Causley became involved with traditional music from an early age via his family, the local folk scene and an historical wassailing tradition in his village of Whimple, East Devon. After studying Jazz & Popular music at Exeter College he went on to study Traditional Music at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. During this time he became involved in the wider folk scene and gained great interest in folk clubs throughout the country as a solo performer.
He recorded his debut album, Fruits of the Earth on the WildGoose label in 2005, the same year he recorded two tracks for Martyn Wyndham-Reads epic Song Links 2 album (Fellside) which linked English traditional songs with their American variants. Later that year he was nominated for best newcomer at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2006. Causley also recieved great acclaim and interest for his singing work as part of a trio named The Devil's Interval whose album Blood & Honey (WildGoose) also recieved wide acclaim and another Folk Award nomination in 2007.
He has toured with Waterson:Carthy as part of their Frost & Fire Christmas Tour for four consecutive years and has joined them in the studio on their most recent album 'Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man' (Topic).Causley has become reknowned for his warm, rich and mature singing voice, (quoted as being akin to the fruitiest of real ales) his natural gift for interpreting traditional song and his wry and cheeky stage presence. Most recently Jim has been working as a duo with longtime collaborator James Dumbelton (of Waulk Elektrik fame) and performing with Essex foursome Mawkin as Mawkin:Causley and also collaborating with Scottish musician John McCusker as part of the Celtic Connections/Cambridge Folk Festival commissioned project; 'Under One Sky'.
http://www.jimcausley.co.uk/
The Pricklie Bush
Jim Causley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It pricks my heart full sore!
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore."
"Oh hangman stay your rope,
Won't you stay it for a while?
For I think I see my mother comin',
"Oh Mother did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
For to save my body from the cold clay ground,
And my neck from the gallows tree."
"Oh no, I didn't bring you gold,
Nor silver to pay your fee.
For I have come to see you hung,
hung from the gallows tree."
"Oh the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore!
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore."
"Oh hangman stay your rope,
Won't you stay it for a while?
For I think I see my father comin',
Comin' over yonder stile."
"Oh Father did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
For to save my body from the cold clay ground,
And my neck from the gallows tree."
"Oh no, I didn't bring you gold,
Nor silver to pay your fee."
For your mother and I have come today,
To see you on the gallows tree."
"Oh the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore!
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore."
"Oh hangman stay your rope,
Won't you stay it for a while?
For I think I see my true love comin',
Comin' over yonder stile."
"Oh lover did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
Or have you come to see my hung,
hung on the gallows tree?"
"Oh yes, I brought you gold,
and silver to pay your fee."
For I did not come to see you hung,
hung on the gallows tree."
"Oh the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore!
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore."
Jim Causley's song 'The Pricklie Bush' is a traditional English folk song that tells a story of a man who is about to be hung. The song is divided into three stanzas, and each stanza has the same structure. The first, third, and fifth lines of each stanza talk about the prickly bush, which is a metaphor for the pain and suffering that the man is feeling. The second and fourth lines of each stanza involve the man talking to either his mother, father, or his lover.
The man talks to his mother, asking if she brought gold or silver to pay his fee to save him from being hung, but she says that she came to see him hung instead. He then talks to his father, but he received the same response. Finally, he talks to his lover, who brought gold and silver to pay his fee and save him from being hung.
The song deals with the themes of love, loss, and betrayal. The prickly bush is used as a metaphor for the man's pain and suffering, which is caused by the betrayal of his family. However, his lover's arrival brings hope and the chance of redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore!
The singer is trapped in a situation that causes them great emotional pain.
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore.
The singer vows to never again get caught in a similar situation once they are able to escape.
Oh hangman stay your rope,
Won't you stay it for a while?
The singer pleads with the hangman to delay the execution.
For I think I see my mother comin',
Comin' over yonder stile.
The artist sees their mother approaching and hopes to speak to her before the execution.
Oh Mother did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
The artist asks their mother if she brought money to bribe the hangman or buy their freedom.
For to save my body from the cold clay ground,
And my neck from the gallows tree.
The singer hopes to avoid death and burial while also escaping the shame of being hanged.
Oh no, I didn't bring you gold,
Nor silver to pay your fee.
The mother did not bring any money to help the singer escape their fate.
For I have come to see you hung,
hung from the gallows tree.
The mother has come to witness the artist's execution.
Oh hangman stay your rope,
Won't you stay it for a while?
The artist continues to plead with the hangman for more time.
For I think I see my father comin',
Comin' over yonder stile.
The artist now hopes to speak to their father before it is too late.
Oh Father did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
The singer asks their father the same question they asked their mother.
For your mother and I have come today,
To see you on the gallows tree.
The father has also come to witness the artist's execution.
Oh lover did you bring me gold,
Or silver to pay my fee?
The singer asks their lover if they brought money to save them from the hangman.
Or have you come to see my hung,
hung on the gallows tree?
The singer fears that their lover has come only to witness their execution.
Oh yes, I brought you gold,
and silver to pay your fee.
The lover brought money to help the singer escape their fate.
For I did not come to see you hung,
hung on the gallows tree.
The lover came to help the artist escape rather than witness their execution.
Oh the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore!
The artist is still suffering greatly due to their situation.
And if I ever get out of this prickly bush,
Then I never will get in it anymore.
The singer repeats their vow to never be trapped in a similar situation again.
Contributed by Dylan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.