Kerr came to prominence in the early 1990s via a musical partnership with fellow fiddle player Eliza Carthy. The duo produced two albums – Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr (1993)[5] and Shape of Scrape (1995)[6] – before ceasing to work together. A retrospective collection of their work (plus three previously unreleased tracks) – On Reflection – was released in 2002[7].[6]
Kerr and her mother released an album together – Neat and Complete – in 1996.[8]
Since 1995 Kerr has mostly worked in a duo with Australian bouzouki player and singer James Fagan,[9] whom she married in 2007. The duo won the Horizon Award at the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2000, and Best Duo at the same awards in both 2003 and 2011[10] Between 1997 and 2008 they released six albums on the Fellside label – "Starry Gazy Pie" (1997), "Scalene" (with Sandra Kerr) (1998), "Steely Water" (1999), "Between The Dark and Light" (2002), "Strands of Gold" (2006) and "Station House" (with Robert Harbron) (2008).[11] 2010 saw the production their first completely original collection of songs – "Twice Reflected Sun", released 9 August 2010 on Navigator Records (NAV0041). First track of the album, Queen of Waters, was nominated for the Best Original Song category at the BBC Folk Awards in 2011.
In 2008 the duo joined forces with concertina player Robert Harbron to form the trio Kerr Fagan Harbron, recording and touring the album Station House (Fellside CD 211).
Kerr has also worked with folk/pop group Epona, Australian folk family band The Fagans and the Tim van Eyken band, amongst others.
In 2010 she joined James Fagan, Richard Arrowsmith and Jess Arrowsmith to form "Melrose Quartet" in her new home city of Sheffield. They released a live EP in 2011 called "Live at Cheltenham" and a studio album "Fifty Verses" in 2013.
2013 saw Kerr make up part of Fay Hield's "The Full English" band to promote the on-line publication of the folk collections of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library in Cecil Sharp House. The collective won "Best Group" at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and their CD "The Full English" won "Best Album" at the same ceremony.
In 2014 Kerr was one of the key songwriters in "The Elizabethan Session", a concert, CD and film[12] commissioned by Folk By The Oak and The English Folk Dance and Song Society creating new music about the Elizabethan era.
2014 saw Kerr release her first CD of original songs under her own name. Sweet Visitor was released on her own label Little Dish Records on 21 July 2014. A UK tour with "The Sweet Visitor Band" (James Fagan, Rowan Rheingans, Tom Wright and Tim Yates) started on 18 November 2014. James Fagan now shares his role in the band with Greg Russell.
Nancy Kerr won "Folk Singer of the Year" at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
2015 saw the launch of "Simpson Cutting Kerr", a trio with Kerr, Martin Simpson and Andy Cutting. Their debut CD "Murmurs" was released on Topic Records on 8 June 2015.
In November 2015, Kerr was one of four songwriters commissioned by Folk By The Oak and The English Folk Dance and Song Society to write and tour a production called "Sweet Liberties" looking at the history of British parliament and democracy. Their CD "Sweet Liberties" was released in 2016.[13]
2016 saw the production of Kerr's second album of original songs with The Sweet Visitor Band on Little Dish Records. The album, entitled "Instar", was produced by Tom Wright and was released on 16 September 2016.
Kingdom
Nancy Kerr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And some would bid the crown adieu, but for our unity
Some men made Magna Carta, that charter on the wall
But did some marks in martyrs′ blood make agents of us all?
For crown along with pauper must face the law's command
But there′s a law beneath our feet, and that's the law of land
Oh, can it be our nature to set all creatures free?
That other shattered kingdom does fade before our force
With a death of young who hide among the heather and the gorse
With a death of heir and heriot, the mug against the gun
And the song you hear that makes you fear is her rebellion
Our head in hawk's dominion, our feet on common ground
The rosemary tree and the willow tree do twine our hearts around
For crown along with pauper must face the law′s command
But there′s a law beneath our feet, and that's the law of land
It′s the law of sky and seabed, uniting great and small
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
It's the law of sky and seabed, uniting great and small
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
In Nancy Kerr's song "Kingdom," the lyrics explore the concept of loyalty and unity within a kingdom. The opening line suggests that some believe the kingdom repays our loyalty, while others may question the idea of loyalty to the crown. The reference to the Magna Carta, a historical charter that defined certain rights and liberties, raises the question of whether sacrifice and bloodshed have turned us all into agents of a system that perpetuates inequality. Despite the hierarchy and power dynamics, there is a law beneath our feet, known as the law of the land, that applies to both the crown and the pauper.
The second verse delves into the idea of liberation and the natural instinct to set all creatures free. It questions the binding structures that imprison individuals, metaphorically represented by cutting the wire that binds their hair. The line "That other shattered kingdom does fade before our force" suggests a rebellion or resistance against a broken system. The death of the young who hide among the heather and the gorse symbolizes the sacrifices made for this rebellion. The song emphasizes that the law of the land, the law that unites all, is stronger than any monarch's dominion.
The chorus celebrates the unity between different classes and reflects on the interconnectedness of all beings. The rosemary tree and the willow tree symbolize unity and intertwine our hearts. The law of the land is more powerful than the command of rulers, encompassing not only the sky and seabed but also uniting the great and small. The imagery of bees alive in one hive represents a harmonious society that sustains and supports all its members.
In summary, "Kingdom" explores themes of loyalty, unity, rebellion, and the power of natural law. It questions the legitimacy of hierarchical systems and champions the idea of a united and interconnected world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, some do say the kingdom repays our loyalty
Some people believe that the kingdom rewards our loyalty
And some would bid the crown adieu, but for our unity
And some would say goodbye to the crown, except for the unity among us
Some men made Magna Carta, that charter on the wall
Some men created Magna Carta, that document displayed on the wall
But did some marks in martyrs′ blood make agents of us all?
But did the sacrifices of martyrs turn us all into agents?
For crown along with pauper must face the law's command
Both the ruler and the common people must obey the law
But there′s a law beneath our feet, and that's the law of land
However, there is a fundamental law, the law of the land
Oh, can it be our nature to set all creatures free?
Can it be our instinct to grant freedom to all creatures?
To cut the wire that binds their hair and gain her liberty?
To remove the chains that restrict their freedom and achieve their liberty?
That other shattered kingdom does fade before our force
That other broken kingdom weakens in the face of our power
With a death of young who hide among the heather and the gorse
With the loss of the young people who hide in the heather and gorse
With a death of heir and heriot, the mug against the gun
With the deaths of heirs and tributes, the weak against the powerful
And the song you hear that makes you fear is her rebellion
And the song you hear that instills fear is her act of rebellion
Our head in hawk's dominion, our feet on common ground
Our thoughts controlled by those in power, but our actions grounded in unity
The rosemary tree and the willow tree do twine our hearts around
The rosemary tree and the willow tree symbolize our intertwined hearts
It′s the law of sky and seabed, uniting great and small
It's the universal law that connects everything, regardless of size
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
Similar to bees thriving in one hive, this law sustains and nourishes us all
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall provide for all of us
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall feed us all
Like bees alive all in one hive, and that shall sustain all of us
Writer(s): Elliott Nancy Kerr
Contributed by Joshua L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tom Walker
on Jerilderie
Cool song.