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
Waiting for the Lark
June Tabor Lyrics
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For the moon has still to set.
Oh the lark she will cry
And bring down the morning to where you lie.
But the lark has not risen yet.
Oh, the lark has not risen yet.
Sleep on child while the birds rest on
Oh the meadow stands grey
In this dew-down moment before the day.
And waits for the lark to call.
And waits for the lark to call.
Sleep on child while the fields are still;
They wait for your father's hand.
But he will not go
And the sun will not shine and the cock will not crow.
Til the lark cries over the land
Til the lark cries over the land.
Sleep on child and heed no sound
For your father may rise in the dark.
With his boots in his hand
Go drowsily down by the doorway to stand.
Waiting for the lark
Waiting for the lark.
The song, "Waiting for the Lark" by June Tabor is a gentle lullaby that speaks of the beauty of the early morning and the anticipation of the arrival of the lark who will greet the morning with its sweet song. In the first verse, the lyrics exhort the child to continue sleeping as it is not yet day and the moon has still to set. The second verse describes the calmness of the morning, with the meadow standing grey, waiting for the lark to call. The last verse speaks of the father, who is waiting for the lark to sing before he sets out to work. The lyrics convey a deep sense of connection with nature and the beauty of the simple things in life.
The song was written by Bill Caddick, an English folk singer, and songwriter. It was first recorded by June Tabor for her 1980 album, "Against the Streams". Since then, the song has been covered by many artists, including The Unthanks and The Black Feathers. The song has since become a folk classic and is regarded as one of June Tabor's most iconic recordings.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep on child, it is not quite day
Keep sleeping, child, as it is still night-time.
For the moon has still to set.
The moon is still visible in the sky, meaning it is not yet morning.
Oh the lark she will cry
Once the lark sings, morning will start.
And bring down the morning to where you lie.
The start of the day will come to your location once the lark sings.
But the lark has not risen yet.
The lark has not yet sung to signal the start of the day.
Sleep on child while the birds rest on
Keep sleeping while the other birds are still asleep.
And the cow she sleeps in her stall.
Even the cow is still asleep in their stable.
Oh the meadow stands grey
The meadow looks dull and colorless in the early hours of the morning.
In this dew-down moment before the day.
It's still early in the morning, with dew still on the ground that has yet to evaporate.
And waits for the lark to call.
The surroundings are patiently waiting for the lark to start singing to indicate the commencement of the day.
Sleep on child while the fields are still;
Keep sleeping while the fields are still unproductive.
They wait for your father's hand.
The fields are waiting for your father to start working on them.
But he will not go
Your father will not start working.
And the sun will not shine and the cock will not crow.
The sun will not rise and the rooster won't crow until the lark starts singing.
Til the lark cries over the land
The start of a new day won't come until the lark calls out.
Sleep on child and heed no sound
Continue sleeping and pay no attention to any noises in the vicinity.
For your father may rise in the dark.
Your father may start working before sunrise.
With his boots in his hand
Your father may be preparing to work without making any noise.
Go drowsily down by the doorway to stand.
Your father may be waiting by the house's entrance.
Waiting for the lark
Waiting for the lark to call, signaling the start of the day.
Waiting for the lark.
Waiting for the lark to signal the commencement of a new day.
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.