Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English folk singer, songwr… Read Full Bio ↴Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but also plays the viola and banjo. Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2005, Lakeman has belonged to several musical ensembles, including The Lakeman Brothers with his two brothers (both fellow folk musicians) Sam Lakeman and Sean Lakeman and subsequently with Kathryn Roberts and Kate Rusby in the folk 'supergroup' Equation. After leaving Equation in 2001, Lakeman quickly established himself as a popular solo act.

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

Ye Mariners All
Seth Lakeman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh ye Mariners as you pass by,
Well come into drink if you are dry.
Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
And pop your nose in this one.
Drink another jug of this.

Oh ye tipplers, have you that crown?
For you are welcome all to sit down.

Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
And pop your nose in this one.
In another jug of this.

Now I'm old and I can scarcely recalll,
I've an old grey beard and a head that's bald.
Crown my desire and fulfill my bliss,
With a pretty young girl
And another jug of this.

Now I'm in my grave and I am dead,
And all these sorrows are passed and fled.
Go and turn myself into a fish,
And let me swim around you
In another jug of this.

will the drinkers come tonight?

Overall Meaning

The song "Ye Mariners All" by Seth Lakeman is a traditional sea shanty that celebrates friendship, camaraderie, and drinking among sailors. The lyrics are addressed to fellow mariners and invite them to share a drink and spend their money in the tavern. Through the song, the singer reminisces about his life on the sea and his desire to be surrounded by good company and booze until the very end of his days, even after his death. The lyrics have a jovial and somewhat satirical tone, as they poke fun at the sailors' own stereotypes of being heavy drinkers and bawdy characters.

The first stanza of the song, "Oh ye Mariners as you pass by, well come into drink if you are dry" begins the invitation to the sailors to come in and have a drink to quench their thirst. The second and third stanzas, "Oh ye tipplers, have you that crown? For you are welcome all to sit down. Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk, and pop your nose in this one. In another jug of this", encourage the sailors to spend their money freely and enjoy the ale, referred to as "this one". The fourth stanza takes a nostalgic turn, as the singer mentions his old age and baldness, but nevertheless requests another jug of ale and a pretty girl to fulfill his desires. The final stanza, "Now I'm in my grave and I am dead, and all these sorrows are passed and fled. Go and turn myself into a fish, and let me swim around you in another jug of this," is a humorous yet poignant reflection on the singer's desire to be remembered as a friend and companion to his fellow sailors, even in death.

Overall, the lyrics of "Ye Mariners All" celebrate the simple pleasures of life, such as friendship, drinking, and laughter, that are often enjoyed by sailors while on long voyages. Through humor and wit, the song portrays the sailors as a boisterous, yet tight-knit community, who find joy in the company of each other.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh ye Mariners as you pass by,
Oh you sailors passing by,

Well come into drink if you are dry.
Come in and have a drink if you're thirsty.

Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
Spend your money all at once,

And pop your nose in this one.
And put your nose in this drink.

Drink another jug of this.
Have another jug of this drink.

Oh ye tipplers, have you that crown?
Oh you drinkers, do you have enough money?

For you are welcome all to sit down.
You are all welcome to sit and drink.

Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
Spend your money quickly,

And pop your nose in this one.
And put your nose in this drink.

In another jug of this.
Have another jug of this drink.

Now I'm old and I can scarcely recalll,
Now that I'm old and forgetful,