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/
No Reason to Cry
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what I've heard men say
Where statues drink like waterfalls
To wash their sins away
Their gaze is as hard as granite
Their hearts'll refuse to bleed
In the city that once held me
In my hour of need
They're coiled around my heart
Where time and inclination meet
And all our stories start
And now I've no reason to cry
Must be something in my eye
'Cos now I've no reason to cry
Nights when we lost it laughing
One thing was kind of clear
No matter what you're looking for
You wouldn't start from here
My younger ghost is walking
He kissed you against the wall
I hear he looked a lot like me
Would you know him now at all?
You need these dark and winding streets
Tight around your heart
Where innocence and money meet
And all our stories start
And now I've no reason to cry
Must be something in my eye
'Cos now I've no reason to cry
Rain and hard religion
Gifts of a northern youth
We make a mess of tenderness
We make you have the truth
There are days when we're almost human
Times when it's shout or bust
The roughest kind of harmony
We sing because we must
Sing a song of winding streets
Tight around our hearts
Where falling and forgiveness meet
And all our stories start
And now I've no reason to cry
No, there's no reason to cry
Now I've no reason to cry
Must be something in my eye
The lyrics of Oysterband's No Reason to Cry are written in a reflective tone, reminding the singer of the past when life was not as easy as it seems to be now. The first verse describes a place where people go to wash their sins away, but they are as hard as granite and their hearts will never bleed. This place is a metaphor for the singer's past struggles and how they have hardened him. He remembers the city where he once needed help, but he has come to terms with his past, and he no longer has any reason to cry.
In the second verse, the singer talks about his younger self, who was carefree and had many adventures. He speaks of one such experience of laughing uncontrollably with someone he cares about. But all of that is in the past, and he wonders if the person he once kissed against the wall will even recognize him if they meet now. The singer acknowledges the importance of the dark and winding streets, which were once tangled around his heart, as they are the places where all our stories start, where we find innocence and money meet.
The final verse of the song touches on religion, how it can be a harsh and challenging experience, but it is something that helps us find redemption. The lyrics talk about how we may stumble while trying to find tenderness and truth in life, but we will continue to sing because we must. The winding streets, where falling and forgiveness meet, remain crucial to our stories' beginnings, just like in the singer's life. He concludes that he has no reason to cry, though there might be a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place as cold as conscience
I've heard that there is a city that is as cold and unfeeling as a person's guilty conscience.
Where statues drink like waterfalls
In this city, there are statues that appear to be drinking, perhaps as a way of trying to cleanse themselves of their sins.
To wash their sins away
The statues are seemingly trying to rid themselves of the wrongs they have done, perhaps to absolve themselves of their guilt.
Their gaze is as hard as granite
The statues have a hard and unfeeling demeanor, reflecting the moral coldness of the city they are in.
Their hearts'll refuse to bleed
The statues are utterly devoid of any emotional response to the ills they may have committed, and are unwilling or unable to show any remorse or compassion.
In the city that once held me
The singer is reflecting on their past in this city, where they appeared to be in a state of distress or in need of help.
I know these dark and winding streets
The singer is familiar with the city's darker and more convoluted streets.
They're coiled around my heart
The city's streets have a deeper, more personal significance to the artist.
Where time and inclination meet
The artist suggests that it is at the intersection of chance and circumstance that our stories begin to take shape and unfold.
And all our stories start
The artist is reflecting on the varied and complex stories that people in the city may have, stories that are often hidden behind the surface.
Nights when we lost it laughing
The singer recalls times of wild abandon and merriment that he once had in the city.
One thing was kind of clear
Despite the artist's fondness for these memories, they know that these moments were tinged with uncertainty and confusion.
No matter what you're looking for
Even if you know what you're seeking, it can be hard to find it in this city.
You wouldn't start from here
The singer suggests that the city is not an ideal starting point for someone who wants to find something meaningful or worthwhile.
My younger ghost is walking
The singer imagines that his past self is still lingering in the city, haunting it in a way.
He kissed you against the wall
The artist remembers a particular moment when his past self had a romantic encounter in the city.
I hear he looked a lot like me, would you know him now at all?
Despite the fact that the artist's past self may resemble him, he wonders if anyone would truly recognize him or understand what he was going through.
You need these dark and winding streets, tight around your heart
The singer suggests that the city's more complicated and intimate streets can be a boon for people who want to feel like they belong.
Where innocence and money meet
The singer notes the city's contradictions, particularly the tension between a surface world of wealth and privilege and the underlying world of innocence and vulnerability.
And all our stories start
The artist is emphatic that everyone in the city has a story to tell, which shapes who they are and who they will become.
Rain and hard religion
The artist recalls grim memories of their past, particularly the harshness of their religious upbringing and the bleakness brought on by the weather.
Gifts of a northern youth
The artist attributes these difficult memories to their upbringing in the north, which they associate with a certain coldness and harshness.
We make a mess of tenderness
The singer laments how people in the city often struggle to really connect with one another, leading to outbursts and tension.
We make you have the truth
Despite these struggles, the artist seems to imply that the people in the city are honest and genuine, even if they struggle with emotional turmoil.
There are days when we're almost human
Despite the moral confusion and tension in the city, there are moments of raw honesty and vulnerability among people.
Times when it's shout or bust
Despite our best intentions, it can be hard to communicate effectively with others, particularly when emotions are running high.
The roughest kind of harmony
When people are at their most vulnerable or raw, they can come together in ways that are both powerful and strange.
Sing a song of winding streets, tight around our hearts
The artist is emphasizing the deep and personal connection that the residents of the city have with its streets, and how this shapes who they are.
Where falling and forgiveness meet
The artist is emphasizing the joy and the difficulty found in relationships and interactions between people, particularly when it comes to issues of forgiveness and redemption.
And now I've no reason to cry
Despite the challenges that he has faced, the singer seems to have found a sense of peace and closure in the city.
No, there's no reason to cry
The singer confirms that he has moved on from his difficult past, and has found a way to move forward without dwelling on his struggles.
Must be something in my eye
Despite the upbeat and hopeful tone of the song, the artist acknowledges that some memories or emotions can still be difficult to face, even if they have been largely resolved.
Contributed by Emily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.