In the mid 2000s, the arrival of twin daughters and a folk-rock whirlwind resulted in the duo curtailing their duo performances. In 2012, after almost a decade, they made a spectacular return in conjunction with their critically acclaimed album ‘Hidden People’. Awards and much praise followed and the couple re-established themselves as one of the top British folk duos.
With a story that includes music making with the likes of Seth Lakeman, Cara Dillon, Levellers, Kate Rusby and Show of Hands, Roberts & Lakeman have consolidated themselves as pillars of modern British folk.
Georgia Lee
Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman Lyrics
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They found her in a small grove of trees
And lonesome was the place where Georgia was found
She's too young to be out on the street
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
Ida said she couldn't keep Georgia from dropping out of school
I was doing the best that I could
Oh, but she just kept running away from this world
These children are so hard to raise good
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
for Georgia Lee?
Close your eyes and count to ten
I will go and hide but then
Be sure to find me, I want you to find me
And we'll play all over
We'll play all over
We'll play all over
again
There's a toad in the witch grass, there's a crow in the corn
Wild flowers on a cross by the road
And somewhere a baby is crying for her mom
As the hills turn from green back to gold
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
for Georgia Lee?
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
for Georgia Lee?
The song "Georgia Lee" by Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman is a haunting tale of a young girl who is found dead in a small grove of trees. The opening lines "Cold was the night and hard was the ground. They found her in a small grove of trees" sets the bleak and miserable tonality of the song. The tragedy of Georgia Lee's life is further highlighted with the question "Why wasn't God watching? Why wasn't God listening? Why wasn't God there for Georgia Lee?" - the lyrics suggesting a feeling of abandonment, powerlessness, and hopelessness in the face of such a tragedy.
Georgia Lee’s background is explored, with her being too young to be out on the street, but still running away from the world that she knew. The song goes on to ask why God did not intervene to help a girl so young and in need of protection. The song closes with the refrain "Why wasn't God watching? Why wasn't God listening? Why wasn't God there for Georgia Lee?" which echoes the sentiment of the song and leaves listeners pondering over the answers to these questions themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold was the night and hard was the ground
The weather was frosty and the terrain was rough
They found her in a small grove of trees
Georgia Lee was discovered in a tiny bunch of woodlands
And lonesome was the place where Georgia was found
The location where Georgia Lee was discovered was isolated
She's too young to be out on the street
Georgia Lee was underage to be wandering the streets
Why wasn't God watching?
The artist is questioning why God didn't intervene
Why wasn't God listening?
The singer is wondering why God didn't respond to the situation
Why wasn't God there
The singer is expressing that God was absent during this ordeal
for Georgia Lee?
The artist is questioning why God wasn't there for Georgia Lee
Ida said she couldn't keep Georgia from dropping out of school
Ida couldn't convince Georgia Lee to continue with her education
I was doing the best that I could
The artist was trying their utmost in taking care of Georgia Lee
Oh, but she just kept running away from this world
Georgia Lee was trying to escape the reality of the world she lived in
These children are so hard to raise good
The artist is expressing the challenge of raising children properly
Close your eyes and count to ten
This line refers to a game of hide and seek
I will go and hide but then
The singer will hide during the game
Be sure to find me, I want you to find me
The singer is urging the seeker to find them during the game
And we'll play all over
The game of hide and seek will continue in different locations
We'll play all over
The game of hide and seek will continue in different locations
We'll play all over
The game of hide and seek will continue in different locations
again
The game will start over again
There's a toad in the witch grass, there's a crow in the corn
This line sets the scene of the environment with vivid imagery
Wild flowers on a cross by the road
There were flowers left on a roadside cross as a memorial
And somewhere a baby is crying for her mom
A baby is crying for their mother in an unknown location
As the hills turn from green back to gold
This line describes the transition of the landscape from summer to autumn
Contributed by Lucy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.