They released their first album, Weave & Spin in 2011, and their second, Mayday, in 2013. Their third album, Cycle, was released in October 2016
The Grey Selkie
Lady Maisery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"O little know I my babe's father, or the land that he dwells in"
O it happened upon a Saturday, this maid fell fast asleep
And in there came a grey selkie, and sat at her bed feet
"Awake, awake, my pretty fair maid. How soundly you do sleep
For am I, thy babe's father, who sits at your bed feet
"For I am a man upon the land, and a selkie in the sea
And when I am far and far from land, my home's in Sule Skerry"
"But my dear, I'll wed thee with a ring. With a ring I shall wed thee"
"O you may wed with whom you will, I'm sure you'll not wed me"
So she has nursed her little young son and sat him upon her knee
And at the end of seven long years, he's returned with a nursing fee
And he has taken a purse of gold and placed in upon her knee
"O give to me my little young son, I'll teach him to swim in the sea
"And I'll put a chain around his neck, and a gold chain it will be
And if he ever comes to Norway land, you'll know which seal he'll be
"And you shall marry a gunner good, and a right fine gunner he'll be
And he'll go out one May morning and shoot our son and me"
So she has married a gunner good, and a right fine gunner was he
And he went out one May morning, and he shot two seals from the sea
The son and the grey selkie
"Alas, o alas. This woeful fate this world has laid on me"
And as she sighed, and as she sat, her heart did break in three
The Grey Selkie tells the tale of a woman living in Norway who longs to know the father of her child and the land that he comes from. One day, while sleeping, she is visited by a grey selkie, a shape-shifting creature that can live both on land and in the sea. He reveals himself to be the father of her son and offers to marry her with a ring. However, the woman declines, insisting that he can marry whoever he wants and that she does not expect him to marry her.
Years later, the grey selkie comes back with a nursing fee and takes his son to teach him how to swim in the sea. He gives the woman a gold chain to put around his neck so that she can recognize him if he ever returns. The woman then marries a gunner who shoots both the grey selkie and their son, causing her heart to break in three.
The Grey Selkie is a traditional ballad that has been sung for many generations in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Lady Maisery's version adds a contemporary twist to the traditional tune, where the haunting melodies and multi-layered harmonies showcase the beauty of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
In Norway land, there lived a maid and hushed, slowly [?] she did sing
In Norway, there was a quiet and reserved young woman who would sing softly and rarely.
"O little know I my babe's father, or the land that he dwells in"
She was uncertain about the father of her child and where he may live.
O it happened upon a Saturday, this maid fell fast asleep
One Saturday, the young woman fell into a deep sleep.
And in there came a grey selkie, and sat at her bed feet
A Grey Selkie entered her room and sat at her feet while she slept.
"Awake, awake, my pretty fair maid. How soundly you do sleep
The Selkie woke her up and addressed her as a beautiful young woman while she was asleep.
For am I, thy babe's father, who sits at your bed feet
The Selkie claimed to be the father of her child and sat at the foot of her bed.
"For I am a man upon the land, and a selkie in the sea
The Selkie explained that he was a man on land and a magical creature in the sea.
And when I am far and far from land, my home's in Sule Skerry"
He revealed that his home was in Sule Skerry, far from the land.
"But my dear, I'll wed thee with a ring. With a ring I shall wed thee"
The Selkie offered to marry her with a ring.
"O you may wed with whom you will, I'm sure you'll not wed me"
The young woman rejected the offer of marriage.
So she has nursed her little young son and sat him upon her knee
The young woman raised her son and spent time with him.
And at the end of seven long years, he's returned with a nursing fee
After seven years, the Selkie returned and paid for the nursing of his son.
And he has taken a purse of gold and placed in upon her knee
The Selkie gave her a purse of gold.
"O give to me my little young son, I'll teach him to swim in the sea
He requested to take his son to teach him how to swim in the sea.
"And I'll put a chain around his neck, and a gold chain it will be
He promised to give his son a gold chain to wear around his neck.
And if he ever comes to Norway land, you'll know which seal he'll be
He informed her that if his son ever returned to Norway, she would be able to identify him with the gold chain around his neck.
"And you shall marry a gunner good, and a right fine gunner he'll be
The Selkie instructed her to marry a good and skillful marksman.
And he'll go out one May morning and shoot our son and me"
The Selkie predicted that the marksman would accidentally shoot him and their son.
So she has married a gunner good, and a right fine gunner was he
The young woman married a skillful and admirable marksman.
And he went out one May morning, and he shot two seals from the sea
One May morning, the marksman shot two seals in the sea.
The son and the grey selkie
Unfortunately, the son and the Selkie were the ones shot by the marksman.
"Alas, o alas. This woeful fate this world has laid on me"
The young woman expressed her sorrow for the tragic event that had occurred.
And as she sighed, and as she sat, her heart did break in three
The young woman's heart was broken in three due to the tragic loss of her son and the father of her child.
Contributed by Camden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.