Ruth Notman is a folk musician and multi-instrumentalist from Nottingham, E… Read Full Bio ↴Ruth Notman is a folk musician and multi-instrumentalist from Nottingham, England. She currently holds three full-length album releases to her name; Her debut, 'Inkwell' (2004) and, most recently, 'Threads' (2007) and 'Life of Lilly' (2009). Her current instrumental repertoire consists of piano, guitar, harp and melodeon. Ruth's music combines a variety of influences including Eliza Carthy, John Renbourn, Marilyn Manson and Seth Lakeman - amalgamating to form a truly fresh and unique brand of folk, but still remaining rooted in the traditions, sights and sounds that surround the genre.

Hold Back The Tide
Ruth Notman Lyrics

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Hold back the tide Johnnie
Keep me from losing - losing my way
When the waters turn my bonnie
I′ll shutter my window and hide from the day
When the ship meets the river
Men's hearts sail away

When we were young Johnnie

We strolled by the river - strayed by the stream
You took my heart Johnnie
We sailed the same oceans -
We dreamed the same dreams
Now when the ships go love
I lose you it seems

So hold back the tide Johnnie
Keep me from losing - losing my way
When the waters turn my bonnie
I′ll shutter my window and hide from the day
When the ship meets the river
Men's hearts sail away

Stone silence and empty glances
Trapped in the gaps between heaven and hell
Cold time lies heavy on you
The big ships are gone love
There's no more to tell

So hold back the tide Johnnie
Keep me from losing - losing my way
When the waters turn my bonnie
I′ll shutter my window and hide from the day

The big ships are gone love
There′s no more to tell

Overall Meaning

The song "Hold Back The Tide" by Ruth Notman is a beautiful ballad about losing love and the feeling of being lost. The lyrics are a plea to a man named Johnnie to hold back the tide and keep the singer from losing her way. The first verse talks about how when the waters turn "bonnie," the singer will close her window and hide from the day. This could be interpreted as a storm or a rough patch in life. When the ship meets the river, men's hearts sail away. This line implies that when there is a difficult situation, people tend to turn their hearts away and sail on.

The second verse talks about the memories of when they were young and how they used to dream the same dreams. The ships go, and the singer loses Johnnie. It is an emotional plea to hold back the tide and keep her from losing Johnnie. The third verse speaks of being lost in time and trapped between heaven and hell. The big ships are gone, and there's no more to tell. This could mean that the love between Johnnie and the singer is gone, and there's nothing left to say.

The song is a beautiful ballad that speaks to anyone who has lost love or is lost in life. The lyrics are powerful, and Ruth Notman's voice is haunting. It is a song that can be interpreted in different ways, but its meaning remains the same. The plea to hold back the tide is a call to action, to keep love alive and not let it slip away.

Line by Line Meaning

Hold back the tide Johnnie
Don't let my life get swept away by the forces of nature, Johnnie

Keep me from losing - losing my way
Protect me from losing sight of my goals and purpose

When the waters turn my bonnie
When life gets rough and uncertain

I'll shutter my window and hide from the day
I will withdraw from the world and seek refuge from my problems

When the ship meets the river
When life takes an unexpected turn

Men's hearts sail away
People's emotions and loyalties can quickly change

When we were young Johnnie
Reminiscing about the past with Johnnie

We strolled by the river - strayed by the stream
We enjoyed life's simple pleasures and wandered aimlessly

You took my heart Johnnie
Johnnie captured the artist's affection

We sailed the same oceans - We dreamed the same dreams
We shared a common vision for our future

Now when the ships go love
When life moves on and changes occur