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
Pharaoh
June Tabor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The dogs of money all at his heel
Magicians cry Oh Truth! Oh Real!
We're all working for the Pharaoh
A thousand eyes a thousand ears
He feeds us all he feeds our fears
Don't stir in your sleep tonight my dears
Egypt Land Egypt Land
We're all living in Egypt land
Tell me brother don't you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Hidden from the eye of chance
The men of shadow dance a dance
And we're all struck into a trance
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Idols rise into the sky
Pyramids soar Sphinxes lie
Head of dog Osiris eye
We're all working for the Pharaoh
I dig a ditch I shape a stone
Another battlement for his throne
Tell me brother do you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Call it England call it Spain
Egypt rules with the whip and chain
Moses free my people again!
We're all working for the Pharaoh
And its Egypt Land! Egypt Land!
We're all living in Egypt Land
Tell me brother do'nt you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Interlude
Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
Around his feet the princes kneel
Far below we shoulder the wheel
We're all working for the Pharaoh
The lyrics to June Tabor's song "Pharaoh" depict a bleak and oppressive reality in which the common people are under the thumb of a tyrannical ruler. The term "Pharaoh" references the ancient rulers of Egypt, known for their vast wealth and power. In the song, Pharaoh is depicted as sitting in a tower of steel, surrounded by the "dogs of money" that keep him in power. The lyrics suggest that the people are all working for Pharaoh, toiling away to build his empire and make him richer. The magicians in the song cry out for truth and reality, but it seems that these ideals have been suppressed in favor of blind obedience to Pharaoh.
Line by Line Meaning
Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
Pharaoh, the ruler, resides in his immense, strong metal tower.
The dogs of money all at his heel
The wealthy individuals, who hold significant power over others, are loyal to him.
Magicians cry Oh Truth! Oh Real!
The magicians plead for knowledge and understanding.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
A thousand eyes a thousand ears
His vast network of spies are constantly watching and listening.
He feeds us all he feeds our fears
Pharaoh manipulates and controls people by keeping them in a state of fear.
Don't stir in your sleep tonight my dears
Pharaoh wants people to remain quiet and submissive at all times.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Egypt Land Egypt Land
Egypt is the ultimate authority and the only reality known to the people.
We're all living in Egypt land
Everyone is living in a world that is wholly dominated by the Pharaoh.
Tell me brother don't you understand
The singer is asking if the listener recognizes and comprehends the oppressive state they live in.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Hidden from the eye of chance
The activities of the individuals in the shadows are secretive and unknown to most.
The men of shadow dance a dance
The individuals working in secrecy are performing an elaborate act.
And we're all struck into a trance
People are so thoroughly mesmerized and controlled that they feel like they are in a dream-like state.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Idols rise into the sky
There are many monuments that celebrate and magnify the power of the Pharaoh.
Pyramids soar Sphinxes lie
The pyramids tower over the land and highlight the Pharaoh's authority, while the Sphinxes rest in a position of power.
Head of dog Osiris eye
The dog symbolizes death while Osiris represents rebirth, and everyone must accept this as part of the Pharaoh's rule.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
I dig a ditch I shape a stone
Everyone is engaged in manual labor to benefit the state and the Pharaoh himself.
Another battlement for his throne
All work is intended to reinforce and ensure Pharaoh's control over the people.
Tell me brother do you understand
The singer is asking if the listener recognizes and comprehends the oppressive state they live in.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Call it England call it Spain
Naming other countries only serves to highlight that similarly oppressive governments exist elsewhere.
Egypt rules with the whip and chain
The use of physical abuse and strict punishment are standard forms of oppression in Egypt.
Moses free my people again!
The singer is invoking the story of Moses, who was able to free people from a similarly oppressive state.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
And its Egypt Land! Egypt Land!
Egypt is the ultimate authority and the only reality known to the people.
We're all living in Egypt Land
Everyone is living in a world that is wholly dominated by the Pharaoh.
Tell me brother do'nt you understand
The singer is asking if the listener recognizes and comprehends the oppressive state they live in.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
Pharaoh, the ruler, resides in his immense, strong metal tower.
Around his feet the princes kneel
The wealthy and powerful people that he controls bow down to him.
Far below we shoulder the wheel
The common people bear the burden of making sure the kingdom functions smoothly and efficiently.
We're all working for the Pharaoh
Everyone is contributing to the Pharaoh's success through their labor.
Contributed by Avery L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.