Lowe was born into a coal-mining family with Irish roots, and raised in County Durham, England, where he grew up witnessing the decline of the coal-mining industry that had defined the region's economic profile for generations. A great many of Lowe's compositions address the economic distress that the North Country has suffered as a result of this industrial decline, and the social repercussions thereof. "Galloways," "Nearer to Nettles," and "These Coal Town Days" are among the songs that directly address economic conditions. In the much larger category of social impact songs, well known Lowe compositions are "Big Meeting Day," "Greek Lightning," and "Last of the Widows." Numerous other songs by Lowe deal with the general issues of poverty and limited social opportunity in the region. This may give the impression that Lowe is a deadly serious singer-songwriter and he is, but the seriousness is leavened by an ever-present sense of humour.
In addition to singing his songs, Lowe accompanies himself and The Bad Pennies on guitar, harmonica, cittern, and piano.
Tether's End
Jez Lowe Lyrics
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Flat broken-hearted, bruised and burned,
Cash-strapped and dunce-capped from lessons never learned,
Up another junction, not knowing where to turn.
Come along with me my friend, I'm travelling to Tether's End, I'm getting closer every day.
I went down to the crossroads as the clock struck two, To Tether's End I'm bound,
Guardian angels, patron saints had given up the ghost,
Battalions of rapscallions had left us all for toast.
I went down to the crossroads as the clock struck eight, nine and ten, To Tether's End I'm bound,
I'd work my broken fingers black if only I could,
But there's only open spaces where working places stood,
And the dreaded over-fed have displaced the great and good.
This way, that way, which way do you go? Wise old wives say, the devil only knows.
So I went down to the crossroads as midnight tolled, To Tether's End I'm bound,
There stood a posh politician with a heart as black as coal,
A long silver tongue wrapped around a pot of gold,
He said "I don't want your votes son, I'm coming for your soul!"
Jez Lowe's song Tether's End is about a person who is at a loss, unsure of which direction to take in life. The lyrics describe a journey, perhaps both literal and metaphorical, to a place called Tether's End. At every crossroads they come to, the singer repeats that they are bound for Tether's End, indicating a sense of inevitability, as if this is the only path left for them.
The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is broken-hearted and beaten down, struggling to make ends meet, but persevering nonetheless. Along the way, they are met with various obstacles, from a North Country "never-never land" to "patron saints had given up the ghost" and "battalions of rapscallions." The singer laments the loss of working places and the displacement of the great and good by the over-fed.
In the final verse, the singer meets a posh politician who is more interested in gaining their soul than earning their vote. This encounter reveals the corrupt nature of those in power and the realities of the world they inhabit. Overall, Tether's End is a poignant and introspective song about perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to the crossroads as the clock struck one, To Tether's End I'm bound,
I found myself at a major turning point in my life, headed inexorably towards total ruin.
Flat broken-hearted, bruised and burned,
My spirit has been crushed and I've been hurt too many times to count.
Cash-strapped and dunce-capped from lessons never learned,
I am broke and my ignorance has only led me to more trouble.
Up another junction, not knowing where to turn.
I am faced with yet another difficult decision and I have no idea what to do.
Come along with me my friend, I'm travelling to Tether's End, I'm getting closer every day.
Despite my circumstances, I will not give up and I have a friend who believes in me and will support me along the way.
That North Country never-never land had never passed the post,
The place I come from has never been able to succeed or overcome obstacles.
Guardian angels, patron saints had given up the ghost,
Even my protectors and holy figures have abandoned me in my time of need.
Battalions of rapscallions had left us all for toast.
The people who could have helped me are either gone or have turned on me.
I'd work my broken fingers black if only I could,
I am willing to work myself beyond my limits, but my options are limited.
But there's only open spaces where working places stood,
The places where I could have found work are now empty or turned into something else.
And the dreaded over-fed have displaced the great and good.
The wealthy elite have taken over and pushed out the hard-working, noble people.
This way, that way, which way do you go? Wise old wives say, the devil only knows.
There are too many choices and too many unknowns, and even the wise can't predict the future.
There stood a posh politician with a heart as black as coal,
I encountered a corrupt politician who only cared about wealth and power.
A long silver tongue wrapped around a pot of gold,
He had a way with words and was very persuasive because he had so much money.
He said 'I don't want your votes son, I'm coming for your soul!'
He revealed his true intentions: not political power, but rather taking everything I had, including my soul.
Contributed by Vivian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.