Martin Carthy (born May 21, 1941) is an English folk singer and guitarist w… Read Full Bio ↴Martin Carthy (born May 21, 1941) is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days of the folk revival.

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'.

Death Of Young Andrew
Martin Carthy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One night as I lay on my bed
A dreadful draught of sleep I drew
For I dreamed as all the trees turned brown
That I saw the death of young Andrew

For the moon shone bright and it give good light
Welcome she rise my honey my sweet
For seven long years you have been gone

I thought chance was we'd never more meet

And he's ta'en her all in his arms
And there they kissed both cheek and chin
And they loved sweet and they loved long
Before that one was two again

And O my love and sweet my love
And dear my love if you love me
Go fetch me some of your father's gold
The time has come that we was away

Now she's run down to her father's hall
For well she knew where his good gold lay
So swiftly she's returned again
She's counted it out all down by his knee

For he's ta'en her by the lily-white hand
And he's led her up the hill so high
But oh the smiles they fell from his mouth
As dark and grim there grew his eye

Take off take off your velvet gown
Deliver it here over to me
For I've a love in a far far land
That I love far far more than thee

Take off take off your silken robe
Deliver it here over to me
For I've a love in a far far land
And I've been too long gone from she

But O my love and sweet my love
And love Andrew that lay with me
You loved me sweet and you loved me long
So why do you now love betray

But he's drawn out his good long sword
And he's placed it twixt her nose and her chin
Cries You may die on the point of this
Or you may run naked home again

And oh the bitter tears down fall
As down her clothes fell at his feet
And her body lately so deep in love
A hiding place from shame did seek

And there she's stood at her father's door
She's naked as the day she's born
Oh rise rise and let me in
For the night winds whip me to the bone

But up and spoke her own father
All where he lay in his high bedroom
Oh that thief and whore is at my door
Let no-one rise and let her in

But when he's waked in the bright morning
And all the birds began to sing
He's spied his daughter lying dead
She's dead and cold as any stone

And oh the bitter tears down fall
And seven sons stood all around
Crying Why's our sister lying dead
And why did you not let her in

And they have sworn a solemn oath
And they have sworn by earth and sky
That they would take this young Andrew
That he would wish for the day he'd die

And up they rose these seven brothers
And they chased him deep into Wales
There they caught him by such a wile
That now he must tell no more such tales

For there he stood this young Andrew
Like any fox they ringed him round
Crying We've not come for our father
But for the sister you done down

Two of them they broke his legs
And two of them broke his collar bone
And two of them broke his two arms
They leaned him back all against a stone

And up and rose the eldest one
Saying See the pity we show thee
For you ne'er shed our sister's blood
So we'll not do that unto thee

And they took up their father's gold
And they laid it out in young Andrew's sight
Saying, Guard this well ye young Andrew
Defend it well from the wolves tonight

And they have left this young Andrew
As naked as the day he's born

Saying Men will strip you to the skin
But the wolves will strip you to the bone

Overall Meaning

"Death of Young Andrew" is a tragic ballad that tells the story of a woman named Mary and her lover, Andrew. The ballad begins with Mary dreaming about Andrew's death. Shortly after, Andrew returns home after being gone for seven years. Mary is very excited to see him again, and they embrace and kiss. Andrew asks Mary to fetch some of her father's gold, so they can run away together. Mary fetches the gold, and they begin walking up a hill. However, when they reach the top, Andrew tells Mary to take off her velvet and silk gowns, as he has a love in a far-off land that he loves more than her. Mary is heartbroken, and Andrew threatens her with a sword, saying that she can either die or run home naked. Mary chooses the latter, and when she arrives at her father's door, he refuses to let her in. The next morning, Mary's father finds her dead outside, and Andrew must pay for what he's done.

The ballad touches on themes of love, betrayal, and revenge. Andrew's selfishness and lack of empathy cause immense pain for both Mary and her family. His choice to threaten Mary with a sword ultimately leads to her tragic death, resulting in her brothers seeking revenge. Martin Carthy's rendition of the ballad features his signature acoustic guitar playing and haunting vocals, which capture the sorrowful nature of the story.

Line by Line Meaning

One night as I lay on my bed A dreadful draught of sleep I drew For I dreamed as all the trees turned brown That I saw the death of young Andrew
The singer is having a nightmare where everything in nature is dying and sees the death of young Andrew in his dream.

For the moon shone bright and it give good light Welcome she rise my honey my sweet For seven long years you have been gone I thought chance was we'd never more meet
The moon is shining as the singer is reunited with their lover for the first time in seven years.

And he's ta'en her all in his arms And there they kissed both cheek and chin And they loved sweet and they loved long Before that one was two again
The lovers embrace and share affection before becoming intimate.

And O my love and sweet my love And dear my love if you love me Go fetch me some of your father's gold The time has come that we was away
The artist asks their lover for gold to help them escape together.

Now she's run down to her father's hall For well she knew where his good gold lay So swiftly she's returned again She's counted it out all down by his knee
The lover quickly retrieves the gold from her father's house and returns to her lover with it.

For he's ta'en her by the lily-white hand And he's led her up the hill so high But oh the smiles they fell from his mouth As dark and grim there grew his eye
The lover takes his partner to a higher place but his expression changes to a more sinister one.

Take off take off your velvet gown Deliver it here over to me For I've a love in a far far land That I love far far more than thee
The lover demands his partner remove her clothing as a sign of loyalty to him over her family.

But O my love and sweet my love And love Andrew that lay with me You loved me sweet and you loved me long So why do you now love betray
The artist questions why her lover would betray her after they have shared a sweet and loving relationship.

But he's drawn out his good long sword And he's placed it twixt her nose and her chin Cries You may die on the point of this Or you may run naked home again
The lover threatens the artist with a sword and gives her the ultimatum of death or walking back to her father's house naked.

And oh the bitter tears down fall As down her clothes fell at his feet And her body lately so deep in love A hiding place from shame did seek
The artist cries as she is stripped naked in front of her lover and feels shame for her previous intimate encounter with him.

And there she's stood at her father's door She's naked as the day she's born Oh rise rise and let me in For the night winds whip me to the bone
The singer returns to her father's home naked and cold, requesting to be let back in.

But up and spoke her own father All where he lay in his high bedroom Oh that thief and whore is at my door Let no-one rise and let her in
The artist's father refuses to let her back into his home and calls her derogatory names.

But when he's waked in the bright morning And all the birds began to sing He's spied his daughter lying dead She's dead and cold as any stone
The singer's father finds her dead daughter in the morning after refusing to let her back inside the night before.

And oh the bitter tears down fall And seven sons stood all around Crying Why's our sister lying dead And why did you not let her in
The singer's brothers grieve over her death and question why their father didn't let her back in the home.

And they have sworn a solemn oath And they have sworn by earth and sky That they would take this young Andrew That he would wish for the day he'd die
The brothers swear to avenge their sister's death by seeking revenge on young Andrew.

And up they rose these seven brothers And they chased him deep into Wales There they caught him by such a wile That now he must tell no more such tales
The brothers chase young Andrew into Wales and capture him using a trick so he can no longer hurt others with similar tales.

For there he stood this young Andrew Like any fox they ringed him round Crying We've not come for our father But for the sister you done down
The brothers corner young Andrew like a fox and explain that they are seeking revenge for their sister's death.

Two of them they broke his legs And two of them broke his collar bone And two of them broke his two arms They leaned him back all against a stone
The brothers break young Andrew's limbs and lean him against a stone to punish him for his actions.

And up and rose the eldest one Saying See the pity we show thee For you ne'er shed our sister's blood So we'll not do that unto thee
The eldest brother shows mercy and spares young Andrew's life for not directly killing their sister.

And they took up their father's gold And they laid it out in young Andrew's sight Saying, Guard this well ye young Andrew Defend it well from the wolves tonight
The brothers take their father's gold and give it to young Andrew, telling him to protect it from the wolves.

And they have left this young Andrew As naked as the day he's born Saying Men will strip you to the skin But the wolves will strip you to the bone
The brothers leave young Andrew naked and remind him that while men may only strip him, the wolves will strip him to the bone.

Contributed by Adeline V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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