While it has been confirmed that the band has officially retired, former members Alan Doyle and Séan McCann have continued performing in their own solo careers typically including music from Great Big Sea in their setlists.
The band played its first official concert on March 11, 1993, opening for The Irish Descendants at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Newfoundland. The founding band members included Alan Doyle (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Séan McCann (vocals, bodhrán, guitar, tin whistle), Darrell Power (vocals, bass, guitar, bones), and Bob Hallett (vocals, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, concertina, bouzouki, whistles, bagpipes).
Power, McCann and Hallett had already been playing together in another band. In the winter of 1989, the band, a six-piece with guitar, bass, fiddle, accordion and mandolin played its first show at the Memorial University's winter carnival talent show under the name "Newfoundland Republican Army" or NRA, and won first prize. The band's only other appearance as NRA was later that winter at the university "Grad House". The band then dropped the fiddler, accordion player and the name.
The band found its new name as original bassist Jeff Scott rented an apartment on Rankin Street, St. John's, where the members first met and discussed the formation of the band. As a four-piece, the band first appeared as "Rankin Street" at a little pub in downtown St. John's called "The Rose and Thistle", playing for $100 and beer. They played through Sean McCann's stereo system, as renting a PA would have cost more than the night's earnings. Susan Hickey (guitar and vocals) left the band months later to attend school in Halifax and was replaced by Darrell Power. The band gained much popularity playing such local pubs as Bridget's and Greensleeves. In 1991 Jeff Scott was replaced by Jackie St. Croix on bass. The band released one recording on cassette titled "Rankin Street".
In 1997, the band reached the top ten of the Canadian RPM pop chart with "When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)", a cover of a song by the British folk group Oysterband. They performed at the 1999 Stardust Picnic festival at Historic Fort York, Toronto.
The band won the Entertainer of the Year award at the East Coast Music Awards for every year between 1996 and 2000. In 2001, they decided not to submit their name for nomination in order to allow other bands to compete. They have also been nominated for several Juno Awards, including Group of the Year in 1998, 2005, 2009, and 2011.
Darrell Power retired from Great Big Sea in 2003 to spend more time with his family and friends. Supporting members of the band include Canadian freelance drummer Kris MacFarlane (2002) (drums, accordion, guitar, backing vocals) and Murray Foster (2003, formerly of the band Moxy Früvous) (bass, backing vocals).
In late 2005, the band released its long-awaited "traditional" album, The Hard and the Easy, on which they recorded their favourite Newfoundland party songs. The title of the album comes from a line of the song "Tickle Cove Pond", one of two songs on the album about a horse falling through ice.
On June 13, 2007, the band announced they would return to the studio with producer Hawksley Workman. On March 14, 2008, the band announced that the title of the new album would be Fortune's Favour, borrowing a phrase from one of the songs on the album, "England". The album was officially released on June 24, 2008 across all of North America.
On February 23, 2010, band member Séan McCann released his debut solo album Lullabies for Bloodshot Eyes to pleasing critical success.
On July 13, 2010, Great Big Sea released their new album Safe Upon the Shore in North America. Alan's "From the Road" blog on the band's website, originally confirmed its production in an April posting, speaking also of the album's subsequent release in July. "Nothing But A Song" was the first single off the bands' ninth studio recording, with a subsequent tour kicking off at the end of the summer 2010.
Great Big Sea announced a 'greatest hits' album titled "XX" in October 2012, accompanied by a 20th anniversary tour with 32 dates in 28 cities across the US and Canada which kicked off on March 5, 2013 in Los Angeles and finished in St. John's on April 23, 2013.
In 2013, McCann announced that he would be leaving the band at the end of the XX tour, much to the dismay of his bandmates. Struggling to maintain his new sobriety, he told his bandmates in January of 2013 that XX would be his last tour with the band, but the rest of the band and its management refused to announce this publicly. Finally, in November 2013 with XX almost over, McCann announced his departure himself in a tweet, feeling that the fans needed to know. While largely vilified by Great Big Sea fans with little said by the band or management to counter this view, McCann claims he was devastated by how Great Big Sea ended and wishes it could have gone differently.
Following McCann's departure, the remaining band members spent a year or so trying to find an amicable way that they could continue without him. Eventually coming to the realization that they didn’t want to go on like that, and happily retiring the band.
Graceful & Charming
Great Big Sea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
of flower so bright and fair,
grace and beauty both combined
to make that far more rare
like a maiden that I know
who shared my happy lot
where we parted when she whispered
shes graceful and shes charming
like the lillies in the pond
time is flowing swiftly by
of her I am so fond
the roses and the daisies
they bloom around the spot
where we parted when she whispered
"you'll forget me not"
we met I really dont know where
I guess its all the same
love grows in a village green
as well as in a lane
I gently took her by the hand
and a glance at me shot
she dropped a flower, I picked it up
it was a sweet forget me not
shes graceful and shes charming
like the lillies in the pond
time is flowing swiftly by
of her I am so fond
the roses and the daisies
they bloom around the spot
where we parted when she whispered
"you'll forget me not"
(instrumental part)
then there came a happy time
when something that I said
caused her lips to murmer yes
and shortly we were wed
now theres a cottage by a lane
with a tiny garden spot
there grows a flower I know it well
its the sweet forget me not
shes graceful and shes charming
like the lillies in the pond
time is flowing swiftly by
of her I am so fond
the roses and the daisies
they bloom around the spot
where we parted when she whispered
"you'll forget me not"
you'll forget me not
The song "Sweet Forget Me Not" by Great Big Sea is a tribute to the beauty of flowers and their symbolic significance in reminding individuals of memories, particularly those associated with love and loved ones. The opening line "Fancy brings a thought to me" sets up the idea that memories can be triggered by simple things like a flower. The chorus emphasizes this connection between the flower and memory as the singer describes a maiden who shared his "happy lot" and told him not to forget her. The line "time is flowing swiftly by" highlights the fleeting nature of life and the importance of cherishing memories.
The verses provide further detail about the relationship between the singer and the maiden. They met in a chance encounter and fell in love, eventually getting married and settling into a cottage with a garden. Throughout the song, the flowers act as a constant reminder of the maiden and the love they shared. The use of natural imagery such as lilies, roses, and daisies creates a romantic and timeless atmosphere.
Overall, "Sweet Forget Me Not" is a nostalgic and sentimental song about the power of memories and the enduring significance of love.
Line by Line Meaning
fancy brings a thought to me
My imagination evokes a beautiful image
of flower so bright and fair,
A flower that is radiant and lovely
grace and beauty both combined
A perfect mix of elegance and beauty
to make that far more rare
This combination makes it even more special and unique
like a maiden that I know
I think of a woman I know
who shared my happy lot
Who shared a happy time with me
where we parted when she whispered
Where we said goodbye and she whispered
"you'll forget me not"
"Please don't forget about me"
shes graceful and shes charming
She is full of grace and charm
like the lillies in the pond
Just like the beautiful lilies in the pond
time is flowing swiftly by
Time is moving quickly
of her I am so fond
I have deep affection for her
the roses and the daisies
The flowers that grow around us
they bloom around the spot
They always bloom where we parted
we met I really dont know where
I can't remember where we first met
I guess its all the same
It doesn't matter where we met
love grows in a village green
Love can grow in any place
as well as in a lane
Even on a small road like we met
I gently took her by the hand
I held her hand softly
and a glance at me shot
She gave me a quick look
she dropped a flower, I picked it up
She accidentally dropped a flower and I picked it up
it was a sweet forget me not
It was a flower that symbolized remembrance
then there came a happy time
Later, we experienced a happy moment
when something that I said
When I said something
caused her lips to murmer yes
Made her say yes
and shortly we were wed
We got married soon after
now theres a cottage by a lane
Now we live in a small house by a road
with a tiny garden spot
We have a small garden area
there grows a flower I know it well
A special flower grows there that I'm familiar with
its the sweet forget me not
It's the flower that reminds us not to forget each other
you'll forget me not
Remember me always
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TRAD, Alan Thomas Doyle, Robert Bruce Hallett, Shawn McCann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind