Tricks Upon Travellers and Oysterband. They have played festivals in nearly every country of Western Europe and Scandinavia.
Bluehorses have received many accolades including a Mojo magazine 'Album of the Month' and a 'Best Of 2005' award from The Classic Rock Society.
Mad Tom's Song
Bluehorses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ten thousand miles I travelled
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes,
For to save her shoes from gravel
The Gypsies, Snap and Pedro,
Are none of Tom's comradoes
The Punk I scorn and the cutpurse sworn,
Still I Sing Bonny Boys, Bonny mad boys
Bedlam boys are Bonny
For they all go bare and the live by the air
And they want no drink nor money
This staff has murdered giants
And me bag a long knife carries
For to cut mince pies from children's thighs
With which to feed the faeries
This bivit's white as lightning,
Would on me travels guide me
The Moon would shake and the stars would quake,
Whenever they espied me
With a host of furious fancies,
Of which I am Commander
With a burning spear and a horse of air,
To the wilderness I wander
By a knight of ghosts and shadows
I Summoned am to a tourney
Ten Leagues Beyond The Wild Worlds End
Methinks it is no journey
Still I Sing Bonny Boys, Bonny mad boys
Bedlam boys are Bonny
For they all go bare and they live by the air
And they want no drink nor money
The song "Mad Tom's Song" by Bluehorses is a ballad that recounts the strange and fantastic experiences of Mad Tom of Bedlam. The lyrics depict a journey of ten thousand miles, where the singer meets Mad Tom, who is depicted as a madman wandering aimlessly. The first verse is about the singer's long journey to see Mad Tom, while the second verse mentions Mad Maudlin who goes around barefoot to save her shoes from the dust.
The third verse introduces Gypsies, Snap, and Pedro, who are not Tom's comrades. The fourth verse mentions the Punk, the cutpurse, and the Roaring boys bravadoes, who Mad Tom scorns. The chorus "Still I Sing Bonny Boys, Bonny mad boys, Bedlam boys are Bonny, For they all go bare and the live by the air, And they want no drink nor money" repeats throughout the song, highlighting Mad Tom's madness and the beauty in his madness.
The lyrics then introduce other fantastical elements like a staff that murdered giants, a long knife to cut pies from children's thighs, a bivit's white as lightning that guides him, and a horse of air. Mad Tom is depicted as a commander of a host of furious fancies, wandering the wilderness with a burning spear. The song ends with Mad Tom summoned by a ghost knight to a tourney beyond the Wild World's End.
Line by Line Meaning
For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam,
I travelled ten thousand miles just to catch a glimpse of Mad Tom of Bedlam.
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes,
Mad Maudlin walks on dirty feet to protect her shoes from gravel on her journey.
The Gypsies, Snap and Pedro,
Tom does not associate with the Gypsies Snap and Pedro.
Are none of Tom's comradoes
Snap and Pedro are not Tom's comrades.
The Punk I scorn and the cutpurse sworn,
Tom has disdain for the Punk and the cutpurse thief who have sworn their allegiance.
And the Roaring boys bravadoes and...
Tom also has no interest in the bravado of the Roaring boys.
Still I Sing Bonny Boys, Bonny mad boys
Despite his isolation, Tom still sings about the beauty of mad boys.
Bedlam boys are Bonny
Mad boys from Bedlam asylum are beautiful.
For they all go bare and the live by the air
These mad boys live without material possessions and sustain themselves on the air they breathe.
And they want no drink nor money
They do not require any form of sustenance apart from the air they breathe.
This staff has murdered giants
Tom's staff has been used to kill giants.
And me bag a long knife carries
Tom carries a long knife to cut pies from children's thighs to feed the faeries.
For to cut mince pies from children's thighs
Tom uses his long knife to cut mince pies from children's thighs to feed the faeries.
With which to feed the faeries
Tom's pies are used to feed the faeries.
This bivit's white as lightning,
Tom's horse is swift and white as lightning.
Would on me travels guide me
Tom's horse guides him on his journey.
The Moon would shake and the stars would quake, Whenever they espied me
Tom's presence is so powerful that it causes the moon and stars to shake.
With a host of furious fancies,
Tom has many wild and imaginative thoughts.
Of which I am Commander
Tom has control over his vivid imagination.
With a burning spear and a horse of air,
Tom has a burning spear and a swift horse made of air.
To the wilderness I wander
Tom wanders aimlessly in the wilderness.
By a knight of ghosts and shadows
Tom has been summoned to a tournament by a knight made of ghosts and shadows.
I Summoned am to a tourney
Tom has been called to participate in a tournament.
Ten Leagues Beyond The Wild Worlds End
The tournament is located ten leagues beyond the wildest end of the world.
Methinks it is no journey
Tom believes that the journey is not a difficult one.
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gela Kobakhidze
they are great i like them very much but i cannot find more music of them to download, please can somebody help me
bluesky miner
CDs are available on amazon.co.uk ... some are out of print
Otherwise use the videos as these cover some of the out of print albums
Joanna Bowen
Bluehorses; the best. Nothing like them, before or since.
Hel Kat Lefever
<3