The band is one of the few outfits still burning with the fire of punk, but managing to combine it with the ideals and knowledge of English folk music - a balancing act they've made into a fine art over the years. And they have deep roots in the U.K. folk scene, emerging from both the Whitstable Oyster Co. Ceilidh Band, which formed in 1975, and Fiddler's Dram, a group put together in 1973 by Dave Arbus, whose fiddle work had graced releases by East of Eden and the Who.
Prosser, Telfer, and Taylor were also in Fiddler's Dram, whose moment of fame arrived in 1979 with the British hit single "Day Trip to Bangor" - released after they'd split up. They reconvened for a last album when Kearey joined them. He also became part of the band's alter ego, the roots-oriented Oyster Ceilidh Band, as they'd now become. With Fiddler's Dram no longer extant, the members put their energies in the newly renamed Oyster Band in 1981, playing gigs around England and self-releasing albums on their own Pukka label.
The band returned in 2003 after the longest recording layoff of its career with Rise Above, which included eight originals and two English traditional numbers, and featured the work of Irish piper James O'Grady throughout.
In 1990, the band collaborated with renowned folk singer June Tabor for the album Freedom and Rain and a tour.
Current Lineup:
Chopper - bass guitar, cello, vocals
John Jones - melodeon, lead vocals
Alan Prosser - guitars, viola, vocals
Ian Telfer - fiddle, English concertina, vocals
Dil Davies - drums
http://www.oysterband.co.uk/
20th of April
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thought I'd write and say hello
Are you surprised to get this letter?
It all seems so long ago
Sitting here alone, I was thinking
memories came rolling back
I felt a strange kind of sadness
Recuerdas aquella noche
en la caban del Turme?
Las risas que nos haciamos
antes todos juntos...
hoy no queda casi nadie de los de antes,
Y que hay han cambiado,
han cambiado......
(Do you remember that night
in the hut at Turmo's?
The laughs we had then,
all together...now there's almost no one left around from those days, and
the ones that are have changed, they've changed)
How has your life been I wonder
How do you get on with that guy?
Maybe You've even got kids now
I hope it all works out fine
Me, I just go on as usual
This same old road that I ride
Though I don't get tired of the musi
Sometimes I'm empty inside
Chorus
It's time now, time I was going
Drop me a line if you like
Meanwhile these words that I send you
I hope they stay in your mind
Goodbye, girl, it was nothing
Maybe we'll meet again some day
I'll carry on with my music
You carry on with your dreams
The song "20th of April" by Oysterband is a nostalgic reflection on the past, specifically on a relationship that has since faded. The singer is writing a letter to someone they used to know and asking for updates on how their life has been since they last saw each other, which was on the 20th of April in 1990. Through the lyrics, the singer recalls fond memories of their past, including a specific night in a hut with their friend. The chorus also touches on the idea that time changes people and that often relationships that seem inseparable at the time they occur dissolve over time due to a myriad of reasons.
The verse "sitting here alone, I was thinking, memories came rolling back" presents the effect of nostalgia on an individual. This lyric indicates that the singer's current situation has led them to reflect on their past and how it has significantly impacted them. The line "sometimes I'm empty inside" highlights the melancholic feelings brought about by the singer's musings, as they remember their past.
In conclusion, the song "20th of April" by Oysterband tells a tale of a lost relationship and the emotions that come with the remembrance of it. The lyrics showcase how nostalgia can be both comforting and unsettling, depending on the individual's perception of their past.
Line by Line Meaning
20th of April 1990
The date when the singer decided to write a letter
Thought I'd write and say hello
Protagonist felt like reconnecting with an old friend
Are you surprised to get this letter?
Protagonist acknowledges that it has been a long time since communicating with the recipient
It all seems so long ago
Recalling the past feels like it happened ages ago
Sitting here alone, I was thinking
Present situation of the artist
Memories came rolling back
Recalling past memories
I felt a strange kind of sadness
The emotions brought about by the memories
And then I knew that we had to speak
Protagonist felt the need to connect with the recipient
Do you remember that night
in the hut at Turmo's?
The laughs we had then,
all together...now there's almost no one left around from those days, and
the ones that are have changed, they've changed
Reminiscing past events and realising that things have changed and people have moved on
How has your life been I wonder
How do you get on with that guy?
Maybe You've even got kids now
I hope it all works out fine
Asking about the recipient's life, and wishing them well
Me, I just go on as usual
This same old road that I ride
Though I don't get tired of the music
Sometimes I'm empty inside
Describing the singer's life as consistent, although lacking fulfilment at times
It's time now, time I was going
Drop me a line if you like
Meanwhile these words that I send you
I hope they stay in your mind
Ending the letter, but hoping to stay in touch
Goodbye, girl, it was nothing
Maybe we'll meet again some day
I'll carry on with my music
You carry on with your dreams
Saying farewell and expressing hope for the future plans of both parties
Contributed by David H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@carolinahernandezdezabalo8498
Formidable canción , en todas sus versiones, ya sean Celtas Cortos u Oysterband. Amazing version!!
@shelaghmoore445
So this is the cover? How weird! I knew this version for so long, then when I moved to the middle of nowhere, Spain, I would hear the Spanish version and think, "how odd that they are covering the Oysterband", but I know they are popular here, so wasnt surprised. Now I learn that the Spanish was first. Thank you for educating me.I love both versions.
@richardwheeler3657
That bloody riff.🤘
@carolinahernandezdezabalo8498
Uaauuuh, que buena y asombrosa versión !!!
@pepperthephoenix
This is an awesome song. Thank you for sharing.
@TwoBitWriter
Never fails to take me back to that place, and that time.
@rimaskurt8076
Mucho mejor que la original 👍👍
@Lalocalacolina
It's quite weird to listening a cover in English from a Spanish song o.O but I think it's very nice :)
@Linnime
Nunca me habría imaginado esta versión o.o Pero creo que sí, me gusta más que la original! ^^ ----- This cover is a great surprise, I like it better than the original song! ^^
@Mardigal
É moito mellor ca a orixinal, sexamos sinceiros. XD