While most commonly labelled a folk musician, Renbourn's musical tastes and interests take in early music, classical music, blues and world music. His most influential album, Sir John Alot (1968), featured his take on songs from the Medieval era.
He died on March 26, 2015.
Career
John Renbourn studied classical guitar at school and it was during this period that he was introduced to Early Music. In the 1950s, along with many others, he was greatly influenced by the musical craze of "Skiffle" and this eventually led him to explore the work of artists such as Leadbelly, Josh White and Big Bill Broonzy.
In the 1960s the new craze in popular music was Rhythm and Blues, also the impact of Davey Graham was being felt. In 1961 Renbourn toured the South West with Mac MacLeod and repeated the tour in 1963. Renbourn briefly played in an R'n'B band while studying at the Kingston College of Art in London. Although the British 'Folk Revival' was underway at this time, most folk clubs were biased towards traditional, unaccompanied folk songs and guitar players were not always welcome. However the Roundhouse in London had a more tolerant attitude and here, John Renbourn joined Blues and Gospel singer Dorris Henderson, playing backing guitar and recording two albums with her.
Possibly the best known London venue for contemporary folk music in the early 1960s was "Les Cousins" in Greek Street, Soho, which became the main meeting place for guitar players and contemporary singer-songwriters from Britain and America. Around 1963, Renbourn teamed up with guitarist Bert Jansch who was visiting London from Edinburgh and together they developed an intricate duet style that became known as "folk baroque". Their album "Bert and John" is a fine example of their playing.
Renbourn released several albums on the Transatlantic label during the 1960s. Two of them, "Sir John Alot" and "Lady And The Unicorn" sum up Renbourn's playing style and material from this period. "Sir John Alot" has a mixture of jazz/blues/folk playing alongside a more classical/early music style. "Lady And The Unicorn" is heavily influenced by Renbourn's interest in early music.
At around this time, Renbourn also started playing with Jacqui McShee who sang traditional British folk songs. Together with Bert Jansch, bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox, they went on to form Pentangle. The group became very successful, touring America in 1968, playing at the Carnegie Hall and at the Newport Folk Festival.
Renbourn went on to record more solo albums in the Seventies and Eighties. Much of the music is based on traditional material with a Celtic influence, interwoven with other styles. He also collaborated with American guitarist Stefan Grossman in the late 1970s recording two albums with him, which at times hark back to the folk baroque days with Bert Jansch.
In the mid-1980s Renbourn went back to university to earn a degree in composition, since which time he has focused mainly on writing classical music, while still performing in folk settings.
Renbourn continues to record and tour. In 2005 he toured Japan (his fifth tour of that country) with Tokio Uchida and Woody Mann. In 2006 he played at number of venues in England, including appearances with Robin Williamson and with Jacqui McShee. He is working on a new solo album and collaborating with Clive Carroll on the score for the film Driving Lessons directed by Jeremy Brock. In 2008, he toured with the reformed Pentangle.
John Renbourn Group
Bert Jansch & John Renbourn
Dorris Henderson & John Renbourn
John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee
John Renbourn & Stefan Grossman
John Renbourn & Robin Williamson
Clive Carroll & John Renbourn
Lost Lover Blues
John Renbourn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saw the midnight train go rollin' by
I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
Ain't got no lovin', no not now
Just as sure as the birds wings in the sky above
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't go the girl you love
I ain't got no lovin' baby now
Girl I'm sorry, sorry to my heart
But the best of friends sometime must part
I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
No I ain't got no lovin', no not now
Ride on back to that old chicken shack
[???]
I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
No I ain't got no lovin', no not now
The lyrics of John Renbourn's song Lost Lover Blues speak of the heartbreak of lost love. It is clear that the singer is pining for his lost lover, and the absence of love in his life has made it seem like life is not worth living. The opening lines of the song paint a melancholic picture of the singer watching a train pass by in the dead of night. The train could symbolize the escape from his loneliness or represent his lost love leaving.
The singer then goes on to express how much love means to him; his life isn't worth living without the girl he loves. This is a common theme in blues songs where love and loss are common themes. There is a sense of hopelessness and despair that is conveyed throughout the song, and the lyrics suggest that the singer is resigned to his fate. Even though he apologizes to his heart and acknowledges that sometimes the best of friends have to part, he still seems lost without his love.
In conclusion, Lost Lover Blues is a poignant song that captures the loneliness and heartbreak that comes with losing a loved one. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and the singer's heartfelt delivery makes it even more captivating.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to that old freight depot
I visited the old place where I used to go often to feel the connection with the city.
Saw the midnight train go rollin' by
Witnessed the train run all night long as it reminded me of how long I have been without her.
I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
I am feeling lonely and miss her presence in my life.
Ain't got no lovin', no not now
I don't have any love from anyone at the moment, which makes me feel even more isolated.
Just as sure as the birds wings in the sky above
As certain as the flight of the birds in the sky.
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't go the girl you love
If you don't get the love of your life, everything else may seem hopeless and pointless.
Girl I'm sorry, sorry to my heart
I regret the things that have occurred, as they have caused me to be unhappy.
But the best of friends sometime must part
Even the closest of friends can drift apart eventually.
Ride on back to that old chicken shack
I am going back to the place where I used to have comfort and safety before everything fell apart.
I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
My love is gone and I am processing the emptiness.
No I ain't got no lovin', no not now
The lack of love and companionship from anyone is making me feel like nothing is right anymore.
Contributed by Penelope Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
speleojazzer
on Can't Keep from Crying
These are NOT the lyrics to JR's Can't keep from Crying