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/
All That Way for This
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What we wanted was 8 miles high
What we wanted was free fall
And our turn to fly
What we wanted was more fireworks
Everlasting 4th of July
What we wanted was more stars
All we wanted was something worth it
Worth the labor, worth the wait
Then they take you up to the mountain
You see too late
In the middle of a good time
Truth gave me her icy kiss
Look around, you must be joking
All that way, all that for this
What we wanted was consolation
The band of strangers, help for pain
What we wanted was to be sure
No friends were lost in vain
What we wanted was aggravation
A good cause and a bigger row
What we wanted was the whole plantation
Now, now, now
What we wanted was rhyme and reason
What we wanted was another way
What we get is a tin-pot heaven
And we're too drunk to pray
What we get is the old machinery
Grinding on in the same old way
What we need is the sweet republic
Roll on Independence Day
The lyrics of Oysterband's song All That Way for This depict the disappointment and disillusionment that can accompany the pursuit of the seemingly idealistic goals one has set their heart on. The singer reminisces about the ambitions and desires they had, such as experiencing the exhilarating high of chain lightning, the freedom of free falling, and the excitement of extravagant fireworks displays. They also craved solace, validation, and validation of their beliefs and causes. The singer declares that they were ready to do whatever it took to obtain their objectives and that they believed that there was a purpose for all their efforts, a light at the end of the tunnel. However, when they finally reached their destination, after all the toil and endeavor, they came to see that the reality was not in accordance with their expectations. Instead of the enlightenment, fulfillment, and paradise they had envisioned, they were confronted with the grim truth that everything they had struggled for was not worth it, that the ends did not justify the means, and that they had seen through a veneer that hid the harsh reality. They had wagered everything and come up short.
Line by Line Meaning
What we wanted was chain lightning
We desired something powerful and intense, like the force of lightning striking a chain.
What we wanted was 8 miles high
We wanted to soar to incredible heights, reaching the top of the sky.
What we wanted was free fall
We wanted to experience the thrill of falling through the air without any restrictions.
And our turn to fly
It was our time to take to the skies and experience the exhilaration of flight.
What we wanted was more fireworks
We desired greater displays of dazzling fireworks, like the grandeur of an endless Fourth of July celebration.
Everlasting 4th of July
We desired an abundance of fireworks, keeping the joyous celebration alive for eternity.
What we wanted was more stars
We longed for a starry sky with more shining stars that would illuminate the darkness and inspire us.
In a bluer sky
We desired a sky with a richer, deeper shade of blue, inspiring greater wonder and awe.
All we wanted was something worth it
We strove for something that would make all our efforts and waiting worthwhile.
Worth the labor, worth the wait
We wanted a reward for our hard work and patience, something that made the struggles we faced worthwhile.
Then they take you up to the mountain
But once you reach the pinnacle, you discover the truth.
You see too late
You realize your mistake after it's too late to go back.
In the middle of a good time
Amidst our enjoyment of life's pleasures,
Truth gave me her icy kiss
we are suddenly faced with the hard, bitter truth.
Look around, you must be joking
We find ourselves in disbelief at the situation we're in.
All that way, all that for this
Everything we went through, all the effort and sacrifice, has led to nothing worthwhile.
What we wanted was consolation
We sought comfort and support during times of anguish and pain.
The band of strangers, help for pain
A group of people we didn't know, offering aid in times of hardship or distress.
What we wanted was to be sure
We wished for complete assurance that our loved ones were safe and secure.
No friends were lost in vain
We hoped that no harm came to our friends, and that any loss we experienced would not be meaningless.
What we wanted was aggravation
We desired a good cause that would incite passionate feelings and stir up trouble.
A good cause and a bigger row
We hoped for a noble reason to fight for, and a large enough crowd to support and join in the fight.
What we wanted was the whole plantation
We aspired to own everything, take control of everything, and rule it all.
Now, now, now
We wanted it all right away, and didn't want to wait for it to happen gradually.
What we wanted was rhyme and reason
We sought logical and understandable explanations for the events occurring in our lives.
What we wanted was another way
We hoped for a different approach, perhaps something more unconventional than our current situation.
What we get is a tin-pot heaven
What we receive in reality is a mediocre, low-quality version of what we desired.
And we're too drunk to pray
We are too lost and caught up in our current state to take action or make things better.
What we get is the old machinery
We receive outdated methods and solutions that have been used for years without making progress.
Grinding on in the same old way
These old methods continue without any innovation or improvement.
What we need is the sweet republic
What we truly require is a peaceful and equitable society where citizens are free to express themselves.
Roll on Independence Day
We hope for a day where we can be free from oppression and stand tall in our personal freedoms.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN TELFER, JOHN JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Colin Boylett
I suspect that this song will prove prescient after the election results. What a pity there aren’t many more bands approaching the mess we find ourselves in. We are, indeed, too ‘drunk’! Excellent performance as usual.
Jan Foster
Brilliant.
John Wellington Wells
Keeps getting truer
sophie's harbour
Is there a change in the lyrics at 3:13? :)
Nick Latheron
I think it's always been that way
sophie's harbour
@Nick Latheron I checked it. You are right. I've owned the CD for 30 years, heard it a thousand times and didn't notice it. 😯 Btw, in the booklet the chorus is written only once with "Icy kiss" of course.