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
The Ballad Of Josie
Seth Lakeman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When Josie went from our house, never back again,
Out beyond the hillside where the cattle stand,
With her recent lover holding her right hand.
They both went out together in the Monday mist,
She never saw it coming, waiting at his wrist,
He struck her swiftly and she fell right down,
Whenever you`re walking out in the snow,
Think of poor Josie all on her own,
Wherever those flowers stand out unknown,
Youll be steppin` on her gravestone.
So tell me where is Josie and where`s she flown,
You both went out together you`ve come back alone,
You sit so sadly with a face so cold,
You`re no more paler though than the life you stole.
Chr.
The lyrics of Seth Lakeman's song "The Ballad Of Josie" describe a tragic story of a young woman named Josie who went missing after going out with her recent lover on a Monday morning. The song starts with Josie leaving the singer's house holding hands with her new lover, going out beyond the hillside where the cattle stand. While they were walking together in the Monday mist, the lover hit Josie and she fell down, never to be seen again. The song suggests that flowers grew around her body, indicating that she might have died.
Line by Line Meaning
It was Monday morning in heavy rain,
The story of Josie began on a rainy Monday morning.
When Josie went from our house, never back again,
Josie disappeared from her home and never returned.
Out beyond the hillside where the cattle stand,
Josie went with her lover beyond the hillside where the cattle were.
With her recent lover holding her right hand.
Josie's lover held her right hand as they left together.
They both went out together in the Monday mist,
Josie and her lover left together on a misty Monday morning.
She never saw it coming, waiting at his wrist,
Josie was unaware of what was coming while waiting with her lover.
He struck her swiftly and she fell right down,
Josie's lover struck her and she fell to the ground.
Flowers grew around her a body never found.
Flowers grew around where Josie's body was never found.
Whenever you`re walking out in the snow,
The listener is advised to think of Josie when walking in the snow.
Think of poor Josie all on her own,
Josie is imagined to be all alone in the snowy landscape.
Wherever those flowers stand out unknown,
The location of the flowers growing where Josie's body was never found is unknown.
Youll be steppin` on her gravestone.
The listener may unknowingly step on Josie's figurative gravestone while passing by.
So tell me where is Josie and where`s she flown,
The singer questions where Josie is and where she went after she disappeared.
You both went out together you`ve come back alone,
Josie's lover returned alone after they left together.
You sit so sadly with a face so cold,
The singer describes the sadness and coldness in the demeanor of Josie's lover.
You`re no more paler though than the life you stole.
The singer accuses Josie's lover of taking her life and not showing any remorse.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SETH BERNARD LAKEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ThePezter
I remember how this song hit me when I first listened to the album. After John Lomas and Kitty Jay, I thought it couldn't get any better, then this sweeps in. Such a beautiful, simple, emotional song.
@sarice6502
Makes me cry, even after all this time!
@that_sam_94
Sad song but still love it. :)
@Welshsi
Anyone know the chords for this? Only thing I can find is this.