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
Wading Through the Water
Richard Hawley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I won't be there I won't get older
I must wait here holed up in my time
Don't search for me in fields of green
I'm not there I won't be seen
I'm wading through the waters of my time
I'm wading through the waters of my time
Don't look for me in lands of gold
I won't be there I won't get old
I'll hover like a frozen bird in time
Don't reach for me the stars are cold
My race is run my stories told
I'm wading through the waters of my time
Don't search for me in lands of gold
I won't be there I can't get old
Don't hope for me the stars have died
I've slipped into the past
Cause I'm wading through the waters of my time
Yes I'm wading through the waters of my time
Don't search for me in lands of gold
I won't be there I can't get old
Don't hope for me the stars have died
I've slipped into the past
Cause I'm wading through the waters of my time
Yes I'm wading through the waters of my time
Mmm mmm
Yes I'm wading through the waters of my time
The song "Wading Through the Water" by Richard Hawley is a melancholic reflection on the inevitability of time and aging. The lyrics convey a sense of resignation and acceptance of one's mortality, as the singer warns not to look for him in "fields of clover" or "lands of gold" because he won't be there. Instead, he is "wading through the waters of my time," indicating that he is slowly moving towards the end of his life.
The imagery used in the lyrics is potent and evocative. The metaphor of wading through water is particularly striking, as water is often associated with the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The line "I'll hover like a frozen bird in time" further reinforces the idea of being stuck in a moment, unable to move forward. The use of repetition throughout the song also emphasizes the sense of being trapped, as the same lines are repeated multiple times.
Overall, "Wading Through the Water" is a poignant reflection on aging and the passage of time. It conveys a sense of melancholy acceptance, as the singer acknowledges that his time is limited and that he must move on to the next phase of his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look for me in fields of clover
Do not waste your time searching for me in peaceful and harmonious environments
I won't be there I won't get older
I will not be present there, and I am not interested in aging and growing old
I must wait here holed up in my time
I'm waiting in isolation in my own time, distant from the present day
Don't search for me in fields of green
Don't try to find me in hopeful and fertile lands
I'm not there I won't be seen
I'm not visible, and even if you try, you cannot see me physically
I'm wading through the waters of my time
I'm going through a difficult and challenging journey through my own period
Don't look for me in lands of gold
Stop looking for me in rich and prosperous lands
I won't be there I won't get old
I will never be there, and I'm not interested in the aging process
I'll hover like a frozen bird in time
I will remain suspended like a static and unchanging bird in my era
Don't reach for me the stars are cold
Don't try to contact me, as even the stars that I once found attractive have lost their warmth
My race is run my stories told
I have completed my journey and shared my stories, and there is nothing left to achieve
Don't search for me in lands of gold
Do not spend your time looking for me in luxurious and wealthy places
I won't be there I can't get old
I will not be present there, and I am beyond the process of aging
Don't hope for me the stars have died
Don't keep any hopes for me as even the stars that I dreamed of have ceased to exist
I've slipped into the past
I have gone back in time and left the present behind
Cause I'm wading through the waters of my time
Because I'm struggling through the challenging obstacles of my period
Yes I'm wading through the waters of my time
Yes, I'm fighting my way through the hardships of my era
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Richard Willis Hawley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind