Born… Read Full Bio ↴Eliza Carthy (b. 1975) is an English folk singer and violinist.
Born on 23rd August 1975, she is the daughter of legendary English folk musicians singer/guitarist Martin Carthy and singer Norma Waterson. She formed The Waterdaughters with her mother, aunt (Lal Waterson), and cousin Maria Knight in 1989. She has subsequently worked with Nancy Kerr, and also with her parents as Waterson:Carthy, in addition to her own solo work.
She has twice been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for UK album of the year: in 1998 for Red Rice, and again in 2003 for Anglicana. In 2003 Carthy swept the boards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, winning Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album (for Anglicana), and Best Traditional Track (for "Worcester City").
In 2004 she was part of Oysterband's Big Session, a collaboration with numerous folk artists. They produced an album The Big Session Volume One, and the group as a whole were awarded Best Group at the Folk Awards in 2005.
Whispers of Summer
Eliza Carthy Lyrics
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My winter feet are lagging behind
All I can see is the frost on my window
All I can hear is my mind
Don't go away
Please don't make me stay
This warm breeze is clogging my eyes
Please don't make me stay
Whispers of Summer all in my mind
There you go in your slumber
The waves of the world fly under your feet
(You are) side by side with the sun and the stars
I wonder if again we might meet
....now
I want to go home though the party's not over
Don't want to go back to no ignorant lies
For when I go I intend to believe
That the sun rises and sets in your eyes
Chgnnnnn
Lalalalalalalalalalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
The lyrics of Eliza Carthy's song, "Maid On The Shore," describe the inner turmoil and conflict of a woman as she struggles with her desire to stay with a lover despite her obligations and responsibilities. The first stanza paints a bleak picture of winter, with the streets and the singer's own feet struggling against the cold. All she can focus on is the frost on her window and the thoughts swirling in her mind, likely related to the difficult decision she must make.
In the chorus, she pleads with her lover not to go, even as she herself is unsure if she should stay or leave. The memory of summer, with its warmth and freedom, haunts her even as she faces the realities of winter. In the second verse, the focus shifts to the lover, who is asleep and seemingly unaware of the singer's struggles. She wonders if they will ever meet again, perhaps acknowledging the possibility of them drifting apart.
The final lyric suggests a desire to escape from the pressures and deceptions of her everyday life, longing to return home to her lover but also dreading the challenges they may face. The song is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and the weight of responsibility, and Eliza Carthy's powerful vocals bring the emotions to life.
Line by Line Meaning
The winter streets are swimming before me
I'm walking through the winter streets and they seem blurry and indistinct, like they're swimming.
My winter feet are lagging behind
My feet are cold and tired and I'm not walking as fast as I want to.
All I can see is the frost on my window
I'm looking out my window and all I can see is the frost that's covering it.
All I can hear is my mind
I'm lost in my thoughts and not really listening to anything outside of my head.
Don't go away
I don't want whoever Eliza is addressing to leave.
Please don't make me stay
At the same time, Eliza is hesitant or uncertain about staying.
This warm breeze is clogging my eyes
The warm breeze makes her feel emotional, almost tearful.
Whispers of Summer all in my mind
Eliza is remembering summertime and everything associated with it.
There you go in your slumber
Eliza is talking about someone who's asleep or unaware.
The waves of the world fly under your feet
This person seems to be above or unbothered by the things happening in the world.
(You are) side by side with the sun and the stars
This person is somehow aligned with the most powerful and important elements in the universe.
I wonder if again we might meet
Eliza is thinking about the possibility of seeing this person again.
I want to go home though the party's not over
Eliza wants to leave, even though there's still stuff going on that she might potentially enjoy.
Don't want to go back to no ignorant lies
She definitely doesn't want to go back to any kind of deception or misinformation.
For when I go I intend to believe
Eliza plans on leaving with an open and optimistic outlook.
That the sun rises and sets in your eyes
She views this person as someone special, almost magical.
Chgnnnnn
This is an onomatopoeic sounds that doesn't have any particular meaning, but might indicate a sigh or exhale of breath.
Lalalalalalalalalalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
This line is mainly a non-verbal sound, but it could contain elements of a triumphant or celebratory mood.
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.