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
Night Visiting Song
Kate Rusby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This roaring tempest I have to cross
I must be guided without a stumble
Into the arms I love the best.
And when he came up to his true-love's dwelling
He's knelt down gently upon the stone
And through the window he's whispered soft
She's raised her up from off her pillow
She's raised her up from off her bed
And through the window she's whispered soft
Who's that disturbeth my own night's rest?
Wake up, wake up, love, it's your own true-love
Wake up, wake up, love, and let me in.
Oh how the wind blows and how it rains,
Oh I am wet, love, unto the skin.
She's raised her up from off her pillow
She's raised her up and let him in.
They were locked in each other's arms
Until the long night was past and o'er.
And when the long night was passed and o'er
Oh when the dawn clouds the did divide.
He's leaned down gently and kissed her soft.
He's saddled up and away did ride.
He mounted up on his horse and away did ride.
He's mounted up on his horse and away did ride
The song "Night Visiting Song" is a traditional Scottish folk song which has been recorded by numerous artists over the years. The song is about a man who is separated from his lover by a "roaring tempest" that he must cross. He is determined to be reunited with his true love and goes to her home where he whispers through her window to see if she is there. She wakes up and lets him in, and they spend the night together in each other's arms until dawn. The following morning, the man must leave and rides away on his horse, leaving his lover behind.
While the lyrics of the song may seem straightforward, they are infused with emotion and longing that speaks to the deep human desire to be with the ones we love. The stormy weather serves as a metaphor for the obstacles of life that sometimes stand between us and our loved ones, but the determination and perseverance of the main character show that nothing can stop true love.
In addition to its romantic message, the song is also notable for its haunting melody and intricate instrumentation. The use of traditional folk instruments such as the mandolin and fiddle give it a timeless quality that has made it popular with audiences for generations. Overall, "Night Visiting Song" is a beautiful and moving example of the power of music to express the complex emotions of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I must away love, no longer tarry,
I must leave, my love, without delay,
This roaring tempest I have to cross
I must brave through this storm,
I must be guided without a stumble
I must be led without making a mistake,
Into the arms I love the best.
To be in the loving embrace of the one I love most.
And when he came up to his true-love's dwelling
When he arrived at his lover's house,
He's knelt down gently upon the stone
He kneeled softly on the stone,
And through the window he's whispered soft
He whispered softly through the window,
Is my true-lover within at home?
Is my true love at home?
She's raised her up from off her pillow
She lifted herself off the pillow,
She's raised her up from off her bed
She lifted herself off the bed,
And through the window she's whispered soft
She whispered softly through the window,
Who's that disturbeth my own night's rest?
Who is disturbing my rest at night?
Wake up, wake up, love, it's your own true-love
Wake up, my love, it's your true love,
Wake up, wake up, love, and let me in.
Open up and let me in,
Oh how the wind blows and how it rains,
The wind is blowing and the rain is pouring,
Oh I am wet, love, unto the skin.
I am completely soaked, my love.
They were locked in each other's arms
They embraced each other tightly,
Until the long night was past and o'er.
They stayed in each other's arms until the long night was over.
And when the long night was passed and o'er
And when the long night was over,
Oh when the dawn clouds the did divide.
When the dawn clouds parted,
He's leaned down gently and kissed her soft.
He leaned down softly and kissed her gently,
He's saddled up and away did ride.
He got on his horse and rode away.
He mounted up on his horse and away did ride.
He mounted his horse and rode away.
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.