Tabor's earliest public performances were at the Heart of England Folk Club (at the Fox and Vivian pub) in Leamington Spa in the mid 1960s. In the late 1960s an appearance at the Sidmouth Folk Festival led to folk club bookings and she contributed to various records. One of her earliest recordings was in 1972 on an anthology called Stagfolk Live. She also featured on Rosie Hardman's Firebird (1972) and The First Folk Review Record (1974). At the time she was singing purely traditional unaccompanied material but in 1976 she collaborated with Maddy Prior on the Silly Sisters album and tour, with a full band that included Nic Jones. It provided the launching pad that same year (1976) for her first album in her own right, Airs and Graces. She later joined again with Prior, this time using the name Silly Sisters for their duo. Starting in 1977 Martin Simpson joined her in the recording studio for three albums before he moved to America in 1987. (Simpson has returned from America to be a guest guitarist on albums in the 2000s.) After his departure, she started working closely with pianist Huw Warren.
In 1990, Tabor recorded an album with the folk-rock band OysterBand entitled Freedom and Rain. She went on tour with OysterBand, and the Rykodisc label published a limited-run promotional live album the following year. Many of her current fans first discovered her through this tour and album with the OysterBand. In 1992 Elvis Costello wrote "All This Useless Beauty" specifically for Tabor, and she recorded it on Angel Tiger.
Since then her solo albums have included:
A Quiet Eye (1999)
Rosa Mundi (2001)
An Echo of Hooves (2003)
At the Wood's Heart (2005)
Apples (2007)
Ashore (2011)
Ragged Kingdom is a 2011 album by June Tabor & Oysterband.
Since 2006, Tabor has also been working with Huw Warren and Iain Ballamy as Quercus.
Website: www.junetabor.co.uk
Genesis Hall
June Tabor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know he would never mean harm
But to see both sides of a quarrel
Is to judge without hate or love
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
And you don't have anywhere to go
And leave them to die in the cold
The gypsy who begs for your presents
He will laugh in your face when you're old
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
And you don't have anywhere to go
Well one man he drinks up his whiskey
Another he drinks up his wine
And they'll drink 'till their eyes are red with hate
For those of a different kind
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
And you don't have anywhere to go
When the rivers run thicker than trouble
I'll be there at your side in the flood
T'was all I could do to keep myself
From taking revenge on your blood
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
And you don't have anywhere to go
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
And you don't have anywhere to go
The song "Genesis Hall" by June Tabor is a powerful commentary on the plight of the homeless and the marginalized in society. The song describes the singer's father as a sheriff who is part of a system that takes away homes from the homeless and leaves them to die in the cold. The singer acknowledges her father's good intentions but states that to truly understand a quarrel, one must judge without hate or love. This indicates that the singer sees the complexity of the issue and understands that there are many factors at play in homelessness, poverty, and marginalization.
The song also highlights the divisive nature of society, where people are quick to judge and hate those who are different from them. The lyrics mention two men who drink whiskey and wine and become filled with hate towards those who are of a different kind. This again emphasizes the complexity of the issue, as it is not just about the homeless and marginalized, but also about the attitudes and beliefs of those in power.
The final verse of the song indicates the singer's struggle with the desire for revenge against those who have caused harm, but she resists that urge and promises to stand by the marginalized in times of trouble. This speaks to the resilience and strength of those who are often overlooked and oppressed in society.
Overall, "Genesis Hall" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that challenges listeners to think critically about the issues of homelessness, poverty, and marginalization.
Line by Line Meaning
My father he rides with your sheriffs
My father is connected to the authorities you support
And I know he would never mean harm
I believe he means well, despite being on the other side
But to see both sides of a quarrel
To have an open mind and see things from multiple perspectives
Is to judge without hate or love
Without bias towards one side or the other
You take away homes from the homeless
You deprive those in need of shelter, leaving them vulnerable
And leave them to die in the cold
You show no compassion for those suffering
The gypsy who begs for your presents
The traveler who asks for your assistance
He will laugh in your face when you're old
Will not forget your negligence and will not respect you
Well one man he drinks up his whiskey
One person seeks comfort in alcohol
Another he drinks up his wine
Another person also seeks solace in drinking
And they'll drink 'till their eyes are red with hate
They will consume alcohol to the point of anger and resentment
For those of a different kind
For those who are not like themselves, showing prejudice
When the rivers run thicker than trouble
In times of great difficulty and hardship
I'll be there at your side in the flood
I will stand by you when you need help, despite our differences
T'was all I could do to keep myself
I struggled to restrain myself
From taking revenge on your blood
From retaliating violently against you or your family
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
Feeling powerless and trapped
And you don't have anywhere to go
Feeling lost and alone with no solution in sight
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
Feeling powerless and trapped
And you don't have anywhere to go
Feeling lost and alone with no solution in sight
Contributed by Sarah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
allan munro
“When the rivers run thicker than trouble,I’ll be there at your side in the flood....” magnificent