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.
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
Martin Simpson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know you left me here just to sit and cry
Golly gee look what have you done to me
Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore
Do you remember baby last September
How you held me tight each and every night
Weel now golly gee look what have you done to me
There ain't no use in me a-cryin'
I've done everything
And now I'm sick of trying
I've thrown away my nights
Wasted all my days over you
You go your way and I'll go mine
Now and forever 'till the end of time
I'll find somebody new and baby
We'll say we're through
And you won't matter any more
Yyou go your way and I'll go mine
Now and forever 'till the end of time
And I'll find somebody new and baby
We'll say we're through
And you won't matter any more
The lyrics of Martin Simpson's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" narrate the aftermath of a breakup. The despair and heartbreak of the singer are palpably reflected throughout the song. The opening lines of the song demonstrate that the singer is left with no choice but to accept the breakup, even though it has caused him immense emotional pain. The phrase "Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore" highlights the resignation and acceptance of the situation.
The second verse of the song speaks to the happy moments the singer shared with his lover before their relationship ended. The phrase "Well now golly gee look what have you done to me" poignantly conveys the damage and scars created in the aftermath of love, and the singer's vulnerability. In the third verse, the singer has clearly had enough of grieving and crying over the lost love, and implies that he needs to move on from this pain. He acknowledges that there is no point in trying to make things work anymore, and throws away all the cherished moments spent together.
The final verse shows the singer's acceptance of the finality of the separation. He recognizes that they must go their separate ways and that the pain he felt caused by the breakup will fade over time. The last line "And you won't matter anymore" embodies the singer's hope for a better future and his ability to overcome the pain of lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
There you go and baby here am I
You left me, but I'm still here.
I know you left me here just to sit and cry
I know you abandoned me and you don't care about my feelings.
Golly gee look what have you done to me
You've hurt me so much and now I don't know what to do.
Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore
I've accepted that there's no point in crying over you anymore.
Do you remember baby last September
Remember when we used to be happy together?
How you held me tight each and every night
I miss the good times we had together.
There ain't no use in me a-cryin'
There's no point in crying about what's already happened.
I've done everything
I've tried everything to make things work between us, but it didn't help.
And now I'm sick of trying
I'm tired of putting effort into something that's not worth it.
I've thrown away my nights
I've lost sleep worrying about you.
Wasted all my days over you
I've spent all my time and energy on you, and it was a waste.
You go your way and I'll go mine
We're going our separate ways now.
Now and forever 'till the end of time
We're done for good.
I'll find somebody new and baby
I'm ready to move on and find someone better.
We'll say we're through
We'll break up and go our separate ways.
And you won't matter any more
You won't have any impact on my life anymore.
Contributed by Lucas B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.