Neil and Roger had been singing together as a duo in West Yorkshire since 1966 whilst John burst upon the folk scene a little later in 1972 as a member of Hebric. John, who has a voice similar to Paul Robeson also sings with the local operatic society in Halifax and is a member of The Bradshaw Mummers who can be seen in quaint outfits throughout most summers at various festivals acting out the important chapters of English history. John sang lead bass with Northern Ballet at Leeds Playhouse for the winter season of Mozart’s Requiem. Meanwhile Joe Stead had begun a professional career in London in 1966 which eventually took him to various parts of the world and more recently the first Valparaiso Festival of the Sea in Chile. Joe has performed in concert in America with Pete Seeger twice and also sung at a garden party with Paul Robeson in London in 1958. Neil also sang in concert with Pete Seeger when he and Joe crossed the Atlantic with Paul Downes to perform in a concert in New Jersey to raise funds for the Delaware Valley River Project.
There are now two new members in the group. David Buckley joined Kimber's Men at the end of April 2006. David is an actor and a singer who has performed in musicals and with the Halifax Operatic Society. They found him playing the part of Captain Smith in 'Titanic the Musical'. David sings tenor harmony. He has recently written a song called 'I will always be there' which may become as popular as 'Don't take the heroes'.
In June 2007 Kimber's Men increased their number to 5 when 'Gaz' joined the quartet.
shenandoah
Kimber's Men Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Away, you rolling river)
Oh Shenandoah, I can't get near ya
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Oh Shenandoah, I took a notion
(Away, you rolling river)
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Oh Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave ya
(Away, you rolling river)
But in my dreams I'm bound to hear ya
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
For seven long years I caught a nancy
(Away, you rolling river)
For seven long years she took me fancy
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
And then she went to Kansas City
(Away, you rolling river)
So far away to Kansas City
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
And there she had her shush-shush baby
(Away, you rolling river)
Oh there she had that shush-shush baby
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
I guess she's got another lover
(Away, you rolling river)
I've a-heard she's lodgin' with a soldier
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Farewell, my dear, I'm bound to leave ya
(Away, you rolling river)
I'm bound away and I won't deceive ya
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
The song "Shenandoah" is an American folk song that tells the story of a person's longing for the Shenandoah River, which flows through the states of Virginia and West Virginia. The singer starts with expressing their desire to hear the river ("Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear ya"), but they cannot get near it ("Oh Shenandoah, I can't get near ya"). The next verse talks about the singer's desire to cross the ocean, but they ultimately feel pulled towards the Missouri River ("To sail across that stormy ocean / 'Cross the wide Missouri").
The following verses tell a story of lost love and heartache. The singer talks about catching the "fancy" of someone for seven long years, only to have that person leave for Kansas City and have a baby with someone else. The singer suggests that the person may have found another lover ("I guess she's got another lover / I've a-heard she's lodgin' with a soldier") and ultimately says farewell to the Shenandoah river and their lost love.
The song provides insight into the feeling of displacement and nostalgia that many Americans felt as they moved westward in search of new opportunities. It reflects on the idea of longing for a place that one may never return to or be able to reach again.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear ya
I deeply crave the sound of your name, Shenandoah
(Away, you rolling river)
I address the river which lies between us
Oh Shenandoah, I can't get near ya
Sadly, I cannot be close to you, Shenandoah
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
I must journey across the wide Missouri river
Oh Shenandoah, I took a notion
I have recently formed a desire, Shenandoah
(Away, you rolling river)
Again, I address the river which blocks my way
To sail across that stormy ocean
My desire is to brave the rough seas and cross this ocean
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Once again, I must cross the wide Missouri river
Oh Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave ya
Unfortunately, I must depart from you, Shenandoah
(Away, you rolling river)
The river stands between us, continuing to roll away
But in my dreams I'm bound to hear ya
In my dreams, however, I will always hear you, Shenandoah
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Once again, my path lies across the wide Missouri river
For seven long years I caught a nancy
For seven lengthy years, I was enamored with a certain lady
(Away, you rolling river)
The river is still there, ever-rolling away
For seven long years she took me fancy
For those same seven years, I had a great fondness for her
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Again, I am destined to make the dangerous journey across the broad Missouri river
And then she went to Kansas City
Eventually, she left my company and travelled to Kansas City
(Away, you rolling river)
The river is still a formidable obstacle
So far away to Kansas City
To travel there is a significant distance
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Once again, the river lies before me, standing between me and her
And there she had her shush-shush baby
It is said that she had a secret child in Kansas City
(Away, you rolling river)
The river still runs powerfully onward in its course
Oh there she had that shush-shush baby
That child, kept in secret, was brought into the world in Kansas City
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Despite these revelations, I must still journey across that vast and treacherous river
I guess she's got another lover
I have heard that she now has someone else in her life
(Away, you rolling river)
The river of obstacles remains, refusing to let me cross unchallenged
I've a-heard she's lodgin' with a soldier
Rumour has it that she is staying with a man who is a soldier
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Yet, I cannot ignore the vast barrier still in my path, and must find a way across the wide Missouri river
Farewell, my dear, I'm bound to leave ya
Sadly, my time with you, Shenandoah, must come to an end
(Away, you rolling river)
The river will never cease to roll on, a constant reminder of the difficulties that lay ahead
I'm bound away and I won't deceive ya
I am bound to move on, but I promise I will not deceive you
(Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri)
Despite everything, the wide Missouri river still lays between me and my destination
Writer(s): DP, DAVID ANDREW EAGLE, SEAN MICHAEL COONEY, MICHAEL THOMAS HUGHES
Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.