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
What Will We Do
June Tabor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
I will walk through the town for a hungry crown
And we'll yodel it over again
What will we do if we marry a tinker?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
I will sell a tin can and walk on with me man
What will we do if we marry a soldier?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
All me handle is gone and I will fight for the fun
And we'll yodel it over again
What will we do if we have a young daughter?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
I will take her in hand and we'll walk on with me man
And we'll yodel it over again
What will we do if we have no money?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
I will walk through the town for a hungry crown
And we'll yodel it over again
June Tabor's song "What Will We Do" is a traditional English folk song that explores the different scenarios that true lovers may face in their relationship. The lyrics present a series of questions that the couple may ask themselves in different situations, such as having no money, marrying a tinker or a soldier, or having a young daughter. However, despite the difficult circumstances, the couple remains optimistic and sings that they will find a way to overcome their difficulties and continue to love each other.
The song's first question asks what the couple would do if they have no money. The answer is that the singer will walk through the town to find a "hungry crown" and perform for them, "yodeling it over again." The use of the word "yodeling" implies that the couple will entertain people in a lighthearted way, using their love for each other and their wit as their capital.
The following verses demonstrate the couple's adaptability in various situations. If they marry a tinker, the singer will sell a tin can and continue walking with her man while entertaining people. If they marry a soldier, the singer will fight and continue to sing. If they have a young daughter, they will take her hand while walking with her man and continue to yodel their way through life.
The song's message is that true love can overcome any obstacle as long as the couple is creative and adaptable. The "yodeling" motif emphasizes the importance of humor and fun, even during hard times.
Line by Line Meaning
What will we do if we have no money?
In the situation where we have no money, what can we do?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
Dear lovers, tell me what we can do in this predicament.
I will walk through the town for a hungry crown
I will stroll through the city with a modest aim for food.
And we'll yodel it over again
We will be untroubled and start afresh from the beginning.
What will we do if we marry a tinker?
In the event of marrying a vagabond, how will we manage?
I will sell a tin can and walk on with me man
I will trade a tin can and continue wandering with my partner.
What will we do if we marry a soldier?
Suppose we are married to a soldier, what options do we have?
All me handle is gone and I will fight for the fun
I have lost everything, so I would participate in combat for entertainment.
What will we do if we have a young daughter?
How can we care for our young daughter in such a situation?
I will take her in hand and we'll walk on with me man
I will take her under my wing, and we'll travel together as a family.
And we'll yodel it over again
We will be resilient and start anew, free of anxiety.
What will we do if we have no money?
If we become penniless, what plans can we make?
Oh true lovers, what will we do then?
My dearest, what will be our course of action?
I will walk through the town for a hungry crown
I shall roam the locality for sustenance.
And we'll yodel it over again
We will face the challenge boldly and start afresh.
Writer(s): DP, JUNE TABOR, MADDY PRIOR
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@globizgalleria4518
Wonderful harmony, mesmerizing melody, gratuitous movement liken to a ballad.
@Danilovideos1
Beautiful