From the start, they have incorporated a diverse range of influences from British folk music to German Thrash Metal which has fed their constantly evolving sound. They are widely considered the inventors of Folk Metal.
The lineup remained stable for the recording of 2000's Folkémon, but founding member Walkyier left the band in 2001, citing various reasons, such as financial difficulties or the bands unwillingness to tour in South America owing to security concerns as the final straw, though other band members have commented that his somewhat pessimist personality was one of the major contributing factors to the groups lineup instability. Walkyier went on to form The Clan Destined. For many fans, Walkyiers lyrics and delivery style were one of the bands central attractions, and there were fears that his departure spelled the end of the band. After replacing drummer Jay Graham (who left shortly after Walkyier) and moving Kevin Ridley onto vocals, the group sprang into action to remedy these fears with 2002's No Daylights...Nor Heel Taps which featured studio recordings of "Irish Pub versions" of Skyclad classics by the new line-up, proceeded by a single, 2001's "Swords of a Thousand Men". The single's title track, a cover tune (originally recorded by Tenpole Tudor), also appeared on Folkémon as a bonus track, although in a different version. The single featured two recordings of the track, one of them with Ridley on vocals and one with Ridley sharing the microphone with Ten Pole Tudor's vocalist Edward Tudor-Pole. The single/album release was accompanied by the 'The Same...But Different' tour, the largest Skyclad had undertaken for many years. Also in 2001 the band released Another Fine Mess, which featured live recordings from 1995 and the contents of the Outrageous Fourtunes EP.
2004's A Semblance of Normality marks the bands first new material from the post-Walkyier era (there had been some unpleasantness between Walkyier and the other band members over copyrights and royalties for his lyrics, as well as the release of tracks featuring him), keeps very much in the vein of previous releases, with Ridley's lyrics making an obvious effort to follow similar themes and styles to Walkyiers whilst retaining an individual identity. The album has probably been the most widely received of their releases, probably due to better distribution and word-of-mouth advertising, and has received much critical acclaim, especially in the English-speaking world, where, ironically (given the use of inventive wordplay in their titles and lyrics, much of it aimed at native English speakers), the band is almost unknown. However, in South America and mainland Europe they have been extremely popular for many years, especially in Germany and Greece.
Skyclad's current release is an EP, Jig-a-Jig, self-released by the Band. A new album was recorded in summer 2008, it is to be released in late 2008 or 2009.
Four songs from the band's latest releases are available for both streaming and download at the Skyclad page at MySpace.
Isle Of Jura
Skyclad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a crowd but all alone.
Got to hurry - pack my worries,
Feel the arms that I call home.
I am lonely - I am lost,
Inside my private holocaust.
O' steel angel please carry me
Fly me to my love,
From cold Earth far beneath me
To the Heavens high above.
All aboard but fly so-low
(Chocks away) The engines start.
Crossing oceans of emotion that circumnavigate my heart.
Have you ever talked to someone,
Not recalled a single word?
The gentle rhythm of the humdrum,
It was the only sound I heard.
Why was I not so astute to stow
My dreams a parachute?
O' steel angel please carry me
Fly me to my love,
From cold Earth far beneath me
To the Heavens high above.
It seems they never sensed how time was passing,
Deep in the silence and the cold.
Sat living, breathing, drinking, laughing
While Death lay sleeping in the hold.
Then my eyes beheld a vision,
A beauty brighter than the stars
One singe spark, and then ignition,
Bathe my flesh and heal the scars.
The hand that dared to touch God's knife,
But 'Isle Of Jura', I love life.
O' steel angel please carry me
Fly me to my love,
From cold Earth far beneath me
To the Heavens high above.
The opening verse of Skyclad's "Isle of Jura" gives listeners a hint of the feeling of isolation and loneliness amidst a crowd. The singer seems to be surrounded by strangers and has to hurry and pack their worries to feel the warmth of home. The contrast of being in a crowd and feeling alone is a common theme in modern life. The singer feels lost and lonely, and the repetition of the phrase "I am lonely - I am lost" drives home the point. The image of a private holocaust also adds to the sense of anguish and desperation.
The chorus of "O' Steel Angel please carry me, fly me to my love, from cold Earth far beneath me to the Heavens high above" seems like a prayer for help or salvation. The singer seems to be seeking escape or respite from their misery on Earth, wanting to fly away to the heavens. The feelings of entrapment are reinforced in the second verse with a metaphorical reference to talking to someone and not recalling a word. It's as if the singer is trying to communicate, but no one is listening. The line "Why was I not so astute to stow my dreams a parachute?" suggests regret – the singer wishes they had managed to "stow" their dreams away and escape from reality.
The final verse introduces a new character or experience – a vision of beauty "brighter than the stars". This encounter seems to trigger a change in mood, with the singer feeling healed and uplifted. The final line, "But 'Isle Of Jura', I love life" is particularly interesting – it suggests that even in moments of despair, there is a love for life that prevails.
Line by Line Meaning
All around me strangers scurry
People are all around me, hurrying for their own reasons, but they are still strangers to me. No one really knows me, and I don't really know them.
In a crowd but all alone.
Even though there are people around me, I feel completely alone, as if I'm standing apart from everyone else.
Got to hurry - pack my worries,
I have my own problems to worry about, and I need to hurry up and deal with them before I can move on with my life.
Feel the arms that I call home.
Despite all of the loneliness and fear, I have someplace where I belong, where I feel safe, and where I can truly rest.
I am lonely - I am lost,
These feelings of isolation and fear are a constant presence in my life, and I don't know how to escape them.
Inside my private holocaust.
These feelings are like a personal hell, something that I can't escape from or make disappear.
O' steel angel please carry me
I'm calling out to some kind of higher force, praying for help and guidance in my struggles.
Fly me to my love,
I want to be reunited with someone or something that I love, and to leave all of my troubles behind.
From cold Earth far beneath me
I want to escape the troubles of this world, leave them far behind and never have to face them again.
To the Heavens high above.
And I want to soar above it all, to some kind of celestial realm where I'll finally be free.
All aboard but fly so-low
I'm embarking on a journey, but it's not glamorous or grand. I'm still grounded, and I'm just trying to find my way forward.
(Chocks away) The engines start.
I'm still getting started, still trying to find the energy and momentum to keep moving forward.
Crossing oceans of emotion that circumnavigate my heart.
I'm navigating through the tumultuous and deep waters of my own heart and mind, trying to reach a place of peace and stability.
Have you ever talked to someone,
I'm reaching out to others, trying to connect and find some kind of support or understanding from them.
Not recalled a single word?
But often in those conversations, my mind just goes blank and I can't seem to remember anything that was said or shared between us.
The gentle rhythm of the humdrum,
Even though I'm trying to connect with others, most of the time everything just settles back into the usual everyday routine - a kind of monotony that underscores all of our lives.
It was the only sound I heard.
But even in that monotony, there's still some comfort - the steady humdrum is a constant, reassuring beat that I can always rely on.
Why was I not so astute to stow
I often wonder why I wasn't more careful or thoughtful about my choices - why I didn't prepare better for the future, or why I didn't take more precautions in the past to avoid getting hurt.
My dreams a parachute?
Perhaps if I had planned better, or if I had better control over my own life, I could have saved myself from a lot of the pain and difficulty I'm experiencing now.
It seems they never sensed how time was passing,
Other people around me don't seem to notice the way time blurs and fades, or how fast it can seem to fly. They just keep living their lives and enjoying the moments as they come.
Deep in the silence and the cold.
But even as they're enjoying their lives, there's a sense of desolation and isolation - a feeling of being trapped or frozen in place, and not being able to escape it.
Sat living, breathing, drinking, laughing
Life goes on, even as time rushes by and people try to find some kind of peace or happiness in the midst of it all. There's still laughter and connection, even in the midst of despair.
While Death lay sleeping in the hold.
But all the while, there's still a darkness lurking, a sense of mortality or impermanence that's always just beneath the surface.
Then my eyes beheld a vision,
But even in the midst of all this complexity and difficulty, there's still a chance for beauty and wonder - a spark of something magical that can cut through the darkness and bring hope.
A beauty brighter than the stars
And that beauty is something indescribable - something that transcends the usual rules of life and death and time, and that can take us to places we never thought we could go.
One singe spark, and then ignition,
That beauty can light a fire in our hearts - a spark that ignites our imagination and drives us forward, even when times are rough.
Bathe my flesh and heal the scars.
That spark can heal us, body and soul - washing away all of our pain and loneliness, and helping us to find peace, love, and hope once again.
The hand that dared to touch God's knife,
And even though it's scary, we have to be brave enough to reach out and grasp that spark of beauty and wonder. We have to be bold enough to take risks, and to go where no one has ever gone before.
But 'Isle Of Jura', I love life.
We have to keep living, keep seeking and searching for that beauty and wonder. For all of the pain and difficulty in life, there's still something worth holding onto, still something that makes life worth living.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oscarcartes3457
Beautiful,a classic.
@GatoZapote
Thanks for load this song. Martin Walkyer is a grat composser, songs full of nostalgic and music anrangement full of emotion. Great poeme!!
@psisws7832
Preciosa gracias martin
@Learn4Live
This is easily one of the most both beautiful and also catchiest Folk Metal songs of all times.
Martin's lyrics are pure poetry, and full of wise games of words.
@nikosoutsikas9643
what a band.......
@user-tj4lg9jl9m
μπορει τα χρονια να περασαν , μα το ταξιδι παραμενει απιστευτο....
@mysticadaemonica
I´ve been waiting for someone to post this amazing song. Finally! Thanks a lot! =)
@samuelbronkowitz3719
Thanks for this wonderful music.
@Wolfiins
my high school years! :°)
@noone64
thanx for sharing this!