Roland Van Campenhout is a Belgian blues man. His latest album called "new … Read Full Bio ↴Roland Van Campenhout is a Belgian blues man. His latest album called "new found sacred ground" was produced by mauro pawlowski.

A Flanders-born blues musician, Roland Van Campenhout was more well known in Belgium as Roland, one of the masters of the genre, as well as a versatile performer who was able to explore other styles such as folk, country, and such with amazing ease for more than 35 years.

Originally part of the William & Roland Skiffle Group in the early '60s, Van Campenhout shifted over to folk, backing up the duo of Miek & Roel before going off on his own in 1969. Signed to CBS, Roland issued his first full-length album, A Tune for You, in 1971. While three more albums would follow that decade (One Step at a Time in 1972, 1974's Live, and Movin' On in 1975), it would be his stint as a member of Rory Gallagher's band that would take him all over the world, in addition to offering a platform for the bluesman to hone his skills.

He returned to his own career in 1981, releasing the album Snowblind, and in 1985 had his first real commercial hit with the album 76 Centimeters Per Second. He explored rock music in a collaboration with Arno called Charles et les Lulus in the early '90s. An anthology entitled Day by Day, Blow by Blow was released in 1994, and in 1998 Van Campenhout was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at that year's ZAMU Awards ceremony.

In addition to working with the aforementioned bands and musicians, Van Campenhout also worked on collaborations with artists such as Marie Leure Béraud, Pieter-Jan de Smet, and the tribute act Spelers & Drinkers. In 2008 Van Campenhout released album number 20, Never Enough, and continued to play shows to highly receptive audiences.

AllMusic Biography: Roland Van Campenhout

The Cuckoo
Roland Van Campenhout Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
And she warbles as she flies
And she never holler cuckoo
'Til the 4th day of July

Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds
Well, I've known you of old
Well, you've robbed my poor pockets

Of the silver and the gold

I'm goin' up up on a mountain
I' m gonna build me a whiskey still
And I'll sell you one bottle
For a twenty dollar-bill

I'm going up upon a hillside
And I'm gonna stand lookin' down
So I can see my little baby
Whenever she is walking around

Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
And she warbles as she flies
Well, she brings us glad tidings
And she never tells no lies

Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds
You're the meanest card I know
Well, you robbed my poor pockets
And you nearly stole my soul

Well, I'll eat when I'm hungry
And I'll drink when I'm dry

And if some woman don't shoot me
Then I'll live a long time

Overall Meaning

The song "The Cuckoo" by Rory Gallagher is a traditional folk song that has been covered many times by various artists, including Janis Joplin and Taj Mahal. The song celebrates the beauty and significance of the cuckoo bird, which is known for its distinctive call and migratory patterns. The cuckoo is said to bring good luck and is associated with the arrival of spring.

The lyrics of the song also touch on other themes, such as love, loss, and survival. The singer laments the loss of his money and possessions to the "Jack of Diamonds," and expresses a desire to make money by selling whiskey. The singer also talks about his love for a woman and his desire to see her often.

The song uses simple, repetitive melodies and lyrics to create a sense of longing and homesickness. The singer's voice is plaintive and heartfelt, conveying a sense of sadness and longing for something he cannot have.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
The cuckoo bird is aesthetically pleasing

And she warbles as she flies
The cuckoo bird makes pleasant sounds while in flight

And she never holler cuckoo
The cuckoo bird does not make its signature sound until a specific date

'Til the 4th day of July
The cuckoo bird only sings on the 4th of July

Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds
Referring to a card in a deck of playing cards

Well, I've known you of old
I've been familiar with this card in the past

Well, you've robbed my poor pockets
This card has cost me money in the past

Of the silver and the gold
The card has taken both valuable and less valuable items from me

I'm goin' up up on a mountain
I am traveling to a mountainous area

I' m gonna build me a whiskey still
I am constructing a device to make whiskey

And I'll sell you one bottle
I will sell a single bottle