It was an encounter at Hawley's Sheffield home that led the longtime collaborator out of the shadows. Impressed by a home demo of his songs, both Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey urged Hawley to head into the studio and begin work on his first solo release. 2000's eponymous mini album encouraged Hawley to return to the studio once more. In 2001 Late Night Final, named after the cry of vendors selling the Sheffield Star evening newspaper on the streets of the city, was released to positive reviews from the press, if unspectacular sales. Two years later Hawley released Lowedges, another Sheffield reference, this time to the curiously named suburb of the city that had so entranced the young Hawley when he had seen it on the destination board of a bus. NME called Lowedges the "first great album of 2003" and it topped an end of year poll held by Virgin Radio.
In 2004 Hawley signed to Mute Records, a division of the giant EMI. Legal wrangling delayed Cole's Corner, Hawley's fourth release, until September 2005. Again Hawley mines the theme of his beloved home city, this time referencing the location where courting lovers meet. Cole's Corner eventually gained a nomination for the acclaimed Mercury Prize in 2006.
Hawley's work as a session musician and producer remains in high demand. After contributing towards her eponymous 2004 release, Hawley also supported Nancy Sinatra on her European tour in 2005. In the past, Hawley has also worked with artists as diverse as New York's A Girl Called Eddy, All Saints (he played the guitar solo on their cover of "Under the Bridge"), Nellee Hooper's soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet and with Jarvis Cocker's Relaxed Muscle project.
Aside from his solo and session work, Hawley occasionally tours with The Feral Cats, a side project that enables him to explore his interest in rockabilly music.
Possibly due to his aforementioned rockabilly interest, Hawley once auditioned for the role as guitarist in the rockabilly-inclined Morrissey's band.
Fiercely proud of his working class upbringing, Hawley recently described himself as "jurassic labour" in response to a question about the New Labour project. He lives in Sheffield, with his wife and children and is an avid Sheffield Wednesday supporter.
In 2007 Hawley released a new studio album, Lady's Bridge (the title refers to a bridge Hawley regulary crosses in his native Sheffield) again to much critical acclaim.
Hawley's album Truelove's Gutter was released in September 2009 and followed that October by a UK nationwide tour. The album was nominated for, and won the Mojo record of the year.
Following the success of his award-winning, hugely acclaimed 2009 album 'Truelove's Gutter', Richard Hawley will release his sixth studio album, 'Standing At The Sky's Edge' - his first for new label Parlophone - on 7th May.
Recorded at Sheffield's Yellow Arch Studio in 2011, 'Standing At The Sky's Edge' marks a seismic shift in direction for Hawley. The album is a euphoric, sonic assault on the senses, channelling elements of psychedelia, space rock and ragas with heavy riffs and raw, visceral guitar solos - as well as more familiar, tender moments - which will surprise Hawley's fans and peers alike.
www.richardhawley.co.uk
As The Dawn Breaks
Richard Hawley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over roof slates
Hope hung on every washing line
As your heart aches
Over life's fate
I know we never had much time
For us to give
There's something in those deep blue eyes
As the light creeps over the houses
And the slates are darked by rain
In this morning search for meaning
I hear a songbird's melody
I hear a songbird's melody
And she's singing just for me
As the light creeps over the houses
And the slates are darked by rain
In this morning search for meaning
I hear a songbird's melody
I hear a songbird's melody
And she's singing just for me
Oh, she's singing just for me
A simple songbird's melody
The lyrics of Richard Hawley's "As The Dawn Breaks" are filled with melancholic beauty and longing. The dawn breaks over roof slates and the hope is hung on every washing line, while the heart aches over life's fate. The song's narrator knows that there wasn't enough time for them to give, but they did anyway. The singer's love is portrayed by the deep blue eyes of their beloved. The light creeps over the houses as the slates darken with the rain. In this morning search for meaning, the singer hears a songbird's melody, which is sung just for them.
This song is filled with rich imagery and metaphors. The washing line, for example, symbolizes hope and a sense of domesticity. The slates on the roofs represent the melancholic tone of the song. The deep blue eyes of the beloved represent the depth of the love between the two. The songbird's melody is a symbol of hope and tranquility.
Line by Line Meaning
As the dawn breaks
As the sun rises and the darkness fades
Over roof slates
The sun shines on the rooftops and the tiles
Hope hung on every washing line
People leave their hopes on their clotheslines to dry in the sun
As your heart aches
As you feel the pain in your heart
Over life's fate
Concerned about what might happen in your life
I know we never had much time
We did not have enough time together
For us to give
We could not provide more to each other
But we did
Despite the lack of time, we still had some moments together
There's something in those deep blue eyes
There is something special about those blue eyes
As the light creeps over the houses
As the light spreads over the rooftops
And the slates are darked by rain
And the tiles are made darker by the rain
In this morning search for meaning
As I search for some purpose in this new day
I hear a songbird's melody
I hear the pleasant notes of a bird's tune
And she's singing just for me
As if the song is meant for me to hear
Oh, she's singing just for me
The bird's song is solely for me to hear
A simple songbird's melody
A straightforward and gentle melody from the bird
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.