The initial formation consisted of vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe, guitarists Andrew Craighan and Calvin Robertshaw plus drummer Rick Miah, who founded the band in 1990. The band released the "Towards the Sinister" demo, noted for its complete absence of bass, recorded over two days in late November at Revolver Studios with Tim Walker manning the production desk. They followed this with the "God Is Alone" 7" single, restricted to 1000 copies, on the French Listenable label, again utilising both Tim Walker and Revolver Studios in May 1991. The band signed to budding Yorkshire label Peaceville Records to release the "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrum" EP in 1992, debuting new bassist Ade Jackson in the process.
My Dying Bride's first full-length album, "As the Flower Withers" arriving in May 1992, established the band among press and fans alike. Jointly produced by label mentor Hammy and the band, the record stunned many critics, who struggled to find suitable descriptives to capture the radical nature of this work. In the midst of this confusion, few would disagree that My Dying Bride had, in one fell swoop, turned the Doom genre on its head.
The group had driven deep into the core essence of doom, drastically overhauling every aspect of its composition. The album opened somewhat coyly with an orchestral exercise in deceit before the Latin lyricised 'Sear Me' challenged immediately. Songs were drawn out into near unbearable dirges, capped by the twin violin imbued colossi of "The Bitterness and the Bereavement" and "The Return of the Beautiful", Stainthorpe's prose held closer to the great British poets than standard rock n' roll and their deliberately infantile daubed logo logo also challenged convention. "As the Flower Withers" was boldly offered up as a cornerstone of a new approach, undoubtedly spawning the successive drone movement.
"As the Flower Withers" provided the opportunity for their first tour of Europe. The progress gained by another EP, 1993's "The Thrash of Naked Limbs", was marred by drummer Rick badly damaging his hand, thus canceling a projected tour with G.G.F.H. Prior to the groundbreaking 1993 "Turn Loose the Swans" album, which came in three different sleeves, the band added violinist / keyboardist Martin Powell to the band and toured Europe once more. "Turn Loose the Swans", incepting with the piano and violin lament of 'Sear Me MCMXC III' and hinged on the utterly woeful "The Crown of Sympathy", slowed the pace even further and plunged ever deeper into slug like doom. Another set of EPs, "Sexuality of Bereavement" and "I Am the Bloody Earth", kept the momentum going during 1994.
"The Angel and the Dark River" was delivered during May 1995 and, in a rare high profile moment of mainstream activity, My Dying Bride gigged as support to Iron Maiden across Europe. "The Angel and the Dark River", six slabs of morose melancholy, marked a shift in the band's strategy, for the first time dropping the death growl of Stainthorpe in favor of a clean vocal delivery. Fans were quick to hail opener 'Cry Of Mankind' as a classic, even though the mind numbing repeat keyboard mantra of the outro dragged on for a full five minutes. Limited editions of this record included a second disc of live material recorded at the Dynamo in Holland.
My Dying Bride's fourth full-length endeavour, 'Like Gods Of The Sun', hit home in October 1996 in similar bleak fashion to its predecessor. Touring in Europe during March 1997 saw the band forming up a package billing alongside Therion, Sentenced, Orphanage and Dark for the 'Out Of The Dark III' festivals. However, drummer Rick departed and for their 1998 album sessions My Dying Bride pulled in the services of Year Zero and Valle Crusis drummer Mike Unsworth in order to fill the gap. Acquired to handle keyboards would be Yasmin Ahmid of Ebony Lake.
October 1998 saw My Dying Bride issuing the experimental '34.788%... Complete' album with yet another new drummer ex-Dominion man Bill Law. The record witnessed a deliberate break from the expected Gothic imagery associated with the band and provided a challenge for their existing fan base. A sharp division of opinion branded the album either as a somnambulistic, self indulgent failure or a richly rewarding diversion. Stainthorpe's vocals on '34.788%... Complete' took on a heavily distorted air, keyboards and samples usurped guitars and song structures ebbed and flowed without formal structure. Undoubtedly the most adventurous assay of the band's entire catalogue came with 'Heroin Chic', a mechanical, expletive infested industrial male / history telling duet with a guesting Michelle Richfield of Dominion.
The band remained strangely inactive on the touring front though as guitarist Calvin Robertshaw departed. He would swiftly be replaced by erstwhile Solstice, Serenity and Khang member Lee Baines. The 'Light At The End Of The World' album would be viewed not just as a welcome return to form, including a reprise for Stainthorpe's early growling, after the side step braved by '34.788%... Complete' but even as being one of the finests outings of the genre. For touring commitments in 1999 the band pulled in Bal-Sagoth's Jonny Maudling for live keyboards. The band's more permanent line up was completed with the addition of erstwhile Anathema and Solstice drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels and former Solstice guitarist Hamish Glencross.
The 2002 offering 'The Dreadful Hours' included a re-make of 'The Return Of The Beautiful' from the debut record, re-billed as 'Return To The Beautiful'. My Dying Bride themselves witnessed a change of keyboard players in April 2002 when Sarah Stanton took over from Yasmin Ahmed. My Dying Bride also announced the release of their first live album, 'Voice Of The Wretched', the same month. Hamish Glencross and Andrew Craighan launched their BlackDoom Record label in 2003. My Dying Bride put in a short burst of European dates in October of 2003, supported by UK act The Prophecy, the first signing to the BlackDoom label.
The band returned in March of 2004 with the album 'Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light', warning fans in advance that change was in the air and that the track 'My Wine In Silence' was their most commercial effort to date. In late December Shaun Steels injured his ankle in a canoeing accident. The band drafted John Bennett from The Prophecy as stand in whilst Steels recovered.
Releases announced in early 2005 included the retrospective box set 'Anti-Diluvian Chronicles', which included new remixes of 'The Wreckage Of My Flesh', 'My Wine In Silence' and 'The Raven And The Rose', plus the live DVD 'Sinamorata', recorded in Antwerp, Belgium during October 2003. This latter release also featured two video shorts made by My Dying Bride fans, 'My Hope, The Destroyer' and 'My Wine In Silence'.
In September 2005 it was learned that erstwhile keyboard player Martin Powell and his ex-Cradle Of Filth colleague guitarist James McIlroy had united with ex-Himsa guitarist Matt Wicklund in a brand new band project called Prey. Meantime, My Dying Bride returned to live action in the UK during November.
The album 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' was recorded during mid 2006 at Academy Studios in Dewsbury and mixed at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire. The accompanying single, 'Deeper Down', hitting number 15 on the Finnish charts, was issued as an "Uberdoom" edit with exclusive studio track "The Child of Eternity".
5th January 2007 bassist Adrian Jackson left the band. Long term stand in drummer John Bennet was also reported to have parted ways. New bassist is called Lena Abé and the new drummer is Dan Mullins (formerly of Thine, Bal Sagoth and Sermon Of Hypocrisy).
In April 28th, 2008 My Dying Bride released the live album titled "An Ode to Woe", recorded live at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, in April 2007. In 2009 My Dying Bride released their tenth studio album, titled "For Lies I Sire".
In 2011 the band released "Evinta". To commemorate two decades of doom and gloom from My Dying Bride, the band embarked upon a special project to re-work familiar melodies and themes from their extensive catalogue into long, flowing symphonic compositions, incorporating new vocals and passages from Aaron Stainthorpe. Sharing vocals is professional opera singer Lucie Roche, a talented soprano from France. These arrangements have been brought to life in co-operation with keyboard maestro Johnny Maudling as well as a clutch of talented classical musicians.
The band's eleventh studio album, "A Map of All Our Failures", was released in October 2012.
Official website: http://www.mydyingbride.net
Scarborough fair
My Dying Bride Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
From cold it's bed then up to the sky
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Ask for angels a chariot to make
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
With swan feathers black and the wings of the night
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For once she was a true love of mine
Have her make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Without no seam nor fine needle work
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
And gather it all with a basket of flowers
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Dear, when thou has finished thy task
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Come to me, my hand for to ask
For thou then art a true love of mine
The lyrics to My Dying Bride's "Scarborough Fair" is a rendition of the traditional English folk song by the same name, with some modifications. The singer of the song is a man who is asking his former lover to make him a cambric shirt without any seams or fine needlework. He directs her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane and gather it with a basket of flowers. The man also requests her to remember him to one who lives in Scarborough Fair, for once she was his true love. He instructs her to take some Linton Falls water and some herbs - parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, to rise from cold water to the sky, and then she will be his true love again. The man concludes by asking his former lover to come to him once she’s done with the task, so that he can cherish her as his true love.
The lyrics of "Scarborough Fair" is a tale of lost love and longing, where the singer tries to win back his former lover by assigning her impossible tasks. The symbolism behind the herbs is interesting, as each herb in the lyrics is believed to have a unique significance. Parsley stands for comfort and protection; sage for wisdom; rosemary for healing and purification, and thyme for courage and strength. The symbolism of the herbs and the water imparts a mystical aura to the lyrics of the song, making it even more potent and haunting.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the Linton Falls water so white
Take the purity and clarity of the Linton Falls water as a symbol of the innocence we seek in a true love.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
These herbs represent the virtues of strength, purity, love, and courage respectively, which are essential components of true love.
From cold it's bed then up to the sky
The water rises from its source, gaining momentum as it journeys upwards in its search for a pure love.
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Once the water finds its way to the heavens, it will symbolize the true love that the artist seeks.
Ask for angels a chariot to make
The artist is invoking divine intervention to help him find his true love.
With swan feathers black and the wings of the night
The black swan feathers and the wings of the night symbolize the beauty and mystery of true love.
She will breathe the true love of mine
Once the chariot is fashioned, it will embody the true love that the singer desires.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
The artist is asking if his love interest is going to a famous fair in Scarborough, England, as a way to reconnect with her.
Remember me to one who lives there
The artist is asking his love interest to remember him to whomever she sees at the fair (or Scarborough in general) as a way to send his love and remind her of his feelings.
For once she was a true love of mine
This line signifies that the artist and his love interest had a deep connection at one point, further cementing his desire to reconnect with her at the fair.
Have her make me a cambric shirt
The singer requests that his love interest sew him a soft, fine shirt to wear as a symbol of her affection.
Without no seam nor fine needle work
The lack of seams and needlework signify that the shirt is made with love and care – two essential ingredients in a true love relationship.
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Once the shirt is made, it will become a physical symbol of the singer's true love and affection for him.
Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane
The placement of the shirt being made in a sycamore wood lane emphasizes the extent to which the love interest is willing to go to show her love.
And gather it all with a basket of flowers
The flowers represent the beauty and fragility of true love, and the basket signifies the importance of nurturing this love to help it thrive.
And then she'll be a true love of mine
The artist believes that, through this act of weaving and gathering flowers, his love interest will truly become someone who loves him deeply.
Dear, when thou has finished thy task
The use of 'dear' signifies the artist's affection for his love interest, and he's asking her to come to him once she's finished her task.
Come to me, my hand for to ask
The singer wants his love interest to come to him willingly (with her hand extended) to symbolize her love and commitment to him.
For thou then art a true love of mine
Once the love interest comes to the singer and extends her hand to him, she will have become a true love in his eyes.
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@codadaniels9379
Take the Linton falls water so white
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
From cold it's bed then up to the sky
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Ask for angels a chariot to make
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
White swan feathers black and the wings of the night
She will breathe the true love of mine
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For once she was a true love of mine
Have her make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without no seam nor fine needle work
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And gather it all with a basket of flowers
And the she'll be a true love of mine
Dear, when thou has finished thy task
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Come to me, my hand for to ask
For thou then art a true love of mine
@jihedmasmoudi4210
Take the Linton Falls water so white
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
From cold it's bed then up to the sky
she will be a true love of mine
Ask for angels a chariot to make
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
With swan feathers black and the wings of the night
She will breathe the true love of mine
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For once she was a true love of mine
Have her make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Without no seam nor fine needle work
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
And gather it all with a basket of flowers
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Dear, when thou has finished thy task
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Come to me, my hand for to ask
For thou then art a true love of mine
@SammmyNan
Finally! A male lead singer who isn't scared to embrace his Bass voice! I'm tired of these Pop tenors cranking their falsettos and head voices, faking emotion while singing empty songs. This is real, a deep voice for a deep song!
@michaelbaker3598
Geoff tate doing this...
@vladtepes4526
@@michaelbaker3598 Geoff Tate is a lighter baritone and quite often sings high notes in falsetto or head voice. Aaron Stainthorpe is a dark dramatic baritone and rarely sings above F4-G4.
@user-vo1of4ec5n
Как всегда М Д Б, произвели на свет очередной шедевр.
@cells44
This is by far the best version of Scarborough fair
@knightofdragonheart
Cold, soft and beautifully dark. My Dying Bride at thier finest. may their icy doom never end.
@cutt3rzane
Actually, my wife and I did get married to My Dying Bride. "For You" was played at our ceremony 15 years ago. :)
@TheAmbigatus
Grats! Was Tiamat at ours ;)
@sillanpaatoni
❤️🤟
@mirna2979
What a romantic way to do it. 💗