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'.
Sovay
Martin Carthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She dressed herself in man's array
With a sword and pistol all by her side
To meet her true love, to meet her true love, away did ride
As she was riding over the plain
She met her true love and bid him stand
"Your gold and silver, kind Sir," she said
And when she'd robbed him of his store
She said, "Kind Sir, there is one thing more
A golden ring which I know you have
Deliver it, deliver it, your sweet life to save"
"Oh that golden ring a token is
My life I'll lose, the ring I'll save"
Being tender-hearted just like a dove
She rode away, she rode away, from her true love
Now next morning in the garden green
Just like true lovers* they were seen
He spied his watch hanging by her clothes
Which made him blush, made him blush, like any rose
"Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing
I thought to have had your golden ring
'Twas I that robbed you all on the plain
So here's your watch, here's your watch and your gold again"
"Oh I did intend and it was to know
If that you were me true love or no
So now I have a contented mind
My heart and all my heart and all my dear is thine"
The song Sovay tells the story of a woman who disguised herself as a man to meet her true love. Dressed in a man's clothing and armed with a sword and pistol, she rode over the plain to meet her lover. When she met him, she demanded his gold and silver, or else she would take his life. She then demanded his golden ring as well, but when he explained that it was a token and offered his life instead, she let him keep the ring and rode away.
The next morning, the lovers met in the garden, and the man saw his watch hanging from Sovay's clothes, which made him blush. She then revealed that she had robbed him the previous day, but it was just a test to see if he was truly her love. Relieved and contented, he gave her his heart and all his gold.
The lyrics of the song convey a strong sense of adventure and romance, as well as the theme of gender roles and societal expectations. Sovay defies societal norms by dressing as a man and wielding weapons, but she is also tender-hearted and ultimately motivated by her love for her partner. The song can be interpreted as a critique of societal restrictions on gender roles and the freedom to express oneself authentically.
Line by Line Meaning
Sovay, Sovay all on a day
Sovay, Sovay - this is the name of the singer (a bold, adventurous and daring woman) who sets out on a journey. 'All on a day' refers to a particular day when she decides to don men's clothing to disguise herself.
She dressed herself in man's array
She wore men's clothing to disguise herself in order to undertake a dangerous journey.
With a sword and pistol all by her side
She carried weapons - swords and pistols - with her for her protection during her journey.
To meet her true love, to meet her true love, away did ride
She is riding away from her hometown to meet her beloved.
As she was riding over the plain
As she was riding through the open, flat area with few trees, covering the soil.
She met her true love and bid him stand
She met her beloved and asked him to stop.
"Your gold and silver, kind Sir," she said
She demanded her beloved's money in a polite and respectful manner.
"Or else this moment, or else this moment, your life I'll have"
She warned him that if he didn't comply with her request, then she would take his life.
And when she'd robbed him of his store
After robbing him of his money, she asks for one more thing.
"Kind Sir, there is one thing more
She asks her beloved for one more thing.
A golden ring which I know you have
She demands that he hand over his golden ring which she already knows he has.
Deliver it, deliver it, your sweet life to save"
She repeats her demand for the ring and threatens to kill him if he doesn't give her the ring immediately.
"Oh that golden ring a token is
The beloved tells her that the ring is a token of their love and it holds sentimental value for him.
My life I'll lose, the ring I'll save"
He tells her that while he would rather die than lose the ring, he will hand it over to her.
Being tender-hearted just like a dove
Sovay (the singer) is actually quite kind-hearted, just like a dove, despite appearing aggressive and dangerous.
She rode away, she rode away, from her true love
Sovay leaves her beloved behind on her horse and continues on with her journey.
Now next morning in the garden green
The next morning, in a green garden, the beloved saw Sovay.
Just like true lovers* they were seen
The beloved and Sovay appear as any typical, happy lovers would to anyone passing by.
He spied his watch hanging by her clothes
The beloved noticed his watch hanging among Sovay's clothes.
Which made him blush, made him blush, like any rose
The unexpected sight of the watch caused him to blush, deep red and intense, like any rose.
"Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing
Sovay sees her beloved blushing and asks him why he is so embarrassed over such a small and insignificant thing.
I thought to have had your golden ring
Her beloved thought that she robbed him of his ring and had no intention of returning it to him.
"Twas I that robbed you all on the plain
Sovay admits to robbing her beloved of everything he had.
So here's your watch, here's your watch and your gold again"
Sovay returns the watch and the gold to her beloved.
"Oh I did intend and it was to know
She tells her beloved that her true intention was to test his love for her by asking him to give up his precious ring.
If that you were me true love or no
She wanted to make sure that her beloved truly loved her and was deserving of her love.
So now I have a contented mind
Sovay is happy to know that her beloved truly loves her.
My heart and all my heart and all my dear is thine"
Sovay gives her heart to her beloved and promises him her love forever.
Contributed by Julian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cluster1955
Two giants of English folk music, opening a treasure chest of beautiful music to many (then still young people) by their individual interpretation and their many respective groups. Thank you, gentlemen .... And Swarb is very missed!
@roblee1909
I saw them in Hamburg the year after this. They got slightly out of sync on one of the songs, so before starting the next song, Carthy says to Swarbrick: 'if you finish before me, go and get the drinks in'.
@jobsworthism
So sadly missed is Swarb..huge loss to the folk world
@Damilosko
Accidentally coming across Martin Carthy and English folk music is one of the best mistakes of my life, the music is so beatuiful
@Daniel.W.Bridge
why a mistake?
@blackbird365
Best discovery in my life!!! Why 'mistake'?
@Daniel.W.Bridge
@@blackbird365 ' is one of the best mistakes ' you wrote ?!
@Daniel.W.Bridge
maybe there are other double meaning of mistake in english, I'm not mother language
@blackbird365
@@Daniel.W.Bridge No, I didn't - you're confusing me with the person who wrote that! I was asking why they thought it a mistake!
@user-td4do3op2d
Unbelievable rhythms, melodies, lyrics, harmonies, everything. And live as well.