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 Lakes of Cool Flynn
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into his comrade's bed chamber he goes
Saying arise my loyal comrades, let nobody know
It's a fine summer's morning and bathing we'll go
But as they were walking all down a long lane
Who should they meet with but a keeper of game
Go back Willie Leonard, do not venture in
Young Willie jumped in and he swam the lake round
Till he came to an island but not the right ground
Go back my loyal comrades, do not follow me in
There's deep and false waters in the lakes of Cool Flynn
It was later that morning Willie's sister arose
And straight to her mother's bedchamber she goes
Saying mother, dearest mother, I have had a strange dream
Young Willie lies floating in a watery stream
It was later that morning Willies mother got there
Wringing her hands and tearing her hair
Saying where was he drowned where did he fall in?
There's death in false waters in the lakes of Cool Flynn
O the day of his funeral it was such a fine sight
With four and twenty young men and they're all dressed in white
Four and twenty young men to lay him in cold clay
Said adieu to young Willie and they all marched away
The Lakes of Cool Flynn by Oysterband tells the tragic story of a young man named Willie Leonard who, along with his comrades, sets out to the lakes of Cool Flynn on a summer morning to swim. They are warned by a gamekeeper about the deep and false waters of the lake, but Willie disregards this and jumps in anyway. While swimming, he reaches an island but not the right ground. His comrades warn him not to follow, but he still does, and tragically drowns. The news of his death is brought to his mother by his sister who had a dream about his watery death.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the remorse and sorrow felt by Willie's loved ones after his death. The funeral is marked with a solemn procession of four and twenty young men in white, burying Willie in cold clay with final rites. The song captures the bittersweet emotion of love and loss, the joy of celebrating a life, and the grief of farewells.
The song's lyrics are both beautiful and heartbreaking, with a haunting melody that lingers in your mind. It's a powerful and poignant song that showcases the band's mastery in storytelling through their music.
Line by Line Meaning
It was early one morning Willie Leonard arose
Willie Leonard woke up early in the morning.
Into his comrade's bed chamber he goes
Willie went to his friend's room.
Saying arise my loyal comrades, let nobody know
Willie called his friends to wake up secretly.
It's a fine summer's morning and bathing we'll go
Willie convinced his friends to go for a swim on a beautiful summer morning.
But as they were walking all down a long lane
While they were walking down a lengthy path.
Who should they meet with but a keeper of game
They encountered a gamekeeper on that road.
Go back Willie Leonard, do not venture in
The gamekeeper warned Willie not to go in.
There's deep and false waters in the lakes of Cool Flynn
The gamekeeper explained that the waters of Cool Flynn are dangerously deceptive.
Young Willie jumped in and he swam the lake round
Willie disregarded the warning and swam across the lake.
Till he came to an island but not the right ground
Willie found himself on the wrong island after swimming across.
Go back my loyal comrades, do not follow me in
Willie's friends were advised to not follow him.
There's deep and false waters in the lakes of Cool Flynn
The same advice was given to Willie's friends, warning them of the dangers of the lake.
It was later that morning Willie's sister arose
Willie's sister woke up later that same morning.
And straight to her mother's bedchamber she goes
She went to her mother's room without hesitation.
Saying mother, dearest mother, I have had a strange dream
Willie's sister informed her mother of a strange dream she had.
Young Willie lies floating in a watery stream
In the dream, Willie was found floating in a stream of water.
It was later that morning Willies mother got there
Later that morning, Willie's mother finally got there.
Wringing her hands and tearing her hair
She was crying and visibly upset.
Saying where was he drowned where did he fall in?
She wanted to know where her son drowned and fell into the water.
There's death in false waters in the lakes of Cool Flynn
She found out that her son drowned in the deceptive waters of Cool Flynn.
O the day of his funeral it was such a fine sight
Willie's funeral was beautiful.
With four and twenty young men and they're all dressed in white
Twenty-four young men were there, all dressed in white.
Four and twenty young men to lay him in cold clay
These young men were there to bury Willie.
Said adieu to young Willie and they all marched away
They said goodbye to Willie and marched away from the funeral.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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