Oysterband (or The Oyster Band, as it used to be) is an English electric fo… Read Full Bio ↴Oysterband (or The Oyster Band, as it used to be) is an English electric folk, folk rock, and folk punk band formed in Canterbury in or around 1976.
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/
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/
Hal
Oysterband Lyrics
Take the scorn and wear the horns
It was the crest when you were born
Your father's father wore it
And your father wore it too
Robin Hood and Little John
Have both gone to the fair-o
We shall to the merry green wood
To hunt the buck and hare-o
Hal-an-Tow, jolly rumbelow
We were up long before the day-o
To welcome in the summertime
To welcome in the May-o
For summer is coming in
And winter's gone away
What happened to the Spaniards
That made so great a boast-o?
They shall eat the feathered goose
And we shall eat the roast-o
God bless Aunt Mary Moses
With all her power and might-o
Send us peace in England
Send us peace by day and night-o
It was the crest when you were born
Your father's father wore it
And your father wore it too
Robin Hood and Little John
Have both gone to the fair-o
We shall to the merry green wood
To hunt the buck and hare-o
We were up long before the day-o
To welcome in the summertime
To welcome in the May-o
For summer is coming in
And winter's gone away
What happened to the Spaniards
That made so great a boast-o?
They shall eat the feathered goose
And we shall eat the roast-o
God bless Aunt Mary Moses
With all her power and might-o
Send us peace in England
Send us peace by day and night-o
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@tsgeisel
I found this song on a compilation CD and havenāt been able to find it since. Yay.
Imagine my surprise to hear this sung at a RenFair or Shanty Sing in the more traditional manner.
@evansmith3589
See also Shirley Collins & Albion Country Band, No Roses, ca. 1972.
@patriciapkhammel9577
Saw them perform this song at the Vancouver Folk Festival in July 1987--have looked for it ever since. Happy Beltane/May Day people! Stand strong.
@Me-jly
Brilliant band.
@JamieMarshallMusician
produced by my old mate Clive Gregson - I was in the studio for this!
@jerrydowse5061
first heard this in the eighties.I think it was on Andy Kershaws radio show.still sounds awesome.!!
@grantmiller9201
great band
@ruthdixon7807
these days they call it "english roots" rather than folk-rock, but this explosive version of the trad standard helped to keep the flame alive.
@TheRetrorik
such an amazing band thereare few folk rockers iv seen or heard that can match them for pure talent and energy, just get your head down and enjoy. anybody who likes the oyster wig outs should try the band "Why" s album "jig at a why gig" puts the pogues to shame
@woodswitch23
Too welcome in the summertime,to welcome in the May!