He was born in Hatfield and grew up in Hampstead, London. After training as an actor he sang in coffee bars. He became a resident at the Troubador folk club in Earls Court in the late 1950s. He joined Redd Sullivan's Thameside Four in 1961. He is a renowned solo performer of traditional songs in a very distinctive style, accompanying himself on his trusty old Martin Guitar; his style is marked by the use of alternate tunings, and a strongly percussive picking style that emphasizes the melody. His debut album, Martin Carthy, was released in 1965, and also featured Dave Swarbrick playing fiddle on some tracks, although he was not mentioned in the album's sleeve notes.
He has also been involved with many musical collaborations. He has sung with The Watersons since 1972, was an early member of the UK folk rock group Steeleye Span, and was part of the innovative Brass Monkey ensemble, which mixed a range of brass instruments with Carthy's guitar and mandolin and John Kirkpatrick's accordion, melodeon and concertina.
For many years Carthy has enjoyed a creative partnership with fiddle player Dave Swarbrick. More recently, Waterson:Carthy has provided the forum for a successful partnership with partner Norma Waterson together with their daughter Eliza Carthy.
In June 1998 he was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours. He was named Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2002, and again in 2005 when he also won the award for Best Traditional Track for 'Famous Flower of Serving Men'.
Cold Haily Windy Night
Martin Carthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And me feet they are like a lump of lead,
Oh me shoes they are frozen to me feet
With standing at your window.
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
Cold haily windy night,
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
For I'll not come back again oh."
"Oh me father he watches down on the street,
My mother the chamber keys do keep.
Oh the doors and the windows they do creak
And I dare not let you in oh."
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
Cold haily windy night,
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
For I'll not come back again oh."
Oh she's rose up and let him in,
And she's kissed her true love cheek and chin;
She's drawn him between the sheets again
And she opened and let him in oh.
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night,
Cold haily windy night;
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in oh.
"Oh soldier, soldier, stay with me?
And soldier soldier, won't you marry me?"
"Oh no oh no that ne'er can be
So fare thee well forever."
Oh then she has wept for the rainy night
Cold haily windy night;
Oh then she has wept for the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in oh.
And he's jumped up all out of the bed
And he's put his hat all on his head,
For she had lost her maidenhead
And her mother has heard the din oh.
Oh then she has cursed the rainy night,
Cold haily windy night;
Oh then she has cursed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in oh.
The song "Cold Haily Windy Night" by Martin Carthy tells the story of a young soldier who seeks shelter in a woman's house on a stormy night. The soldier is cold, tired, and bedraggled, and begs the woman to let him in. She is hesitant at first, explaining that her father and mother keep her under strict watch, but eventually gives in to his pleas and allows him entry. The soldier, grateful for her kindness, spends the night with her, and the two become intimate. In the morning, the soldier leaves, promising to return to her someday. The woman, hurt by his rejection, weeps bitterly for the loss of their fleeting love.
The lyrics of "Cold Haily Windy Night" are full of poetic imagery and symbolism, painting a vivid picture of the stormy night and the intense emotions of the two main characters. The frozen hat and shoes are symbolic of the soldier's physical and emotional state, while the creaking doors and windows represent the woman's fear and hesitation. The contrast between the cold, harsh weather and the warmth and intimacy of the lovers' embrace is a powerful metaphor for the transience and fragility of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh me hat is frozen to me head
My hat is so cold and stuck to my head.
And me feet they are like a lump of lead,
My feet feel very heavy and numb due to the cold.
Oh me shoes they are frozen to me feet
My shoes have become solidly frozen to my feet.
With standing at your window.
I have been standing outside your window for too long.
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
The soldier begs to be let inside the house.
Cold haily windy night,
It is a very cold, windy and unpleasant night.
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
The soldier begs to be let inside the house once again.
For I'll not come back again oh."
If I am not allowed inside, I will not return again.
Oh me father he watches down on the street,
My father is watching the street from a nearby place.
My mother the chamber keys do keep.
My mother keeps the keys to the house locked.
Oh the doors and the windows they do creak
The doors and windows make noise when opened or closed.
And I dare not let you in oh."
I am scared and cannot let you in.
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
The soldier still begs to be let inside the house.
Cold haily windy night,
The condition outside is still very cold and unpleasant.
"Oh let me in," the soldier cried,
The soldier keeps asking to be let inside the house.
For I'll not come back again oh."
He is pleading to be allowed inside, or he will not come back.
Oh she's rose up and let him in,
She has finally decided to allow him to come in.
And she's kissed her true love cheek and chin;
She greeted her true love by kissing him on his face.
She's drawn him between the sheets again
She has covered him with blankets again.
And she opened and let him in oh.
She finally opened the door and let the soldier in the house.
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night,
She feels grateful for the storm that brought the soldier to her door.
Cold haily windy night;
The conditions outside are still harsh and uncomfortable.
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night,
She repeats her appreciation for the stormy night.
That she opened and she let him in oh.
She feels grateful that she was able to open the door and bring the soldier to safety inside.
"Oh soldier, soldier, stay with me?
She asks the soldier to stay with her.
And soldier soldier, won't you marry me?"
She proposes to the soldier, asking him to marry her.
"Oh no oh no that ne'er can be
The soldier refuses the proposal, stating that it can never happen.
So fare thee well forever."
He bids farewell to her, never to meet again.
Oh then she has wept for the rainy night
She weeps for what happened on that rainy night.
Cold haily windy night;
The weather remains harsh and unpleasant.
Oh then she has wept for the rainy night
She repeats her weeping for this particular night.
That she opened and she let him in oh.
She is crying at her decision to let the soldier in.
And he's jumped up all out of the bed
The soldier jumps out of bed suddenly.
And he's put his hat all on his head,
The soldier puts his hat on his head as he gets ready to leave.
For she had lost her maidenhead
The woman lost her virginity to the soldier.
And her mother has heard the din oh.
Her mother has heard the noise and commotion in the room.
Oh then she has cursed the rainy night,
The mother curses the night for causing such an event.
Cold haily windy night;
The weather continues to be harsh and unpleasant.
Oh then she has cursed the rainy night,
She repeats her curses on this eventful night.
That she opened and she let him in oh.
She regrets her decision to let the soldier inside the house.
Contributed by Natalie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
inajiffi
Classic. 👌