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 Deserter
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
travelling by starlight, hiding out by day
dogs and demarcations kept me on the run
I got a little blinded, staring at the sun
Walking round in circles, holding up the sky
falling among thieves, laughing till I cry
voices red with anger burning in my ears
No safe house in Birmingham, I found no peace in Skye
the green fields of Derry just another lie
wrap the barbed wire round me, say I don't belong
kick me till I couldn't move then tell me to move on
But when these walls fall down
And when this world turns round
Between your heartbeats
Your hammer heartbeats
You'll hear what the deserter says
And when these walls fall down
And when this world turns round
Everybody is in the middle
Nobody is on the edge
Spider spins his heart out, fox goes home alone
wisdom lies in wait for me, a snake beneath a stone
shelter is in silence or any stony place
I will not share your pity, your laws or your disgrace.
The song "The Deserter" by Oysterband is a powerful song about a person who has chosen to walk away from society and their expectations. The lyrics speak of a person who has been running from the world and the rules that have been set in place to govern it. The singer details their experiences on the run, including travelling by starlight and hiding out during the day to avoid being captured. Their journey is filled with danger, with demarcations and angry voices haunting them at every turn.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, with the singer speaking of the world falling down and turning around, while their hammer heartbeats ring out loud and clear. In the midst of all this chaos, the deserter speaks truthfully about their experiences, and their voice rises above the noise of the world. The final verse speaks of the wisdom that the singer has gained on their journey, and the way that they have found shelter in silence and stony places.
Overall, this song is a powerful commentary on the way that society forces people into boxes and the idea that sometimes it is necessary to walk away from these boxes in order to find oneself. It is a call to rise above the noise of the world and speak truthfully and from the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me a deserter, it's true I walked away
I am a deserter who abandoned my duties and responsibilities, and left my past behind.
travelling by starlight, hiding out by day
I travel at night using the stars to guide me, and hide during the day to avoid being caught.
dogs and demarcations kept me on the run
I am constantly moving, never staying in one place for too long, all because of the dogs and borders that are after me.
I got a little blinded, staring at the sun
My situation seemed to improve at first, but eventually, the danger caught up to me and I found myself in deeper trouble.
Walking round in circles, holding up the sky
I'm spinning in circles, trying to find my place in the world while carrying a heavy burden on my shoulders.
falling among thieves, laughing till I cry
I hang out with people who are just as lost and broken as me, trying to find humor in the chaotic situation we live in.
voices red with anger burning in my ears
I am constantly surrounded by angry voices, accusing me of wrongdoing and hating me for what I've done.
this is bedlam calling, roaring down the years
The chaos and danger I find myself in are a constant reminder of a doomed and chaotic existence that has lasted for years.
No safe house in Birmingham, I found no peace in Skye
I have searched in vain for a safe place to hide and rest, but there is no respite in Birmingham or Skye; everywhere is equally unsafe.
the green fields of Derry just another lie
The idyllic image of Derry is just an illusion, as even there danger lurks, and I am not welcome.
wrap the barbed wire round me, say I don't belong
I am excluded and rejected from society, encompassed by barbed wire and declared an outcast.
kick me till I couldn't move then tell me to move on
I am abused and beaten, made to suffer then forced to keep moving, with no rest or relief in sight.
But when these walls fall down
Despite the tumultuous situation, there is still hope that things will change.
And when this world turns round
I believe that this world is constantly changing and evolving, that whatever pain and suffering we endure now will not last forever.
Between your heartbeats
The world is in constant motion and full of surprises, taking shape in the space between the heartbeat.
Your hammer heartbeats
The speed and steadiness of my heartbeats reflect a greater will and determination to overcome whatever obstacles are in my way.
You'll hear what the deserter says
Despite being an outcast and having a shameful past, I still have something important to say, and people should listen to me.
And when these walls fall down
Once the walls of misunderstanding and exclusion come down, there will be a chance for everyone to be heard and understood.
And when this world turns round
The world is always in motion, changing and evolving, and we must be prepared to move along with it.
Everybody is in the middle
We are all caught up in the middle of things, struggling to find our place and striving to survive in a chaotic world.
Nobody is on the edge
There is no clear divide between those who are insiders and those who are outsiders, we are all in this together, sharing the same struggles and fears.
Spider spins his heart out, fox goes home alone
Even animals have their own ways of surviving in the wild, and I must keep learning and adapting, just as they do.
wisdom lies in wait for me, a snake beneath a stone
There are hidden sources of wisdom and strength that can help me on my journey, but I need to be careful to find and use them wisely.
shelter is in silence or any stony place
Sometimes what we need is not comfort and care, but just a place to be quiet and still, where we can gather our thoughts and prepare for the next phase of our journey.
I will not share your pity, your laws or your disgrace.
I refuse to be defined by others or to be the object of their pity or scorn; I will carve out my own path and live by my own rules, no matter what others may say or do.
Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.