Formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Malinky is a Scottish folk band specialising in Scots song.
Formed in autumn 1998, the original members were Karine Polwart from Banknock, Stirlingshire (vocals, guitar, bouzouki), Steve Byrne from Arbroath (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Mark Dunlop from Garryduff, Co. Antrim (bodhrán, whistles, vocals) and English fiddler Kit Patterson.
First meeting to rehearse in early October that year, the band was largely formed to help Polwart fulfil a support slot at Edinburgh Folk Club some ten days later, supporting harpist and storyteller Robin Williamson, formerly of the Incredible String Band. The members had previously encountered each other around the lively pub session scene in Edinburgh in venues such as Sandy Bell's and the Royal Oak bars. Polwart was a social worker, Byrne a student of Scottish Studies, Dunlop a town planner with the city council, and Patterson a computer programmer from Plymouth.
The band's first album 'Last Leaves' was recorded in 1999 and released at Celtic Connections 2000, with the late Davy Steele as producer. In early 2001, Edinburgh-born Jon Bews, formerly of Burach, replaced Patterson on fiddle, and later that year Tyrone button box and whistle player Leo McCann was asked to join to expand the band's largely string-driven sound.
In September 2004 the band announced a major change of personnel. Polwart left to pursue a solo career and McCann's imminent fatherhood prompted him to return to his previous career in social work. Polwart and McCann worked their notice until February 2005, coincidentally the same month as Polwart swept the boards at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, catapulting her re-released 2003 solo album 'Faultlines' to greater heights.
Byrne, Dunlop and Bews continued the band with new members Fiona Hunter from Glasgow (vocals, cello) and Liverpool-born Ewan MacPherson (guitar, mandolin, mandola, tenor banjo, jew's harp, vocals), and a series of crossover concerts in January and February 2005 took place, featuring both old and new lineups, including a sellout show at Celtic Connections in Glasgow.
In June 2005 the band recorded their third album 'The Unseen Hours' at Watercolour Studios in Ardgour, Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands, and the album was released in November 2005, surprising many critics with its continuity from the band's previous work, and earning rave reviews with its strong commitment to traditional Scots ballads.
The Unseen Hours lineup toured Germany and the Netherlands in 2006 to great acclaim and in 2007 performed with Swedish ballad band Ranarim at the Celtic Connections festival as well as making their first sojourn to the USA and Canada.
In December 2007 MacPherson left the band to pursue other projects to be replaced by guitar and bouzouki player David Wood from Grindleford in Derbyshire, formerly of CrossCurrent.
Fiddler Mike Vass joined the band in 2008, previously best known for performing in a duo with his sister Ali Vass.
Billy Taylor
Malinky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Instead of Billy gettin' married, he was forced untae the sea
But his bride soon followed after under the name of Richard Carr
Snow-white fingers, long and slender, covered ower wi' pitch and tar
Chorus (after each verse):
Fal-da-ral-da-rum-dum-deddy
Fal-da-ral-de-rum-dum-day
She's dressed herself in sailor's clothing, oh but she was a bonnie young man
Away she sailed upon the ocean, all aboard the Mary Anne
A storm blew up upon the water, she bein' there amang the rest
The wind blew off her silver buttons and there appeared her snow-white breast
"Well, now," said the captain, "My dear lady, what misfortune brought you here?"
"I'm in search of my true lover whom you have pressed the other year"
"Well," said the captain, "My dear lady, tell to me the young man's name"
"Some folk call him Billy Taylor, William Taylor is his name"
"Well, if Billy Taylor's your dear lover, then he has proved to you untrue
He's got married tae another and left you here alone to rue
Rise ye early in the mornin', early at the break of day
And there you'll spy young Billy Taylor, walkin' oot wi' his lady gay"
She rose early up next mornin', early at the break of day
And there she spied young Billy Taylor walkin' oot wi' his lady gay
Gun and pistol she commanded, gun and pistol at her side
And there she shot young Billy Taylor walkin' oot wi' his new-made bride
(Chorus...)
The song Billy Taylor by Malinky tells the story of a sailor named Billy who fell in love with a fair lady. Unfortunately, instead of marrying his beloved, he was forced to go to sea. His lover, however, decided to follow him to sea, dressed as a man, under the name of Richard Carr. When a storm hit the ship they were on, the wind blew off her silver buttons, revealing her true identity. The ship's captain asked her why she was on board, and she mentioned that she was in search of her true love whom they had forcibly pressed into service. When she revealed that her lover's name was Billy Taylor, the captain told her that he had proved unfaithful and had already married another woman. Dejected and filled with anger, the woman decided to take matters into her own hands and shot Billy and his new bride.
The lyrics of the song capture the agony of lost love, betrayal, and revenge. Billy's lover's determination to follow him to sea, despite being a woman, shows her commitment to him. However, when she discovers that Billy has married someone else, she's filled with fury and turns to violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy Taylor was a sailor, he was courtin' a fair lady
Billy Taylor was a sailor who was in love with a lady
Instead of Billy gettin' married, he was forced untae the sea
Billy was not able to get married to his lady since he had to go to sea
But his bride soon followed after under the name of Richard Carr
The lady dressed up as a man named Richard Carr followed Billy onto the sea
Snow-white fingers, long and slender, covered ower wi' pitch and tar
Though the lady had delicate white fingers, they were now covered in pitch and tar from working on the ship
She's dressed herself in sailor's clothing, oh but she was a bonnie young man
The lady disguised herself as a male sailor but was still beautiful
Away she sailed upon the ocean, all aboard the Mary Anne
She embarked on a journey at sea aboard a ship called the Mary Anne
A storm blew up upon the water, she bein' there amang the rest
While at sea, a storm arose and she was amongst the crew
The wind blew off her silver buttons and there appeared her snow-white breast
The wind blew off her clothing and revealed her feminine attributes
"Well, now," said the captain, "My dear lady, what misfortune brought you here?"
The captain asked what brought the lady to the ship
"I'm in search of my true lover whom you have pressed the other year"
The lady explained that she was searching for her lover, who was taken away a year ago by the captain
"Well," said the captain, "My dear lady, tell to me the young man's name"
The captain asked for the name of the lady's lover
"Some folk call him Billy Taylor, William Taylor is his name"
The lady revealed that her lover's name was Billy Taylor or William Taylor
"Well, if Billy Taylor's your dear lover, then he has proved to you untrue
The captain told the lady that her lover was unfaithful and had gotten married to another
He's got married tae another and left you here alone to rue
Billy had married someone else and left the lady behind
Rise ye early in the mornin', early at the break of day
The lady was told to wake up early in the morning at dawn
And there you'll spy young Billy Taylor, walkin' oot wi' his lady gay
She would see Billy Taylor walking with his new bride
She rose early up next mornin', early at the break of day
The lady woke up early the next day at dawn
And there she spied young Billy Taylor walkin' oot wi' his lady gay
She saw Billy Taylor walking with his new bride
Gun and pistol she commanded, gun and pistol at her side
The lady was armed with a gun and pistol
And there she shot young Billy Taylor walkin' oot wi' his new-made bride
She shot and killed Billy Taylor while he was walking with his new wife
Contributed by Nathaniel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.