John Tams was a member of Derbyshire folk group Muckram Wakes in the 1970s, then worked with Ashley Hutchings as singer and melodeon-player on albums including 'Son of Morris On', and as a member of The Albion Band. Splitting with Hutchings in the 1980s he formed Home Service. Now a solo performer - fronting a folk-rock band, or in a duo with Barry Coope.
Tams has released several solo albums including 'Unity' (2001), 'Home' (2002) and 'The Reckoning' (2005); all of which have met with well-deserved critical acclaim. At the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Tams won Album of the Year for 'The Reckoning', Best Traditional Track (for 'Bitter Withy') and Singer of the Year. Tams is the only artist to have won the Album of the Year award twice, the first time was with his first solo album 'Unity' in 2001.
Tams may be best known to the general public through having played one of the supporting roles in the ITV drama series Sharpe as one of the "Chosen Men" as rifleman and former poacher Daniel Hagman, a whimsical, sober, steady hand in the 95th Rifles always ready with a deadly eye behind a Baker rifle, a folk remedy for an ailment, or a song for a weary heart. In 1996, Tams collaborated with fellow British folk musician Kate Rusby (and others) on a companion CD to the television series titled Over the Hills & Far Away: The Music of Sharpe.
Tams was a Musical Director and actor at the National Theatre from 1976 to 1985 and then again from 1999 to 2001, working on such shows as The Mysteries, Larkrise to Candleford, Glengarry Glenross, The Crucible, Golden Boy, The Good Hope and The Mysteries Revival in 1999. He was a member of the creative team headed by Bill Bryden.
In 2006, Tams became musical director of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads, an updating of Ewan MacColl's Radio Ballads. The series was short-listed for two Sony Radio Awards in 2007. The song Steelos, written by Tams for the Song Of Steel episode of the 2006 Ballads, was nominated Best Original Song at the 2006 Radio 2 Folk Awards. Tams then worked on a stage version of Steelos performed at The Magna Centre in the Rother Valley in 2009.
Early in 2007, Tams was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University which was presented in November 2007. He is married to Sally Tams, his manager, and they have a daughter, Rosie.
In 2011-12, Home Service reformed and resumed touring. They were awarded Best Live Act at the BBC Folk Awards 2012.
From Where I Lie / Sheepcounting
John Tams Lyrics
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The sheep can safely graze
The farm breasts through the haze
And all is still
From where I lie
A magpie skirts the vale
Reminder now of this o'er-deepening dale
From where I lie
Where paper pours through doors
Where bureaucratic laws deny what's yours
And all is still
From where I lie
Where rushing water scores
Where bankers close their doors
And all is still
From where I lie
This shotgun is my friend
A single not uncommon end
And all is still
From where I lie
I take a cartridge new
And on it scratch some words for you
And all is still
Sleep my pretty one sleep
Lay down in your lambskin
Now lay you down deep
And I'll fold you in woolsey
Down-soft don't you weep my lamb
Sleep my pretty one, sleep
One ewe tomorrow true
Two ewes aplenty
Three oh how happy we
Four nearly gentry
Five how we favoured be
Six trust to glory
And seven the world is right
Eight tells the story
Nine we may prosper true
Ten we can start anew
Sleep my pretty one sleep
Lay down in your lambskin
Now lay you down deep
And I'll fold you in woolsey
Down-soft don't you weep my lamb
Sleep my pretty one,
Sleep my pretty one
Sleep
And all, and all is still
The song "From Where I Lie/Sheepcounting" by John Tams presents a contrast between the peaceful rural life and the chaotic urban reality. The opening lines describe how the sheep can graze safely while the farm breasts through the haze, creating a tranquil environment. However, the following verses portray a different reality, where bureaucratic laws deny people what's theirs, rushing water scores, and bankers close their doors, creating a sense of uncertainty and unease. The singer takes solace in his shotgun, which is his only friend, and he writes on a cartridge, emphasizing the connection between the rural life and the gun culture.
The incorporated lullaby in the song suggests a darker subtext, as it is sung to a lamb to soothe it to sleep, but it can also imply a sense of control and dismissal of the vulnerable, highlighting the singer's detachment from the world. The Sheepcounting section in the end brings a sense of clarity and optimism for the future, where the counting of sheep symbolizes prosperity, and starting anew.
Overall, the song creates a striking contrast between the peaceful countryside and the restless city life, showing the consequences of political corruption and social injustice.
Line by Line Meaning
From where I lie
The perspective of the singer
The sheep can safely graze
The singer sees that the small things in life are still able to happen peacefully
The farm breasts through the haze
The farm emerges as a gentle presence in the singer's view
And all is still
Everything seems to be at peace
A magpie skirts the vale
The artist sees the beauty in nature even if it's fleeting
Reminder now of this o'er-deepening dale
The magpie made the singer thoughtful about the valley below
Where paper pours through doors
The singer sees the city as chaotic as a result of bureaucracy
Where bureaucratic laws deny what's yours
The artist feels that the system can prevent people from getting what they deserve
Where rushing water scores
The artist hears the sound of water as it moves swiftly
Where bankers close their doors
The artist perceives banks as cold & unwelcoming
This shotgun is my friend
The singer is implying a strong hunting/farming culture
A single not uncommon end
Death is not an uncommon occurrence in the artist's lifestyle
I take a cartridge new
The singer is preparing for another hunt
And on it scratch some words for you
The singer feels that writing something on the bullet may add personal value to the item
Sleep my pretty one sleep
The singer uses a lullaby to calm someone down
Lay down in your lambskin
The artist is preparing someone to sleep
One ewe tomorrow true
The artist is counting sheep as they fall asleep
Two ewes aplenty
The singer is using sheep counting as a way to pass time
Three oh how happy we
The counting of sheep is starting to bring joy to the singer
Four nearly gentry
The counting has passed the point of practicality and turned into a fun activity
Five how we favoured be
The artist feels lucky to be counting sheep
Six trust to glory
The artist is somewhat spiritual and sees glory in small things
And seven the world is right
The counting of sheep has now become a form of therapy for the singer
Eight tells the story
The counting of sheep seems to have a story behind it for the artist
Nine we may prosper true
The singer feels a strong sense of hopefulness despite the chaotic world around them
Ten we can start anew
The singer sees new beginnings as easy to come by
And all, and all is still
The world seems peaceful after singing this lullaby
Contributed by Mila O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@JuliaLeeDean
One of my favourites this.
@007hor
It must have did it when the video encoded and uploaded. Sorry about that, I should reupload a better version.
@dunebasher1971
Wonderful song, especially Sheepcounting, but why is it so brutally cut off well before the end?
@gaspode18
The song of the Common Agricultural Policy... Feckers.