After learning to play the guitar, the fiddle, and the piano, as well as to sing, Rusby played at many local folk festivals as a child and adolescent. She came to wider attention through her duets with her friend and fellow Barnsley folk singer Kathryn Roberts on the 1995 album Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts.
At about this time she joined, and became the lead vocalist of, the all-female Celtic folk band The Poozies. This led to her becoming a founding member of the group Equation, which included Kathryn Roberts and Seth Lakeman. Rusby left Equation (being replaced by Cara Dillon) to follow a more traditional direction and, in 1997, released her debut solo album Hourglass produced by Scottish fiddler John McCusker (to whom Rusby was married for some time).
In 1999 Rusby recorded Sleepless which earned her a Mercury Music Prize nomination and the BBC Folk Award for Best Album and Best Folk Singer.
Rusby continues to release albums mixing traditional and self-penned songs on her own Pure Records, winning fans as diverse as Graham Coxon (who provided the illustration for her album The Girl Who Couldn't Fly) and collaborator Ronan Keating.
2008 saw the release of Sweet Bells, an album of traditional Christmas songs interpreted by Rusby.
In 2010, Rusby released the album Make the Light, a collection of self-penned songs, and in 2011 issued a second collection of Christmas songs titled While Mortals Sleep.
www.katerusby.com
A Rose in April
Kate Rusby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh let me go this day.
Please let me go to my love's side,
Oh mother don't make me stay.
I was a rose in April
And still a rose in June
I fear that come the winter
I shall no longer bloom."
"Oh daughter, daughter you cannot go,
Oh you cannot go this day,
Your father he forbade you
And at home you must remain
You were a rose in April
And still a rose in June,
But God can send fine winters
And I know my rose will bloom."
"Mother, mother I must away
Unto my true love's side.
Bring to me my white horse
And away to him, I'll ride."
She's rode through fields of barley
And she's rode through fields of corn,
She's come unto her true love
One hour before the dawn.
Her father being awakened
Heard of his daughter's flight,
He's taken up his dagger
And he's rode into the night.
And he's rode through fields of barley
And he's rode through fields of corn,
He's come unto her true love's house
just before the dawn.
He's found his daughter sleeping
In her true love's arms
He's taken up his dagger
And it's deep into their hearts.
"Oh father, cruel father
You've killed my love, killed me.
But now I'll rest beside him,
Locked in his arms I'll be.
Locked in his arms I'll be.
The song "A Rose in April" by Kate Rusby tells the story of a woman who desires to be with her love but is forbidden by her father to do so. The first verse has the woman begging her mother to let her go to her love's side, stating that she was a rose in April and still a rose in June but fears she won't bloom come winter. Her mother tells her that she cannot go since her father forbids it but assures her that she will bloom no matter what. The woman, however, persists and insists on going to her true love's side, so her mother agrees to bring her white horse and allows her to ride away.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn as the woman's father is awakened by her flight and goes after her. He finds her sleeping in her true love's arms and kills them both with his dagger. The woman's final words express both sadness and relief that she will finally be with her love, locked in his arms forever.
The lyrics of the song are simple yet powerful, portraying the tragic consequences of forbidden love. The rose metaphor throughout the song suggests both beauty and fragility, reflecting the short-lived nature of the woman's love affair. The song's melancholic melody and Rusby's touching vocals also add to the emotional impact of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh can I go to my love's side
The singer is asking for permission to go to her lover's side.
Oh let me go this day.
The singer is specifically requesting to go on this day.
Please let me go to my love's side,
The singer is pleading with her mother to allow her to go see her lover.
Oh mother don't make me stay.
The artist is expressing her desire not to be forced to stay at home.
I was a rose in April
The artist is comparing herself to a rose in full bloom during the Spring season.
And still a rose in June
The singer is saying that she is still beautiful and alive, even though time has passed.
I fear that come the winter
The singer is worried about what will happen in the future.
I shall no longer bloom.
The artist is saying that she may not be as beautiful or vibrant in the future.
Oh daughter, daughter you cannot go,
The artist is refusing the request for the daughter to leave.
Oh you cannot go this day,
The artist is giving a directive that the daughter cannot leave on this particular day.
Your father he forbade you
The mother is blaming the father for the daughter not being able to leave.
And at home you must remain
The mother is ordering the daughter to stay at home.
But God can send fine winters
The mother is saying that things may turn out better than expected.
And I know my rose will bloom.
The mother is confident that her daughter will be okay in the future.
Mother, mother I must away
The daughter is persistent in her desire to leave.
Unto my true love's side.
The daughter is determined to see her lover.
Bring to me my white horse
The daughter is making preparations for her departure.
And away to him, I'll ride.
The daughter is ready to ride to her lover's location.
She's rode through fields of barley
The daughter is travelling through the countryside on horseback.
And she's rode through fields of corn,
The daughter is continuing to ride through farmland.
She's come unto her true love
The daughter has reached her lover's location.
One hour before the dawn.
The daughter arrived in the early morning hours.
Her father being awakened
The father is disturbed from his sleep.
Heard of his daughter's flight,
The father discovered that his daughter left without permission.
He's taken up his dagger
The father is preparing for a violent confrontation.
And he's rode into the night.
The father is making his way on horseback to find his daughter.
He's found his daughter sleeping
The father has discovered his daughter and her lover sleeping together.
In her true love's arms
The daughter is asleep in her lover's embrace.
And it's deep into their hearts.
The father has killed both his daughter and her lover with his dagger.
Oh father, cruel father
The daughter is addressing her father after he killed them both.
You've killed my love, killed me.
The daughter is expressing her devastation at her father's actions.
But now I'll rest beside him,
The daughter is saying that she will now be reunited with her lover in death.
Locked in his arms I'll be.
The daughter is saying that she will forever be in her lover's embrace in death.
Contributed by Mackenzie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cadoxton Conner
As pure and timeless as time itself.
israel8491
This was the song that got me into Kate Rusby. It's my favorite song of hers.
Jennifer
the first song i heard by her was i am stretched on your grave and i think all of her stuff is amazing!
Marzipan25
THIS IS MY FAV. SONG EVER! And im NOT exagerating, ty soooooooooo much! *hugs Anikari*
Anikari
*hugs back* your welcome
Anikari
@israel8491 cool, Exile was the first song of hers that i listend to and i've been hooked on her songs ever since
Anikari
^^ your welcome mate
Anikari
its kate rusby