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 Story
Oysterband Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The waters run with an oily swirl
The skipper says, "I love this world
It's the only one we'll see;
If your luck is in, you can see the fish
Though they swim as deep as your deepest wish"
The sound of his voice was feverish
And he gave the wheel to me
Who writes the story? I don't know any more
Maybe nothing's what it seems
Spare me the glory, just get me safe on shore
And I'll only put to sea in my dreams
The sky grew dark and it blew a squall
We saw the weather-glass fall and fall
Then a wave rose up like a mountain wall
We stared up at the sea;
With a mortgaged boat and a stack of debt
Maybe more than your feet get wet
He looked, he shrugged, and he cut the net
He set his fortune free
Who writes the story? I don't know any more
And maybe nothing's what it seems
Spare me the glory, just get me safe on shore
And I'll only put to sea in my dreams
The skipper yelled, "We can haul and bail
We can fight like hell but we always fail"
To the beast with the green and glittering scales
Rolling loose below;
The wave came on and we couldn't hide
We spun half-round and began to slide
Maybe that's when the skipper went over the side
We never saw him go
Love, are you glory? I don't know any more
And maybe nothing's what it seems
Out of the story, just bring me safe to shore
And I'll only put to sea
Who writes the story? I don't know any more
And maybe nothing's what it seems
Spare me the glory, just get me safe on shore
And I'll only put to sea in my dreams
The ship's hull rang with a single crash
We shot to the top like a trumpet blast
Then the sea grew calm as a looking-glass ...
I hid my face and cried
The lyrics of Oysterband's song "The Story" are a metaphor for the unpredictable journey of life, and how we ultimately have no control over our destiny. The opening verse talks about how the skipper loves the rough seas even though they may be dangerous, and how we have to take risks in life if we want to see and experience the world. However, as the story progresses, we see that even the best-laid plans can fail, and sometimes we have to let go of things that we thought were important to us. The chorus of the song reflects this sentiment, as the singer expresses his desire to be safe and that he would much rather stay on shore and dream of the sea than actually risk his life out there.
As the song reaches its climax, the skipper gives up his fortune and cuts the net, showing that sometimes we have to let go of the things we thought were essential to us. The final verse shows a sense of despair as the ship meets a violent storm, and the skipper makes the ultimate sacrifice by going overboard. The song ends with a note of acceptance that we can't control our fate, and sometimes we have to submit to it.
Overall, "The Story" is a poignant reminder of how life is unpredictable, and we have to cherish every moment we are given.
Line by Line Meaning
When the wind is high, the whitecaps curl
The skipper describes how the ocean appears to become more chaotic when the wind is high.
The waters run with an oily swirl
The skipper continues to describe the ocean, noting that there is oil swirling through the water.
The skipper says, "I love this world
The skipper expresses his admiration for the world in which he lives.
It's the only one we'll see;
He adds that it is the only world we will ever know.
If your luck is in, you can see the fish
The skipper encourages his crew to look out for fish when the waters are calm.
Though they swim as deep as your deepest wish"
He comments on the depth of the ocean and how it can be as deep as we can imagine.
The sound of his voice was feverish
The skipper's enthusiasm for the ocean is tangible in his voice.
And he gave the wheel to me
The skipper trusts the person he is speaking to and hands over control of the boat.
Who writes the story? I don't know any more
The artist is uncertain about who is in charge of the events that are unfolding.
Maybe nothing's what it seems
The artist realizes that things are not always what they appear to be.
Spare me the glory, just get me safe on shore
The singer prioritizes safety over recognition.
And I'll only put to sea in my dreams
The artist states that they will only take risks and venture out to sea in their imagination.
The sky grew dark and it blew a squall
The weather changes suddenly and a storm approaches.
We saw the weather-glass fall and fall
The glass instrument used to measure changes in air pressure indicates that conditions are becoming worse.
Then a wave rose up like a mountain wall
An enormous wave appears on the horizon, appearing like a mountain.
We stared up at the sea;
The crew looks up and takes in the impressive, daunting sea around them.
With a mortgaged boat and a stack of debt
The crew is in desperate financial straits and has debts to pay off.
Maybe more than your feet get wet
The situation is worse than they originally thought.
He looked, he shrugged, and he cut the net
The crew cuts loose some equipment in order to lighten the load and keep the boat afloat.
He set his fortune free
The skipper makes the tough decision to cut losses and abandon his possessions in order to prioritize his safety.
The skipper yelled, "We can haul and bail
The skipper encourages the crew to work as hard as they can to save the boat and their lives.
We can fight like hell but we always fail"
Despite the effort, the crew has little hope of surviving the storm.
To the beast with the green and glittering scales
The skipper refers to the ocean as a beast, highlighting its immense and dangerous nature.
Rolling loose below;
The boat is tossed about by the waves and seas below them.
The wave came on and we couldn't hide
A huge wave crashes over their boat, leaving them exposed and without protection.
We spun half-round and began to slide
The crew loses control of the boat and begins to spin out of control.
Maybe that's when the skipper went over the side
They realize that the skipper is gone, and it is assumed that he has not survived.
We never saw him go
The crew is left with uncertainty about the fate of their friend and captain.
Love, are you glory? I don't know any more
The artist questions the nature of love and its relation to greatness or glory.
Out of the story, just bring me safe to shore
The singer desires to be brought to safety rather than remaining part of the dramatic events around them.
The ship's hull rang with a single crash
The boat makes a loud noise as it hits something and it reverberates throughout the hull.
We shot to the top like a trumpet blast
The boat bounces back up and is thrown high up on a wave, like a trumpet reaching high notes.
Then the sea grew calm as a looking-glass ...
The storm passes as soon as it began, and the sea becomes clear and undisturbed once again.
I hid my face and cried
The artist is deeply moved by the traumatic events that have transpired and they are compelled to hide their face and cry.
Contributed by Jacob R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nicholas Latheron
one of the best bands you've never heard of