Lakeman grew up with his two brothers Sean and Sam in the village of Buckland Monachorum in West Devon, England. He began playing music with his parents and two brothers at an early age. As The Lakeman Brothers, the three brothers released their debut album Three Piece Suite in 1994. Later that same year they were invited by two Yorkshire based singers Kathryn Roberts and Kate Rusby to join them as a backing group on a tour of Portugal. After the tour the five musicians became a permanent group and called themselves Equation. The group were signed in a record deal with Time Warner in 1995. After three full albums (Return to Me in 1996, Hazy Daze in 1998, and The Lucky Few in 2000), and tours in the UK, Europe and the United States, Lakeman left Equation in 2001. With his brother Sam he appeared on Sam's wife Cara Dillon's eponymous debut album, which featured Lakeman on fiddle, guitar and vocals. The album won two awards at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
In 2002 Lakeman released his first solo album, The Punch Bowl, which received wide critical acclaim including a review in fRoots magazine which said: "The songs don't just glide smoothly by.....they get their claws into you".
Kitty Jay, Lakeman's second solo album was released in 2004. The title track of the album tells the story of Jay's Grave, a well known location on Dartmoor. That same year he collaborated with Devon singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and young local singer Jenna Witts on the album Western Approaches.
A UK tour in Autumn 2005 followed his Mercury Music Prize nomination, after which Lakeman and his band (regularly brother Sean on guitar, Ben Nichols on bass, Andy Tween on drums), toured extensively with folk-rock band The Levellers, who took to closing their set with a "fiddle off" between Lakeman and Levellers' fiddler Jonathan Sevink. Other support tours with Billy Bragg and Jools Holland brought Lakeman's music to a wider audience.
In March 2006 Lakeman began a UK tour in order to promote his new album Freedom Fields which was released on iScream. He signed to a new major record label, Relentless Records, promptly releasing a new single "Lady of the Sea" in early August 2006.
His fourth solo album, Poor Man's Heaven, was released on 30 June 2008 with an accompanying tour. It introduced a rockier edge to the folk of the previous albums. His fifth solo album, Hearts & Minds, was released on 19 July 2010. Lakeman released his sixth album called Tales From The Barrel House on 18 November 2011.
www.sethlakeman.co.uk
1643
Seth Lakeman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was poor King Charles who travelled for miles, in the heart of a civil dream.
As fierce young men we took a mighty stand, and waited for the call.
We were the first ones over the wall.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These four walls.
We were stuck in fast between a heavy marsh, and our clothes were torn and damp.
"So steady your guns until the last man comes", our captain he did cry,
I was the last man to see him alive.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These four walls.
As night crept in, and the stars were dim, no soldier made a sound.
We had lost all sight in that fading light, the fires had gone aground.
So the captain went out to a scream and shout, for an ambush he would find.
I was the the last man to see him alive.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These four walls.
At first light when the guns were quiet, reinforcements came to town.
They were put on our side with a parliament pride, the battle it turned around.
So the war was won, but the captain gone, and forever we recall,
He was the first one over the wall.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls
He was the first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls at the heart of the kingdom.
The first one, he was the first cut down
These four walls.
The lyrics to Seth Lakeman's song "1643" describe the events that led to the siege and battle of Plymouth in 1643 during the English Civil War. The song opens with the year 1643 and the laying down of men in the fair town. King Charles had traveled for miles to be in the midst of a civil dream, referring to the civil unrest that had spiraled into a war. The singer of the song, a fierce young man, took a mighty stand and waited for the call while also being the first to cross over the wall. The four walls in the song refer to the walls of Plymouth, which were deemed essential to the heart of the kingdom.
As the battle progressed, the soldiers were struck by a shot from behind the hill, and they were stuck between the heavy marsh. The captain ordered everyone to steady their guns and wait until the last man arrived, and the singer was the last man to see the captain alive. Night crept in, and visibility decreased as the fires burned out, and the captain went out for an ambush but never returned. The song ends with reinforcements arriving in the morning and winning the war, but with the captain gone, the memory of him remains.
Line by Line Meaning
In this fair town we laid them down in 1643,
In this town in 1643, many soldiers died and were buried.
It was poor King Charles who travelled for miles, in the heart of a civil dream.
King Charles traveled many miles during a civil war.
As fierce young men we took a mighty stand, and waited for the call.
As young and strong soldiers, we took a strong position and waited for orders.
We were the first ones over the wall.
We were the first to charge into battle and climb over the wall.
A shot rang out from behind the hill, as we marched along the bank.
As we marched, a shot was fired from the hill behind us.
We were stuck in fast between a heavy marsh, and our clothes were torn and damp.
We were trapped in a marsh and our clothes were wet and torn.
"So steady your guns until the last man comes", our captain he did cry,
Our captain told us to hold our guns steady until everyone was present.
I was the last man to see him alive.
I was the last person to see our captain alive.
As night crept in, and the stars were dim, no soldier made a sound.
As night fell, there was silence among the soldiers.
We had lost all sight in that fading light, the fires had gone aground.
In the fading light of the fires, we could no longer see anything.
So the captain went out to a scream and shout, for an ambush he would find.
Our captain went to investigate a scream and shout, suspecting an ambush.
At first light when the guns were quiet, reinforcements came to town.
When the guns stopped firing at first light, reinforcements arrived.
They were put on our side with a parliament pride, the battle it turned around.
The new soldiers joined our side for the fight, with a sense of pride for parliament.
So the war was won, but the captain gone, and forever we recall,
We won the war, but our captain was lost and we will always remember him.
He was the first one over the wall.
Our captain was the first to charge into battle and climb over the wall.
The first one, he was the first cut down
Our captain was the first to be killed in battle.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These walls are central to the kingdom and the battle that took place.
The first one, he was the first cut down.
Our captain was the first to be killed in battle.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These walls are central to the kingdom and the battle that took place.
The first one, he was the first cut down.
Our captain was the first to be killed in battle.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These walls are central to the kingdom and the battle that took place.
The first one, he was the first cut down.
Our captain was the first to be killed in battle.
These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.
These walls are central to the kingdom and the battle that took place.
Contributed by Mia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
CannedKhorne
I've been working with a year 6 class on the English Civil War and representing narrative in non written forms, they absolutely love this song so do I!!!
LibbyRoseITM
My favourite Seth Lakeman song :D <3
barefootbushcraft
also coincides with the first siege of Pembroke . works wells for both
Matt. A.
I think its 1653.. but still fighting in Holland.
dogstar75
thanks very much.
Deborah Waddell
RymerTristar & Dogstar75, sure am enjoying y'alls conversation, very enlightening.
dogstar75
post the story anyway, knowledge is a wonderful thing.