A native of Fife, Yorkston was an integral early member of the Fence Collective whose reach across contemporary music continues to lengthen: King Creosote, The Aliens, KT Tunstall, The Beta Band. Yorkston is primarily a singer-songwriter, although he also tackles a variety of traditional songs, learned from singers such as Anne Briggs, Dick Gaughan, Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Lal Waterson, John Strachan & Adrian Crowley. His quoted main influences are Anne Briggs, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Michael Hurley, Can, and the Malagasy D'Gary. Yorkston started out as bassist for punk band Miraclehead, who morphed into the band Huckleberry who recorded a number of independently released records.
Yorkston’s solo career began when John Peel played a demo of his ‘Moving Up Country, Roaring The Gospel’, proclaiming it had “The Song title of the year, no doubt”. This led to Bad Jazz Records scrambling for James’ details and releasing that track as Yorkston’s debut 7” under the name 'J. Wright Presents'
At this time Yorkston had started to play solo gigs in Edinburgh – his debut supporting Bert Jansch in the Café Royal. Seeking more shows, Yorkston sent a copy of the single to John Martyn, asking John for a support slot on his forth coming Edinburgh date – and John Martyn responded by offering James all 27 dates on the UK & Irish tour. Whilst on this tour James was seen by Laurence Bell of Domino Records (Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand), who was so impressed he had a recording contract sent to James’ lawyer the following week. Subsequently he signed to Domino Records, recording music with a number of friends and associates credited as 'The Athletes' on his records. None of them, however, are actually athletes; indeed, the accordion player - the renowned Scottish musician Reuben Taylor - has been seen smoking a pipe. James recorded and produced his debut album for Domino – “Moving Up Country” which became Rough Trade Record Shops Album Of The Year for 2002. James also played at the inaugural Greenman Festival, to which he has been asked back every year since.
For Yorkston’s 2nd album, he asked Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) onboard as producer, and they made “Just Beyond The River”. This album was extremely well received all round, Pete Paphides of The Times wrote, “Yorkston has reached a state of grace that writers can spend for ever trying to attain: songs that sound not so much written as carefully retrieved from your own subconscious, played with an intuition bordering on telepathy. What more could you ask for?” James’ fan base continued to grow and he was offered tours with Beth Orton (USA), David Gray (UK & Ireland), Tindersticks (Europe), Turin Brakes (USA), Lambchop (Europe), Kathryn Williams (UK) as well as a slot on the prestigious Accelerator tour of Sweden.
The follow up, ‘The Year Of The Leopard’ was produced by Rustin Man, who had recently worked with Beth Gibbons (lead singer with the band Portishead) on their ‘Out Of Season’ record. Whilst promoting this, Yorkston was given the chance to play with Bert Jansch once more, this time in Paris – a nice turn of events. James also invited Martin Carthy to play and share a stage with him last year when selling out London’s Union Chapel. 2007 saw Domino Records release a “Best Of The Rest” collection – unreleased songs from his career so far- ‘Roaring The Gospel’ which led the NME to say “Yorkston has talent as deep as a mine shaft”.
Yorkston was invited to work as Musical Director with Oliver Knight and the Waterson Carthy clan for the BBC Electric Proms tribute to Lal Waterson. This was broadcast by the Mike Harding show, as well as by BBC3. Alongside Waterson Carthy, the acts involved included Alasdair Roberts, Kathryn Williams and Lisa Knapp. James’ involvement with the Fence Collective is also very much alive, he has toured extensively with King Creosote and contributes every year to the Fence Collective’s legendary Homegames – mini-festivals featuring guest performances by names such as The Concretes, Hot Chip & Super Shitbox. James also plays in the Fence Collective bands The 3 Craws, Pictish Trail & UNPOC.
His 5th album, When the Haar Rolls in was released through Domino Records on September 1st, 2008. Guests include Nancy Elizabeth Cunliffe, Norma Waterson & Mike Waterson. A special edition was released featuring an album of remixes and an album of James Yorkston covers by artists such as King Creosote, U.N.P.O.C. and Cathal Coughlan
Scarecrow
James Yorkston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw a scarecrow tied to a pole in a field of corn.
His coat was black and his head was bare,
And as the wind shook him the crows took up into the air.
Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me,
Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me if you could.
For you're only a bag of rags in an overall
As I roved out one winter's day,
I saw an old man hanging from a pole in a field of clay.
His coat was gone and his head hung low,
Till the wind flung it up to look, wrung its neck and let it go.
How could you lay me down and love me?
How could you lay me down and love me now?
For you're only a bag of bones in an overall
That the wind blows and the kids throw stones at the thing on the pole.
As I rode out one fine spring day,
I saw twelve jolly dons dressed out in the blue and the gold so gay.
And to a stake they tied a child newborn,
And the songs were sung, the bells was rung, and they sowed their corn.
Now you can lay me down and love me,
Now you can lay me down and love me if you will.
For you're only a bag of rags in an overall
But the wind blew and the sun shone too and the corn grew tall.
As I roved out one summer's morn,
I saw a scarecrow tied to a pole in a field of corn.
James Yorkston's song, Scarecrow, is a poignant representation of the circular nature of life and death. The lyrics describe three different scenarios, each with a person or object tied to a pole in a field. The first verse portrays a scarecrow swaying in the wind with crows circling above. The second verse depicts an old man with his coat gone and his head hanging low, while the wind flings it up and lets it go. The third and final verse describes a newborn child tied to a stake, who then grows up to sow the corn with the twelve jolly dons dressed in blue and gold.
The chorus in between each verse refers to laying someone down and loving them. In the first verse, the chorus asks if someone would love the scarecrow despite it being only a bag of rags in an overall. In the second verse, the chorus questions how someone could love the old man, who is now only a bag of bones in an overall. And in the final verse, the chorus suggests that now someone can lay them down and love them, even if they are just a bag of rags in an overall, because the corn grew tall and life goes on.
The song can be interpreted as a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The scarecrow, old man, and newborn child are all tied to poles, symbolizing their lack of freedom or agency in the face of their eventual demise. However, the growth of the corn represents the continuation of life and the cyclical nature of the world. In the end, love and connection are what matter, regardless of one's material form.
Line by Line Meaning
As I roved out one summer's morn,
One fine summer morning, while wandering, I came across a scene.
I saw a scarecrow tied to a pole in a field of corn.
There was a scarecrow fastened to a pole amidst a field of corn.
His coat was black and his head was bare,
The scarecrow had a black coat and no headwear to speak of.
And as the wind shook him the crows took up into the air.
Whenever the wind billowed around, the scarecrow would sway, and the crows would burst into the sky.
Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me,
I think the scarecrow is lamenting its current state, hoping to be loved.
Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me if you could.
If it were possible, the scarecrow wishes to be held and admired.
For you're only a bag of rags in an overall
That the wind sways so the crows fly away and the corn can grow tall.
Due to being nothing more than plain rags stuffed inside overalls, the scarecrow sways in the air, enabling the birds to fly off and protect the corn.
As I roved out one winter's day,
On a wintery eve, I went exploring.
I saw an old man hanging from a pole in a field of clay.
In the middle of a field of clay, I witnessed an elderly man hanging from a pole.
His coat was gone and his head hung low,
The man had no coat to keep him warm, and his head drooped listlessly.
Till the wind flung it up to look, wrung its neck and let it go.
Though the wind caught the man's disfigured head, twisting it about painfully, then ceased.
How could you lay me down and love me?
The old man questions how one could adore somebody in such a state.
How could you lay me down and love me now?
At this point, the man begs, asking whether anybody could genuinely be attracted to such a grotesque, pitiful sight.
For you're only a bag of bones in an overall
That the wind blows and the kids throw stones at the thing on the pole.
It is, in fact, just a man's skeleton in some clothes remaining on the pole, tormented by wind and stones from mischievous children.
As I rode out one fine spring day,
Another bright and hopeful day, I ventured out.
I saw twelve jolly dons dressed out in the blue and the gold so gay.
I came upon twelve handsome young men decked out in their finest blue and gold clothing, who were enjoying themselves.
And to a stake they tied a child newborn,
Oddly enough, they had bound a fresh, innocent infant to a stake.
And the songs were sung, the bells was rung, and they sowed their corn.
However, they continued planting their crops, singing songs and ringing bells like it was nothing.
Now you can lay me down and love me,
Just like the scarecrow before, the newborn child lies there, hoping for care and compassion.
Now you can lay me down and love me if you will.
The child expresses the sentiment that they would be ever so grateful if only someone would take pity and care for them.
But the wind blew and the sun shone too and the corn grew tall.
Despite the baby's anguish, the forces of nature worked together to bring about a bountiful harvest.
Contributed by Maria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.