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
Sho Heen
Kate Rusby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Sleep my friend now I'll watch o'er you
The moon is here and the stars adore you
Close your eyes and you'll sleep just fine
Said my guardian angel once upon a time
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Why has my angel gone from me
The moon I fear and the stars fall on me
I won't close my eyes til the morning light
Oh bring on the sun for I cannot rest tonight
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Sleep my friend now I'll watch o'er you
The moon is here and the stars adore you
Close your eyes and you'll sleep tonight
Oh my blessed angel here again, goodnight
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
The song "Sho Heen" by Kate Rusby is a beautiful lullaby that expresses the love and care of a guardian angel who watches over a friend as they sleep. The first verse tells the friend to close their eyes and not worry, as their angel is there to protect them. The second verse, however, expresses the singer's fear and sadness that their angel has left them and how they cannot sleep without the reassurance of their presence. In the final verse, the angel returns to reassure the singer that they are not alone and that they are loved.
The song's melody is soothing and relaxing which is perfect for a lullaby. The lyrics express feelings that many can relate to. The guardian angel metaphor used in the song is symbolic of someone who is protective and caring. The song is interpreted as a comfort for someone who is feeling vulnerable or worried.
Kate Rusby is a talented folk singer from Yorkshire, England, and she is known for her beautiful voice and ability to create poignant and touching lyrics. The song is a perfect example of her talent and the beauty of her music.
Line by Line Meaning
Sho heen sho lo, lu la lo, lu la lo
Repetitive phrase, no specific meaning
Sleep my friend now I'll watch o'er you
I will stay awake and keep watch while you sleep
The moon is here and the stars adore you
The moon and stars are shining bright and beautiful just for you
Close your eyes and you'll sleep just fine
If you close your eyes, you will fall asleep easily and sleep soundly
Said my guardian angel once upon a time
My guardian angel told me this once
Why has my angel gone from me
I am wondering why my guardian angel has left me
The moon I fear and the stars fall on me
I am afraid of the moon and feel like the stars are falling on me
I won't close my eyes til the morning light
I will not sleep until the sun comes up
Oh bring on the sun for I cannot rest tonight
I need the sun to rise so I can finally sleep tonight
Sleep my friend now I'll watch o'er you
I will stay awake and keep watch while you sleep
Close your eyes and you'll sleep tonight
If you close your eyes, you will fall asleep tonight
Oh my blessed angel here again, goodnight
My guardian angel has returned, so I can say goodnight and sleep peacefully
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Darrin LeBlanc
I could sit and list to her sing for hours and hours. Love all her work.
kunoichicosplay
I adore this song. It inspired me for one of my stories I'm working on :) There's gotta be something wrong with the counter, though, because it's only showing how many times I've listened to in this week xD LoL! Thank you very very very much for uploading this. It's one of my favorite songs.
Kellyisacat89
I’ve been dreaming of selkies and I remembered this song…it’s so powerful ♥️♥️♥️
buail21
One of the saddest and most beautiful voices of western music.
Freddie Lee
Meloncholly at its most beautiful
59acres
and many a night I kept watch over her troubled sleep but naught once again was that to her