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'.
I Sowed Some Seeds
Martin Carthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took my lodging all at some inn.
For full five months I did remain
But being a stranger I fell in danger
Doing so, doing so.
The landlord had a daughter fair,
She was a beauty I do declare.
But being a stranger I fell in danger
Doing so, doing so.
She'd ruby lips and she'd eyes of blue,
They caused me to love her so;
I kissed her lips, her bosom too,
But being a stranger I fell in danger
Doing so, doing so.
All in the grove my seed was sown,
All in the grove where grew no green.
The more I kissed her, this girl being young,
The more I kissed her her eyes did glister
Like the rising of the sun.
The seeds of love, they grew apace,
The tears they blossomed all on her face.
All for to reap it I would not stay
But being a stranger I fell in danger,
Ran away, I ran away.
Now when nine long months they were gone and past
This pretty girl had her babe at last.
She must keep it like it was her own
And reap the seeds I myself have sown
Doing so, doing so.
The song "I Sowed Some Seeds" by Martin Carthy tells the story of a man who comes to London and falls in love with the landlord's daughter. They have an affair, but he eventually leaves and returns home. Nine months later, the daughter gives birth to a child, which the man must accept as his own.
The first stanza sets the scene and establishes the main character's status as a stranger in London. This feeling of isolation and danger is a recurrent theme throughout the song, reflecting the character's vulnerability in an unfamiliar place. The second stanza describes the woman's physical beauty, which the man finds irresistible, but is also a reminder of his own precarious situation. The third stanza is the most explicit in its language, depicting the man's seduction of the woman and the flowering of their love. However, as with the previous stanzas, the language is also full of danger and risk.
The fourth stanza, which begins with the phrase "All in the grove", is the turning point of the song. It refers to the act of sowing seeds as a metaphor for the man's sexual encounter with the woman. However, the "grove where grew no green" suggests that this was a barren and forbidden place. The singer's use of the word "reap" in the next stanza also reinforces the agricultural imagery, but in a more negative sense. Instead of harvesting something that he has cultivated, he is faced with the consequences of his actions, which he must acknowledge and accept.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of passion and recklessness, especially when coupled with a sense of alienation and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
When first to London town I came
As soon as I arrived in London
I took my lodging all at some inn.
I found a place to stay at an inn.
For full five months I did remain
I stayed there for a full five months.
But being a stranger I fell in danger
But as a stranger, I was at risk.
Doing so, doing so.
That's just what happened.
The landlord had a daughter fair,
The innkeeper had a beautiful daughter.
She was a beauty I do declare.
I must admit, she was stunning.
In her bedchamber I dared not go
I was afraid to enter her bedroom.
She'd ruby lips and she'd eyes of blue,
Her lips were red and her eyes were blue.
They caused me to love her so;
I fell in love with her because of those features.
I kissed her lips, her bosom too,
I kissed her on the mouth and on her chest.
But being a stranger I fell in danger
But as a stranger, I put myself at risk.
All in the grove my seed was sown,
I planted my crop in the grove.
All in the grove where grew no green.
Where nothing else was growing in the grove.
The more I kissed her, this girl being young,
The more I kissed her, as she was very young.
The more I kissed her her eyes did glister
Her eyes shone brighter every time I kissed her.
Like the rising of the sun.
Like the sun coming up in the morning.
The seeds of love, they grew apace,
Our love grew quickly.
The tears they blossomed all on her face.
She cried a lot.
All for to reap it I would not stay
I didn't stick around to harvest our love.
But being a stranger I fell in danger,
But again, as a stranger, I was in danger.
Ran away, I ran away.
So, I ran away from the situation.
Now when nine long months they were gone and past
Nine months later.
This pretty girl had her babe at last.
The girl had a baby.
She must keep it like it was her own
She had to take care of the baby like it was hers.
And reap the seeds I myself have sown
And deal with the consequences of the love we sowed together.
Doing so, doing so.
That's what must be done now.
Contributed by Madelyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniel
on Lovely Joan
Hello ! The lyrics here art alle wrong. An' it's got tae be a frog-eater a-tellin' thee....