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".
The Birds Will Still Be Singing
Norma Waterson Lyrics
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He wants to kiss you. Will you condescend?
Before you wake and find a chill within your bones
Under a fine canopy of lover's dust and humourous bones
Banish all dismay
Extinguish every sorrow
Eternity stinks, my darling. That's no joke
Don't waste your precious time pretending you're
There will be tears and candles
Pretty words to say
Spare me lily-white lillies
With the awful perfume of decay
Banish all dismay
Extinguish every sorrow
If I'm lost or I'm forgiven
The birds will still be singing
It's so hard to tear myself away
Even when you know it's over
It's too much to say.
Banish all dismay
Extinguish every sorrow
If I'm lost or I'm forgiven
The birds will still be singing
The song, 'The Birds Will Still Be Singing' by Norma Waterson, is a poignant expression of love, loss, and the power of nature to persist even in the face of human fragility. In the first stanza, the singer addresses a lover who is hesitant to accept his affection, urging her to seize the moment before it passes. The image of a "fine canopy of lover's dust and humorous bones" is both sensual and lighthearted, suggesting a playful intimacy between the two. The refrain, "Banish all dismay/Extinguish every sorrow," is a call to live in the present and enjoy the fleeting beauty of life.
The second stanza shifts to a more melancholy tone, acknowledging the inevitability of loss and the transience of human existence. The lines "Eternity stinks, my darling. That's no joke/Don't waste your precious time pretending you're heartbroken" suggest a wry humor and a rejection of extravagant displays of grief. Instead, the singer advises simple gestures of mourning, like tears and candles, as a way of honoring the dead. The final repetition of the refrain, "If I'm lost or I'm forgiven/The birds will still be singing," is a powerful reminder that life goes on, even in the midst of tragedy.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the resilience of nature and the human spirit. It acknowledges the pain of love and loss while also embracing the joy and vitality of the present moment. The imagery is vivid and evocative, and the message is both uplifting and profound.
Line by Line Meaning
Summertime withers as the sun descends
As the sun sets, summer slowly fades away.
He wants to kiss you. Will you condescend?
He desires to kiss you. Will you oblige with a touch of superiority?
Before you wake and find a chill within your bones
Before you wake up and feel the coldness in your body.
Under a fine canopy of lover's dust and humorous bones
A beautiful cover of lover's remains and a sense of humor.
Banish all dismay
Get rid of all the worry and sadness.
Extinguish every sorrow
Put out every feeling of grief.
Eternity stinks, my darling. That's no joke
Infinity smells horrible, my dear. It is not a joke.
Don't waste your precious time pretending you're heartbroken
Don't waste your valuable time pretending to be sad.
There will be tears and candles
There will be crying and candles lit.
Pretty words to say
Lovely things to speak about.
Spare me lily-white lilies with the awful perfume of decay
Keep away from me bleached white lilies that smell terribly of decay.
If I'm lost or I'm forgiven, the birds will still be singing
No matter if I'm gone or forgiven, the birds will continue to sing.
It's so hard to tear myself away
It is very difficult to distance oneself.
Even when you know it's over
Even when you are aware that it is ending.
It's too much to say.
It is too overwhelming to express.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elvis Costello, Ian Belton, Jacqueline Thomas, Michael James Thomas, Paul Cassidy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind