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'.
High Germany
Martin Carthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we must go a-marching to the beating of the drum.
Go dress yourself all in your best and come along with me;
I'll take you to the war, my love, in High Germany."
"Oh Willy love, oh Willy, come list what I do say,
My feet they are so tender, I cannot march away.
And besides, my dearest Willy, I am with child by thee,
"I'll buy for you a horse, my love, and on it you shall ride
And all my delight shall be a-riding by your side.
We'll stop at every alehouse and drink when we are dry,
We'll be true to one another, get married by and by."
Oh, cursed be them cruel wars that ever they should rise
And out of Merry England press many a man likewise.
They pressed my true love from me, likewise my brothers three,
And sent them to the war, my love, in High Germany.
My friends I do not value nor my foes I do not fear,
Now my love has left me I wander far and near.
And when my baby it is born and a-smiling on my knee
I'll think on lovely Willy in High Germany.
(repeat first verse)
The song "High Germany" is a traditional British folk song that tells the story of two lovers, Polly and Willy, who are separated by the cruel and devastating effects of war. The verses are sung as a dialogue between Polly and Willy, with Polly expressing her reluctance to join Willy in the war due to her tender feet and her pregnancy. However, Willy is determined to bring Polly along with him and promises to buy her a horse to ride alongside him. The lyrics describe the devastation caused by war and the pain of being separated from loved ones, as Polly reflects on her loss and hopes for a reunion with Willy after the war.
The song is believed to have originated in England in the 18th century and was later popularized in North America during the 19th century. The lyrics have been adapted over time to reflect different political and cultural contexts, with some versions emphasizing the anti-war message, while others focus on the theme of love and separation. The melody of "High Germany" has also been used in other folk songs, including "The Bonny Ship the Diamond" and "The Banks of the Lee", which highlights the enduring appeal of the tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Polly love, oh Polly, the rout has now begun,
Oh my dear Polly, the army has started moving.
And we must go a-marching to the beating of the drum.
We have to join the army and march along with the rest to the rhythm of the drum.
Go dress yourself all in your best and come along with me;
Get ready in your finest clothes and come with me.
I'll take you to the war, my love, in High Germany.
I will take you to the battlefield, my love, in the great nation of Germany.
Oh Willy love, oh Willy, come list what I do say,
Oh my love Willy, come listen to what I have to say.
My feet they are so tender, I cannot march away.
My feet are too sensitive, I cannot walk for long distances.
And besides, my dearest Willy, I am with child by thee,
Furthermore, my beloved Willy, I am carrying your child.
Not fitted for the war, my love, in High Germany.
I am not prepared for war in the great land of Germany.
I'll buy for you a horse, my love, and on it you shall ride
I will purchase a horse for you, my love, and you can ride on it.
And all my delight shall be a-riding by your side.
I will be pleased when I ride beside you on your horse.
We'll stop at every alehouse and drink when we are dry,
We will stop at each pub and have a drink when we are thirsty.
We'll be true to one another, get married by and by.
We will remain devoted to each other and eventually get married.
Oh, cursed be them cruel wars that ever they should rise
Oh, how terrible it is that these cruel wars started.
And out of Merry England press many a man likewise.
Many men from England were also compelled to fight.
They pressed my true love from me, likewise my brothers three,
They had taken away my true love, and also my three brothers.
And sent them to the war, my love, in High Germany.
And they were sent to fight in the great nation of Germany.
My friends I do not value nor my foes I do not fear,
I do not care for my friends or fear my enemies anymore.
Now my love has left me I wander far and near.
Since my love left me, I wander aimlessly around.
And when my baby it is born and a-smiling on my knee
And when my baby is born and smiling and sits on my lap,
I'll think on lovely Willy in High Germany.
I will fondly remember my dear Willy in the great land of Germany.
(repeat first verse)
(Repeat the first verse)
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@19dec1981
My childhood passed away midst the tales and lurid stories
Of manufactured glories and inhuman gallantry
I asked, "When is war over?", but no one deemed to answer me
And Margaret played that dreaded tune called High Germany
Sweet Lord, I was just seven when Margaret was eleven
They served us war for breakfast and soldiers' songs for tea
"Your father's gone campaigning" was a way of not explaining
That soldiers are the living proof of our inhumanity
DUBLINERS
@mariannasilva6403
Oh Polly, amor, oh Polly, a derrota já começou
E devemos marchar ao som do tambor
Vá se vestir com sua melhor roupa e venha comigo
Vou levá-la para a guerra, meu amor, na Alta Alemanha
Oh Willy, amor, oh Willy, venha listar o que eu digo
Meus pés são tão macios que não posso marchar
E além disso, meu querido Willy, estou grávida de você
Não preparada para a guerra, meu amor, na Alta Alemanha
Vou comprar para você um cavalo, meu amor, e nele você montará
E toda a minha vida estarei lá cavalgando ao seu lado
Pararemos em todas as cervejarias e beberemos quando estivermos com sede
Seremos fiéis um ao outro, nos casaremos, pouco a pouco
Oh, amaldiçoadas sejam as guerras cruéis que deveriam surgir
E da alegre Inglaterra pressione muitos homens da mesma forma
Eles pressionaram meu verdadeiro amor de mim, assim como meus três irmãos
E mandou-os para as guerras, meu amor, na Alta Alemanha.
Meus amigos eu não valorizo nem meus inimigos eu não tenho medo
Agora meu amor me deixou, eu vagueio por longe e perto
E quando meu bebê nascer e sorrir no meu joelho
Vou pensar no adorável Willy na Alta Alemanha
Oh Polly, amor, oh Polly, a derrota já começou
E devemos marchar ao som do tambor
Vá se vestir com sua melhor roupa e venha comigo
Vou levá-la para a guerra, meu amor, na Alta Alemanha
@kafkaesque6459
I don't know why, but this song brings me to tears. I have gone through many hardships in my life, and will continue to go through them in the near future. The lyrics resonate with me, but Cathy's stoic, almost bitter performance sells it in a way that's difficult to describe
@bobbyunavailable
I quite agree. It’s a beautiful rendition.
@Grazmos
Wish you all the best
@grunt89futtock890
Almost identical ballad as the Banks of the Condamine, which I heard sung by A.L. Lloyd. I have always loved this sung by Martin Carthy though. https://youtu.be/jvWCC2w1-ys
@zwiebel7271
finally i have found my favourite folk song in words.my english is not the best.i love this song.....
@usbeak5628
keep improve it! Don't give up and once upon a time you'll see the fruits of your learning.
@3142shara
Same
@turbowolf302
Shout out to The Dreadnoughts, otherwise I wouldn't know of this song.
@dantecanuto885
Also me
@michaelhall9338
Dante Canuto I always hear “Davy Lowston “ in my mind