By the age of 12 Simpson was playing guitar and banjo. In 1970, Simpson dropped out of college to become a full-time professional musician, touring folk clubs. In 1976 he recorded his first solo album "Golden Vanity". In the same year he opened for Steeleye Span on their UK tour. Teaming up with June Tabor, a folk singer who didn't play an instrument, Simpson toured folk clubs and appeared at festivals. They recorded three albums together, highlighting each other's complementary talents. There was a fluid jazzy feel about their approach to traditional material.
In the 1980s he moved to America, originally to Ithaca, New York then to Santa Cruz and finally New Orleans.
Over the next ten years Simpson became more and more adventurous, playing blues, bluegrass, cajun and even Indian-inflected music. He released a series of albums right through the 1990s, eventually moving back to the UK.
In 2003 he teamed up with June Tabor again. A readers' poll of the magazine "Acoustic Guitar" voted him as number 12 in the world in 2005.
In 2007 Simpson released "Prodigal Son". The 2008 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards voted it as best album. The fRoots critics poll voted it as the 7th best new album of 2007. It is a mixture of traditional songs and Simpson originals, the highlights of which possess a distinctly southern American flavor.
Simpson is now married to Kit Bailey, the daughter of the singer Roy Bailey, with whom Simpson occasionally performs. Martin and Kit now live in Sheffield and have a daughter.
Fair Annie
Martin Simpson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Adieu, Audie fair Annie did say for twelve months and one day
It’s twelve months be rolling around; Fair Annie thought the time being long
She took her spy glass in her hands and out of doors she went
She looked to East, West, both North and South, and looked all under the sun
She called her own seven sons, your father brings your stepmother home
Come down, come down dear mother they did say, some clothing to put on
Saying, all of his merry, merry, merry maids might as well come as one
Fair Annie she had a silken towel hanging on a silver pin
And she wiped out her watery eyes as she walked out and in
The rest of them drunk ale, beer and wine,
But Fair Annie drunk cold well water to keep her spirits alive
I wish my songs were seven greyhounds and I was a fox on a hill
And they might have more breath than I, and they might worry me down
It’s who is your father dear, and who is your mother
And who is your brother dear and who is your sister
King Henry he’s my own father dear, Queen Chatry’s my mother
Prince Dudley he’s my own brother dear, and Fair Annie she’s my own sister
If King Henry he’s your own father dear, Queen Chatry she’s your own mother
Prince Dudley is your own brother dear, I’ll ensure you I’m your sister
We have seven ships all on the sea, they’re loaded to the brim
And five of them I’ll give to you, and two will carry me home
We’ll have Lord Thomas burned
The song "Fair Annie" tells the story of a woman named Annie who bids farewell to her loved ones for a year and a day. Annie feels that time is passing slowly and anxiously waits for the return of Lord Thomas, who is bringing his new bride home. Annie calls her seven sons and informs them that their father is bringing a stepmother home. The sons ask Annie to come downstairs to put on some clothing, as they believe that all of their father's maids should come together.
Annie, however, is consumed by sadness and wipes her tears with a silken towel, trying to hide her emotions. While the rest of them indulge in ale, beer, and wine, Annie drinks cold well water to keep her spirits alive. Amidst her longing, Annie wishes she had the strength of seven greyhounds while she imagines herself as a fox on a hill. She wishes that these imaginary creatures could have more energy than she does, so they could worry her down.
The song continues as Annie is questioned about her family ties. She proudly proclaims that King Henry is her father, Queen Chatry is her mother, Prince Dudley is her brother, and she herself is Fair Annie, their sister. However, someone doubts the legitimacy of Annie's claim and questions her about her lineage. Annie confidently asserts that if King Henry is indeed her father, Queen Chatry is her mother, and Prince Dudley is her brother, then she is undoubtedly their sister.
The song ends with Annie proclaiming that they have seven ships on the sea, loaded to the brim. Out of those, five ships will be given to the doubter, while two will carry Annie herself home. Annie concludes by suggesting that Lord Thomas should be burned, implying her desire for revenge or punishment.
Overall, "Fair Annie" is a melancholic ballad that revolves around themes of longing, family, and betrayal. It portrays the emotions of a woman awaiting her lover's return while facing skepticism about her identity and battling with inner turmoil.
Interesting facts about the song "Fair Annie":
1. "Fair Annie" is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates back centuries.
2. The song has been recorded by various artists, including Martin Simpson, whose version is particularly well-known.
3. Martin Simpson is an English folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has received numerous awards for his contributions to folk music.
4. The ballad has similarities to other traditional songs like "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor" and "Lord Lovel."
5. The lyrics of the song have variations across different versions and interpretations.
6. "Fair Annie" tells a story that is often found in traditional ballads, where love, betrayal, and family dynamics play a significant role.
7. The song's somber melody captures the emotional weight of Annie's longing and despair.
8. The character of Fair Annie represents the often-tragic female figures found in traditional ballads.
9. The song's references to King Henry, Queen Chatry, and Prince Dudley evoke a sense of nobility and hierarchy.
10. The final lines about Lord Thomas being burned speak to the desire for justice or revenge in the narrative of the ballad.
Chords (if known):
Line by Line Meaning
Adieu, Audie fair Annie did say for twelve months and one day
Farewell, my love, Fair Annie said, for a long, long time
It’s twelve months be rolling around; Fair Annie thought the time being long
It has been a year, and Fair Annie feels like time has dragged on
She took her spy glass in her hands and out of doors she went
She held her telescope and went outside
She looked to East, West, both North and South, and looked all under the sun
She searched in all directions and explored every corner
She thought she saw Lord Thomas a-coming, bringing his new bride home
She believed she saw Lord Thomas approaching, leading his new wife
She called her own seven sons, your father brings your stepmother home
She summoned her seven sons, informing them of their father's arrival with a new wife
Come down, come down dear mother they did say, some clothing to put on
The sons requested their mother to come downstairs and dress appropriately
Saying, all of his merry, merry, merry maids might as well come as one
Implying that all of their father's cheerful maidens are indistinguishable
Fair Annie she had a silken towel hanging on a silver pin
Fair Annie possessed a delicate towel hanging by a silver pin
And she wiped out her watery eyes as she walked out and in
She wiped her teary eyes as she moved back and forth
The rest of them drunk ale, beer and wine
The others consumed alcohol
But Fair Annie drank cold well water to keep her spirits alive
However, Fair Annie chose to drink cold water from the well to stay sober
I wish my songs were seven greyhounds and I was a fox on a hill
I wish I had the strength of seven hounds and the agility of a fox
And they might have more breath than I, and they might worry me down
They would have greater endurance than me, and they could overpower me
It’s who is your father dear, and who is your mother
Who are your parents, my dear?
And who is your brother dear and who is your sister
Who is your brother, my dear, and who is your sister
King Henry he’s my own father dear, Queen Chatry’s my mother
King Henry is our father, and Queen Chatry is our mother
Prince Dudley he’s my own brother dear, and Fair Annie she’s my own sister
Prince Dudley is our brother, and Fair Annie is our sister
If King Henry he’s your own father dear, Queen Chatry she’s your own mother
If King Henry is your true father, and Queen Chatry is your true mother
Prince Dudley is your own brother dear, I’ll ensure you I’m your sister
Prince Dudley is your true brother, and I guarantee that I'm your sister
We have seven ships all on the sea, they’re loaded to the brim
We own seven fully loaded ships sailing on the sea
And five of them I’ll give to you, and two will carry me home
I will give you five ships, and two will transport me back home
We’ll have Lord Thomas burned
We plan to burn Lord Thomas
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARTIN SIMPSON, DP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Catherine Morey
Martin Simpson The Master of Ballardry!!! God bless you and thank you for your magical music !!!
Eddie Wake
Hi Martin, we saw you several years ago at The Davy Lamp in Washington, and you did the full version of Fair Annie. Is there a recording or video of this version available?