Lesley Garrett has had an extensive music career. A graduate of the Royal A… Read Full Bio ↴Lesley Garrett has had an extensive music career. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England Garrett won the Kathleen Ferrier Prize in 1979, thereby launching her career. During her time as principal soprano at English National Opera, she became well-known for her performances in productions of the operas Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte and Die Fledermaus.

Garrett has performed across the whole world and has also sung opera and pop classics with Bryan Ferry, The Eurythmics and Mick Hucknall to celebrate the arrival of the new century on Millennium Eve, in the grounds at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum.

She played the lead role of Hanna Glawari, in the Welsh National Opera's production of The Merry Widow, which toured the United Kingdom in 2005. As of November 2006, Garrett was performing as Mother Abbess for six months, in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music.

As a recording artist, Garrett has released eleven solo albums. Many of her albums have received gold and silver status. Soprano in Red received the Gramophone Award for "Best-selling Classical Artist of the Year". Garrett was also a featured artist on the platinum selling Perfect Day single released by the BBC in aid of Children in Need.

Garrett is a member of the board of the English National Opera. In 2002, she was awarded the CBE for services to music.

She is also a presenter on the UK commercial radio station "Classic FM".

Bloe the Wind Southerly
Lesley Garrett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Blow the wind southerly
Southerly, southerly
Blow the wind south o'er
The bonnie blue sea.
Blow the wind southerly
Southerly, southerly
Blow bonnie breeze
My true love to me.

They told me last night
There were ships in the offing
And I hurried down
To the deep rolling sea
But my eye could not see it
Wherever might be it
The bark that is bearing
My lover to me.

Is it not sweet
To hear the breeze singing
As gently it comes
O'er the deep rolling sea?
But sweeter and endearing
By far 'tis when steering

The bark of my true love
Back safely to me.

Overall Meaning

The song "Blow the Wind Southerly" is a traditional English folk song that dates back to the late 18th century. The lyrics describe the singer's longing for her lover who has gone to sea. She implores the wind to blow southward and bring her lover back to her. The singer laments that despite hearing that there are ships in the distance, she cannot see the one that carries her lover. She finds comfort in the sound of the breeze, which reminds her of her lover. The singer longs for the day when her true love comes back to her safe and sound.

The song's lyrics are simplistic, yet they convey intense emotions of love and longing. The singer's desire to be reunited with her lover is palpable throughout the song. The repetition of the phrase, "Blow the wind southerly," emphasizes the singer's plea to the wind to bring her love back to her. The imagery of the rolling sea and the breeze creates a sense of restlessness and uncertainty, as the singer cannot be sure if her lover will return.

In summary, "Blow the Wind Southerly" is a poignant song about longing and love, with simple yet powerful lyrics that convey the emotions of the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Blow the wind southerly
Let the wind blow from the south

Southerly, southerly
From the south, from the south

Blow the wind south o'er
Let the wind blow southward over

The bonnie blue sea.
The beautiful blue sea.

Blow bonnie breeze
Blow lovely wind

My true love to me.
Bring my true love to me.

They told me last night
Someone told me last night

There were ships in the offing
Ships were expected soon

And I hurried down
And I quickly went down

To the deep rolling sea
To the sea that's deep and rolling

But my eye could not see it
But I could not see it