Norma Waterson (born Norma Christine Waterson on 15 August 1939; died 30 J… Read Full Bio ↴Norma Waterson (born Norma Christine Waterson on 15 August 1939; died 30 January 2022) was an English singer, remembered as one of the original members of The Watersons, an English traditional music group. Other members of the group included her brother Mike Waterson (1941 – 2011) and sister Lal Waterson (1943 – 1998), and in a later incarnation of the group her husband Martin Carthy. In 2016 Waterson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Waterson was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. Her solo debut album, Norma Waterson, was produced by John Chelew and released by Hannibal Records in 1996, and was well-received (being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize), featuring collaborations with her daughter, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, and other members of The Watersons, as well as Danny Thompson (Pentangle), Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention) and Roger Swallow (Albion Country Band). Her follow-up, Bright Shiny Morning, was released in 2001.
She was a member of Waterson:Carthy with Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy, and of the supergroup Blue Murder. She has appeared on a variety of collective recordings, notably Peter Bellamy's The Transports.
In 2016 Waterson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Waterson continued to sing well in her 70s. Her final album, released in 2018, was Anchor, the second recorded with her daughter, Eliza Carthy. It included Waterson singing lead on a dramatic, jazz-edged treatment of the Tom Waits song "Strange Weather" and on a version of Nick Lowe's "The Beast in Me".
Waterson was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. Her solo debut album, Norma Waterson, was produced by John Chelew and released by Hannibal Records in 1996, and was well-received (being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize), featuring collaborations with her daughter, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, and other members of The Watersons, as well as Danny Thompson (Pentangle), Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention) and Roger Swallow (Albion Country Band). Her follow-up, Bright Shiny Morning, was released in 2001.
She was a member of Waterson:Carthy with Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy, and of the supergroup Blue Murder. She has appeared on a variety of collective recordings, notably Peter Bellamy's The Transports.
In 2016 Waterson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Waterson continued to sing well in her 70s. Her final album, released in 2018, was Anchor, the second recorded with her daughter, Eliza Carthy. It included Waterson singing lead on a dramatic, jazz-edged treatment of the Tom Waits song "Strange Weather" and on a version of Nick Lowe's "The Beast in Me".
River Man
Norma Waterson Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'River Man' by these artists:
1.06 I'm on the drug, I'm on the drug, I'm on the drug…
Andy Bey Betty came by on her way Said she had a word…
David Sylvian I see your eyes light up like fire It's medicine to…
David Sylvian & Robert Fripp I see your eyes light up like fire; It's medicine to…
Drake Nick Betty came by on her way Said she had a word…
Sylvian / Fripp I see your eyes light up like fire; It's medicine to…
The Flaming Lips Betty came by on her way Said she had a word…
Wingy Manone & His Orchestra Ol' man river That ol' man river He don't say nothing But he…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Norma Waterson:
God Loves a Drunk Will there be any bartenders up there in heaven? Will the…
Pleasure and Pain I'm leaving here on the morning train And I will never…
The Birds Will Still Be Singin Summertime withers as the sun descends He wants to kiss you.…
The Birds Will Still Be Singing Summertime withers as the sun descends He wants to kiss you.…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Kel Howman
An auditory delight of the highest calibre from a local lass made good. Thanks for the song Mr Drake. A life cut all too short by the black dog. Beautiful rendition Norma x
John Lamb
Just bought the album after hearing River Man, beautiful.
zorba nongreco
best Nick Drake cover ever !!!💙✴️🙏🐂💨
MrWhatisalife
That drone ( uilleaan pipes ?) takes it into another dimension. A truly great cover
johnlilburne
@Ken Jones According to the sleeve notes, the hurdy-gurdy is played by Richard Thompson on this track.
Interestingly, the double bass is played by Danny Thompson, who played the same instrument on the original version of this song by Nick Drake.
Ken Jones
Hurdy Gurdey drones
ghostwriter11
Nick Drake x Norma Waterson = brilliance
normand8
Agreed- this is brilliant!
Mercury Saturn
Betty came by on her way
Said she had a word to say
About things today
And fallen leaves.
Said she hadn't heard the news
Hadn't had the time to choose
A way to lose
But she believes.
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the plan
For lilac time.
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
And all night shows
In summertime.
Betty said she prayed today
For the sky to blow away
Or maybe stay
She wasn't sure.
For when she thought of summer rain
Calling for her mind again
She lost the pain
And stayed for more.
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the ban
On feeling free.
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
I don't suppose
It's meant for me.
Oh, how they come and go
Oh, how they come and go.
John McFadden
Share please.