Coope Boyes & Simpson was a British vocal folk trio formed around 1990 and … Read Full Bio ↴Coope Boyes & Simpson was a British vocal folk trio formed around 1990 and remembered for their rich sound and often unusual vocal harmonies. The group comprised singers Barry Coope, Jim Boyes (formerly of Swan Arcade), and Lester Simpson. Almost all of their music was sung entirely a capella, although they occasionally used accordion, guitar and drums very sparingly on recordings.

The trio performed a mixture of both traditional folk songs (though often creatively arranged), hymns and carols, and their own original compositions. Most of their albums were released on the No Masters label (the No Masters Co-operative is a recording and publishing company run by songwriters, singers and musicians based in the North of England).

Much of their music was political in nature, but they also performed sacred music, and released two albums consisting of Christmas carols and hymns (the latter receiving extensive airplay on Classic FM around Christmas time from DJ Natalie Wheen).

In addition to the three vocalists, the nature of the line-up was somewhat fluid, with additional singers joining in as required. Their Christmas recordings were sometimes accredited to 'Voices at the Door', while the trio was also part of the occasional folk 'supergroup' Blue Murder along with members of Waterson:Carthy and The Watersons.

From 2005 they frequently collaborated with label mates Chumbawamba, contributing vocals on the latter's albums "A Singsong and a Scrap", "Get On With It! Live" and "The Boy Bands Have Won".

The trio often worked with choirs and others on various projects, eg. Kerstbestand - a concert about the Christmas truces of WW1, and Private Peaceful - a collaboration with author Micheal Morpurgo about a young soldier shot for cowardice.

The trio gave their final performance in October 2017, as part of the 2017 Derby Folk Festival.

Official website: www.coopeboyesandsimpson.co.uk

Ten Thousand Miles
Coope Boyes & Simpson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fare you well, my own true love
Farewell for a while
I'm going away, but I'll be back
If I go ten thousand miles

Ten thousand miles, my own true love
Ten thousand miles or more
And the rocks may melt

And the seas may burn
If I no more return

Oh, don't you see, that lonesome dove
Sitting on an ivy tree
She's weeping for her own true love
Just as I shall weep for mine

Oh, come back, my own true love
And stay a while with me
For if I had a friend all on this Earth
You've been a friend to me

Fare you well, my own true love
Farewell for a while

I'm going away, but I'll be back
If I go ten thousand miles

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Coope Boyes & Simpson's song "Ten Thousand Miles" express the pain and longing of leaving behind a loved one and the hope of reuniting no matter the distance. The first verse sets up the situation - the singer is saying goodbye to their true love, with the promise of return embedded in the line "I'll be back / If I go ten thousand miles". The repetition of the number ten thousand emphasizes the great distance between the two lovers. The second verse is more fatalistic, suggesting that the singer may not return, but even if the seemingly impossible events described (rocks melting, seas burning) were to occur, it wouldn't stop the love between the two.

The third verse uses a metaphor of a mourning dove to parallel the singer's own sadness at leaving. Just as the dove weeps for her own true love, the singer will weep for theirs. The final verse is a plea for the true love to return and stay awhile, with the acknowledgment that in this big world they are the true friend to the singer. The song overall is a poignant depiction of the kind of separation and connection that are universal human experiences, rendered beautifully in simple language and imagery.

Line by Line Meaning

Fare you well, my own true love
I bid farewell to my beloved

Farewell for a while
Goodbye for now, but not forever

I'm going away, but I'll be back
I must depart but I promise to return

If I go ten thousand miles
No matter how far I go

Ten thousand miles, my own true love
A great distance separates us

Ten thousand miles or more
An even greater distance lies ahead

And the rocks may melt
Even if the impossible were to happen

And the seas may burn
Even if the unimaginable were to happen

If I no more return
In the event that I do not come back

Oh, don't you see, that lonesome dove
Do you not notice the lonely bird

Sitting on an ivy tree
Perched upon a green plant