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
I Courted a Sailor
Kate Rusby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I courted a sailor, now he's far from me.
I courted a sailor for six months and many,
I courted a sailor, now he's far from me.
On a fine summer's evening he said his heart was grieving
On a fine summer's evening these words he said to me
CHORUS
I'm bound for the waves, the waves upon the sea.
Oh I'm bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie,
I'm bound for the waves, the captain calleth me.
CHORUS
Me heart has been yours now for six months and many,
Me heart has been yours now and will always remain.
Me heart has been yours now for six months and many,
Me heart has been yours now and will always remain.
Take with you me ring and me heart you'll always bring,
Take with you me ring when you sail away to sea.
CHORUS
I'll wait for me sailor for six months and many,
I'll wait for me sailor till he comes home from sea.
I'll wait for me sailor for six months and many,
I'll wait for me sailor till he comes home from sea.
I'll wait for you me dear, for time we'll know no fear.
I'll wait for you me dear till you come home from the sea.
CHORUS
I've married me sailor for six months and many,
I've married me sailor now he's safe with me.
I've married me sailor for six months and many,
I've married me sailor no more he'll say to me
CHORUS
The lyrics of "I Courted a Sailor" by Kate Rusby tell the story of a woman who fell in love with a sailor and courted him for six months. The sailor tells her that he must go out to sea, and the woman pledges to wait for him until his return. The chorus expresses the sailor's deep desire to return to the waves and fulfill his calling as a sailor.
The verses show the depth of the woman's love for the sailor, even as he is away from her. She gives him her ring as a reminder of her love and waits patiently for his return. When he does come back, they marry and he no longer has the urge to leave her behind for the sea.
The song is a classic example of a folk ballad, telling a simple yet emotional story through its lyrics. It captures the feeling of longing and devotion that often characterizes love stories and is a favorite of many folk music lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
I courted a sailor for six months and many,
I was in a romantic relationship with a sailor for six months and many days
I courted a sailor, now he's far from me.
The sailor I was in a relationship with is now far away from me
On a fine summer's evening he said his heart was grieving
On a beautiful summer evening, the sailor told me that he was upset and troubled
Oh I'm bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie,
I have to go to sea, my love Annie, I have to go to the waves
I'm bound for the waves, the waves upon the sea.
I have to go to the waves on the sea, my love
Me heart has been yours now for six months and many,
My heart has belonged to you for six months and many days
Me heart has been yours now and will always remain.
My heart belongs to you and it will always stay that way
Take with you me ring and me heart you'll always bring,
Take my ring with you and always keep my heart with you
I'll wait for me sailor for six months and many,
I'll wait for my sailor for six months and many days
I'll wait for me sailor till he comes home from sea.
I'll wait for my sailor until he comes back home from sea
I'll wait for you me dear, for time we'll know no fear.
I'll wait for you, my dear, and we won't be afraid of the passing time
I've married me sailor for six months and many,
I have been married to my sailor for six months and many days
I've married me sailor now he's safe with me.
I have married my sailor and he is now safe with me
I've married me sailor no more he'll say to me
Now that I am married to him, he won't have to say goodbye to me anymore
Contributed by Charlie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kieran Gillard
I'm in the navy and my wife walked down the aisle to this song! We met in November 17 and married 6 months later in May. The song was very fitting, We only stumbled across the song by chance.
Killer CD
Congratulations!
Rebecca
Kieran Gillard - that story about your wife creates such a lovely picture in my mind of a beautiful bride walking the aisle to marry her Sailor. My cousin was a Commander in the United States Navy and I always send him the Sailor songs that I find. I found a song once that was sung by a large number of Irish men. Its title was "Bully in the Alley." I thought it was a song about bullies. I speak with an American Southern accent, so I listened quite a while before I knew it was not about bullies. I was so unsure what it was about that I had to look up the lyrics and what they mean. It is about Sailors and one named Robert. His fellow Sailor asks for help with Robert because being "bully" means being drunk and Robert was very bully in the alley. My cousin got that song, too. I would have to be very bully to do what he did in our Navy. He flew bombers off and back onto the Air Craft Carrier, USS Enterprise. I could be trained for 85 years and never learn to do that correctly.
L. Mao
"oh i'm bound for the waves, the waves dearest anny, bound for the waves, the captains calling me" i love this song so much :]
Evelyn Maldonado
Why does Kate have to be so perfect? Literally after hearing this song cannot fall asleep without listening to it.
Mrs.Chopinski
that chord progression at 3:24 though!! :)
Dennis & Sally Hansen
Ohhhhh...
Dennis & Sally Hansen
I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jade Harris
This was in my music exam, had it stuck in my head since. Such a lovely song
Karla Poveda
I love this song and everything about her voice! Pure perfection!