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/
Flatlands
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I came to a city and I stopped to ask the way
What does it matter? Said the people with a sneer
You can't get there from here
You may be a gallant runner, you may hobble with the lame
There are forty crooked hedgerows and they all look just the same
Traveling gets weary, you get funny in the head
Well, says I, I was only passing through
I'd like to stop and rest a while, it's true
Then I asked them for a job to do
They gave me life insurance and a straw to chew
Welcome to the flatlands
All the maps agree
Far as the eye can see
It's level, dead level
Flatlands: life meanders by
Chew a straw and watch the grass grow high
And it's stand we stand together, fall you fall alone
Authority's a leash of love to bring you safely home
Fools look out for trouble where foreign breezes blow
Tell your children so
They've got to keep things ticking, they must never go on strike
They'll be standing there till Doomsday with their fingers in the dyke
There's faith and hope and patience and patience is the best
Turn your face from the rest
Well, says I, I'm much obliged to you
Everywhere I go I'm learning something new
If I understand your point of view
You don't believe we're dying our whole life through
Welcome to the flatlands...
And if they waste nothing they can keep their little pile
And if they say nothing they will not be on file
And if they see nothing no one will see them
No one will take down their name
And if they do not panic the pain will vanish soon
And if they never sing they'll never be out of tune
And if they are faithful they will get their reward
And if they are meek they will be spared
Well, says I, I was only passing through
I'd better get a move on 'cause the days are few
Poppies are red, cornflowers blue
The scythe is sharp the mowing's due
Welcome to the flatlands...
Wonder where the flying years go
Chew a straw and watch the grass grow high
The Oysterband’s “Flatlands” is a song that celebrates the beauty of simplicity and challenges conventional wisdom about ambition and meaning. The lyrics describe a traveler who stops in a city in the middle of a journey and asks for directions but is told that there is no place to go. The people of the city tell the traveler to stop and rest, and offer the traveler a life insurance policy and a straw to chew. The traveler then observes the flatlands, which are meandering and uneventful, but also peaceful and beautiful. The song encourages people to find contentment in simplicity and to appreciate the joys of life that are often overlooked.
The song’s central message is that life is not a race and that there is no particular destination people need to reach. The song suggests that people should focus on learning and growing rather than trying to achieve material success or chase after things that are unimportant. The flatlands symbolize the simple pleasures of life, such as watching the grass grow or enjoying a quiet moment with loved ones. The song suggests that people should take the time to appreciate these small moments and not overlook them in the pursuit of greatness.
Overall, “Flatlands” is a metaphor for life, and suggests that people should slow down and appreciate the small moments, rather than constantly striving for more. The song suggests that there is beauty in simplicity and that people should not be afraid to live a quiet life. The message of the song is powerful and has resonated with audiences for years.
Line by Line Meaning
In the middle of the journey, in the middle of the day
Amidst a journey of life, amidst a time of productivity and growth
I came to a city and I stopped to ask the way
I arrived at a new place and asked for directions
What does it matter? Said the people with a sneer
The locals scoffed at me and said it didn't matter where I was going
You can't get there from here
The people didn't believe I could reach my destination from there
You may be a gallant runner, you may hobble with the lame
You can be strong or struggling
There are forty crooked hedgerows and they all look just the same
The path is confusing and repetitive
Traveling gets weary, you get funny in the head
Journeying can wear you down mentally and physically
Stop right here instead
Stay here instead of continuing on
Well, says I, I was only passing through
I explained I was just a passerby
I'd like to stop and rest a while, it's true
I asked for permission to rest
Then I asked them for a job to do
I requested some work to do
They gave me life insurance and a straw to chew
They gave me a mundane job and something to occupy my time
Welcome to the flatlands
Welcome to a simple, stagnant place
All the maps agree
The location is plainly and accurately depicted on every map
Far as the eye can see
As far as one can see
It's level, dead level
The land is completely even and lacking in varying terrain
Flatlands: life meanders by
In this flat, unchanging place, life seems to meander slowly
Chew a straw and watch the grass grow high
There is little to do but occupy oneself with something as mundane as chewing on a straw and watching the grass grow
And it's stand we stand together, fall you fall alone
We need to support each other in a place that provides little guidance or safety
Authority's a leash of love to bring you safely home
In a place with little direction or guidance, authority can provide guidance to safety
Fools look out for trouble where foreign breezes blow
The naive consistently fear trouble that may come from outside influence
Tell your children so
People should pass their experiences and opinions on to their children
They've got to keep things ticking, they must never go on strike
People must maintain their work and not stop the flow of the place's slow life
They'll be standing there till Doomsday with their fingers in the dyke
People must continue to work unmotivated, like the mythological boy with his fingers in the dike, guarding against danger they perceive to never change
There's faith and hope and patience and patience is the best
In this stagnant place, faith, hope, and patience are values to hold on to, but patience is the most important
Turn your face from the rest
Ignore what you can't change and remain patient
And if they waste nothing they can keep their little pile
If people are frugal, they can keep their hoard of possessions
And if they say nothing they will not be on file
Keeping quiet gets people less attention
And if they see nothing no one will see them
If people close their eyes to wrongdoing, they potentially go unnoticed as well
No one will take down their name
Potential consequences will not occur if people stay uninvolved
And if they do not panic the pain will vanish soon
One should not be anxious, as pain will pass
And if they never sing they'll never be out of tune
To never speak out is to never draw negative attention
And if they are faithful they will get their reward
Being loyal to any cause will lead to a reward
And if they are meek they will be spared
Those who are quiet and submissive can potentially avoid trouble, thanks to their compatibility with this stagnant place
Well, says I, I was only passing through
Again, I reiterated that I was just passing by
I'd better get a move on 'cause the days are few
I noted that I needed to leave soon, since time was fleeting
Poppies are red, cornflowers blue
Instead of focusing on banalities around them, people should look at and appreciate the natural wonders that exist, such as fields of flowers
The scythe is sharp the mowing's due
Attention should be focused on tending to the land
Wonder where the flying years go
One may wonder how quickly time seems to pass
Chew a straw and watch the grass grow high
Again, pass the time with an innocuous activity and observe the slow progress of things around you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN TELFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
matneyself
Thanks for posting this brilliant Album.
Stefan Kohlruss
l love it!
Senkigtully 1
Classic.