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'.
Nothing Rhymed
Martin Carthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To some elderly lady or man
Am I being a good boy
Am I your pride and joy
Mother please if your pleased say I am
And if while in the course of my duty
I perform an unfortunate take
Would you punish me so, unbelievably so
Never again will I make that mistake
This feeling inside me could never deny me
The right to be wrong if I choose
And this pleasure I get
From say winning a bet
Is to lose
When I'm drinking my Bonaparte Shandy
Eating more than enough apple pies
Will I glance at my screen and see real human beings starve to death
Right in front of my eyes
Nothing old, nothing new, nothing ventured
Nothing gained, nothing still-born or lost,
Nothing further than proof nothing wilder than youth
Nothing older than time, nothing sweeter than wine
Nothing physically, recklessly, hopelessly blind
Nothing I couldn't say
Nothing why 'cos today
Nothing rhymed
This feeling inside me could never deny me
The right to be wrong if I choose,
And this pleasure I get
From say winning a bet
Is to lose
Nothing good, nothing bad, nothing ventured
Nothing gained, nothing still-born or lost,
Nothing further than proof nothing wilder than youth
Nothing older than time, nothing sweeter than wine
Nothing physically, recklessly, hopelessly blind
Nothing I couldn't say
Nothing why 'cos today
Nothing rhymed
“Nothing Rhymed” by Martin Carthy is a complex and subtle song that touches upon various themes that are hard to decode. The lyrics are open-ended and can be interpreted in multiple ways. The first verse of the song questions societal expectations by presenting a scenario of a young man wondering whether his actions to follow the moral code of the society will make him a “good boy” and his mother’s “pride and joy.” He further questions the consequences of making mistakes, and whether his punishment would be justified. In a way, the verse debates the social and moral responsibility of an individual, and the personal doubts that come with it.
The middle verse of the song transitions to a more existential question, starting with “This feeling inside me could never deny me.” It's a contemplation of the pleasure of making mistakes and having the right to be wrong. The verse connects with the previous verse in terms of questioning the societal norms, but also adds a personal level to the conflicts one faces within themselves when it comes to making choices. The middle verse also presents an interesting dark humor with the lines “And this pleasure I get, From say winning a bet, Is to lose.”
The final verse of the song shifts to a more global theme, a question of existence, and whether anything that happens in the world can rhyme or make sense. This section reflects on the issues of inequality in society, the abundance of resources available, yet people dying of starvation. The verse starts optimistically, stating “Nothing further than proof," and ends more pessimistically with the lines “nothing why 'cos today, nothing rhymed.”
Line by Line Meaning
If I give up the seat I've been saving
If I choose to offer my seat to an elderly lady or man
To some elderly lady or man
To someone who appears to be of advanced age
Am I being a good boy
Am I behaving in a manner that is pleasing to you
Am I your pride and joy
Am I the source of your happiness and pride
Mother please if your pleased say I am
Please acknowledge and tell me that I am making you happy
And if while in the course of my duty
And if during my work or obligations
I perform an unfortunate take
I make a mistake or misstep
Would you punish me so, unbelievably so
Would your punishment be excessive or unjust
Never again will I make that mistake
I will not repeat the same mistake again
This feeling inside me could never deny me
I cannot ignore or deny this feeling within me
The right to be wrong if I choose
The freedom to make mistakes if that is my choice
And this pleasure I get
And the enjoyment I experience
From say winning a bet
Such as that which arises from winning a wager
Is to lose
Comes from the knowledge that loss is inevitable
When I'm drinking my Bonaparte Shandy
When I am consuming my drink made with beer and lemonade
Eating more than enough apple pies
Indulging in the consumption of multiple apple pies
Will I glance at my screen and see real human beings starve to death
Will I view a depiction of genuine individuals dying due to famine
Right in front of my eyes
Directly within my view
Nothing old, nothing new, nothing ventured
Nothing is old or new, and nothing is tried or attempted
Nothing gained, nothing still-born or lost
Neither victory, aborted attempts, nor loss is recorded
Nothing further than proof, nothing wilder than youth
No evidence is necessary, and there is nothing more reckless than youth
Nothing older than time, nothing sweeter than wine
Nothing exists that is older than time, nor that tastes better than wine
Nothing physically, recklessly, hopelessly blind
Nothing is physically or imminently in danger, or irreparably blind
Nothing I couldn't say
There is nothing I am incapable of expressing
Nothing why 'cos today
No particular reason, just due to the present day
Nothing rhymed
There is no discernible pattern or rhythm
Nothing good, nothing bad, nothing ventured
There is nothing to define as good or bad, nor anything attempted
Nothing gained, nothing still-born or lost
Neither victory, aborted attempts, nor loss is recorded
Nothing further than proof, nothing wilder than youth
No evidence is necessary, and there is nothing more reckless than youth
Nothing older than time, nothing sweeter than wine
Nothing exists that is older than time, nor that tastes better than wine
Nothing physically, recklessly, hopelessly blind
Nothing is physically or imminently in danger, or irreparably blind
Nothing I couldn't say
There is nothing I am incapable of expressing
Nothing why 'cos today
No particular reason, just due to the present day
Nothing rhymed
There is no discernible pattern or rhythm
Contributed by Julian V. 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....