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/
Put Out The Lights
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forty floors below my feet
Static from a dying star
Comes as far
Comes as far
Random voices on a show
Wisdom of the radio
Even mine
Even mine
CHORUS
Put out the lights
Put out the lights
Put out the lights
On London city
The dark is warm
Let me take you in my arms
Put out the lights
Put out the lights
Put out the lights
On London city
Keep the creatures
Safe from harm
Every place that I have been
Leaves its message on my skin
So many prophecies and signs
So little time
So little time
CHORUS x2
The lyrics of Oysterband's song "Put Out The Lights" speak to the idea of finding a sense of comfort and safety in the darkness. The first verse describes the beauty of distant sounds and ambiance that can be heard from high above a city, such as music and radio broadcasts. The second verse touches on how the various places a person has been leave a mark on them, and how there are so many signs and prophecies in the world that there may not be enough time to decipher them all.
The chorus repeats the phrase "put out the lights" as a call to action to dim the lights of London. It suggests that the darkness of the city is warm and inviting, and that it provides a sense of security for the creatures that inhabit it. The singer also expresses the desire to hold someone close and share in the comfort that the darkness provides.
Overall, the song seems to convey a longing for a simpler and more peaceful existence, where one can find beauty and solace in the quiet moments and in the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
There might be music on the street
There could be music playing outside on the street
Forty floors below my feet
I am forty floors up in a building
Static from a dying star
I can hear static coming from a distant dying star
Comes as far
The static sound travels a great distance
Random voices on a show
I hear various voices on a radio program
Wisdom of the radio
The radio hosts provide insightful information
They promise Heaven's down the line
The hosts speak of a better future ahead
Even mine
Their promises include me as well
Put out the lights
Turn off the lights
On London city
In the city of London
The dark is warm
The darkness feels comforting
Let me take you in my arms
I want to embrace you
Keep the creatures
Protect the animals
Safe from harm
Ensure they are not hurt
Every place that I have been
Every location I've visited
Leaves its message on my skin
Has a lasting impact on me
So many prophecies and signs
Many predictions and omens
So little time
Not enough time to understand them all
Contributed by Hunter V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Felix Hopkins
My mum used to play the oysterband ALOT when i was young.... and she took me to a gig with them when i was 5, one of my earliest memories....brings back alot of raw emotion, a great song in my opinion.
k mc
one of the most beautiful songs I listen to by an amazing band!
ellen mellon
This song is so important to me as i heard it a lot as a child. It's so beautiful. x
SpikyMagpie
love it!
Green Meadow
A great song!
brunanburh
Thanks for posting..great stuff
Shaksvshav
Their view of the world is an essential ingredient of what they do.
Anne Meliah McKennitt
LOVE THIS SONG <3<3
Michael Quinlan
Caught them @ Schubas, in Chicago July of 1993 THE BEST BAND I HAVE EVER HEARD!
Sadly the only time they played in in the Midwest
John Christopher
Love this