They have played at venues across the UK from top festivals and folk clubs to London's National Theatre and National Portrait Gallery.
The released their album "All in a Garden Green" in Autumn 2007.
The sisters were born and bred in London, the children of two Morris dancers. They grew up in the folk scene, with frequent trips to ceilidhs and annual family holidays to Sidmouth Festival. As they grew older they became increasingly interested in the music side, returning back to school from the summer holidays wanting to start ceilidh bands.
They began various classical lessons at school and eventually started a folk band named Rubber Chicken . Over the next few years they gained experience, playing their first gigs, and were even the subject of a full article in Folk on Tap magazine (aged just 11 and 14). They also became interested in the dance side of tradition, playing and dancing for Morris, Appalachian and Rapper teams.
Things really started off a few years later when Emily switched to the fiddle and Hazel decided she'd quite like to play the melodeon. They added a few songs to the repertoire and thought they might as well enter the New Roots competition as a duo, unexpectedly coming away with the top prizes.
Encouraged by this they then recorded a few tracks with Doug Bailey to use as a demo, which Doug then decided to release as an EP on his label WildGoose Records; and so Six by Two was created, a six track EP of English and French tunes with a couple of songs (and dubious multi-coloured front cover).
The girls spent the next two years working hard, making the transition from promising youngsters to confident, skilled performers. They travelled up and down the country, playing at lots of folk clubs and festivals in 30 counties (and even at the Natural History Museum, under the big dinosaur skeleton in the hall).
They became semi-finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award and were also the subject of an article in fRoots magazine. During this time they defined their own unique style, now focusing mainly on traditional English material.
Hazel decided to develop the song side of the repertoire and began researching material from books and old recordings at the Vaughan Williams Library at Cecil Sharp House. The girls also started working with material from George Gardiner's collections in Hampshire.
Their father Bob Askew had been researching the collections and Emily and Hazel took part in a series of concerts to promote the songs. With all this experience under their belt, the girls then went back to WildGoose studios to record their first album.
They decided it should explore mainly traditional English material, including a few from George Gardiner's collection. They also chose early on that they wouldn't use any session musicians as they wanted the album to show the full sound that two people can create.
So after many days hard work at the WildGoose Studios (and lots of lovely food) All in a Garden Green was born. From foot stomping dance tunes bursting with energy to refreshing interpretations of songs and ballads, All in a Garden Green proved that the sisters had stepped up to the next level.
The Maid on the Shore
The Askew Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o
And all she could find for to comfort her mind
Was to wander alone on the shore-o
Was to wander alone on the shore
And it's all the sea captain who followed the sea
Let the winds blow high or blow low-o
"If I don't get that maid from the shore-o
If I don't get that maid from the shore"
"Oh, I have got silver and I have got gold
And I have got costly ware-o
I'll divide, I'll divide with my crew," he did cry
"If they bring me that maid from the shore-o
If they bring me that maid from the shore"
Well, the sailors they hoisted a very long boat
And straight for the shore they did steer-o
Saying "ma'am, if you please, will you enter on board
For to view a fine cargo of ware-o
For to view a fine cargo of ware."
And with much persuasion they took her onboard
And the captain he welcomed her there-o
Saying "first you will lie in my arms all this night
And then I'll hand you to me crew-o
And then I'll hand you to me crew"
So she sat herself down at the stern of the ship
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o
She sang charming and sweet, she sang neat and complete
She sang sailors and captains to sleep-o
Sang sailors and captain to sleep
Then she's robbed them of silver, she's robbed them of gold
She's robbed them of costly ware-o
And the captain's broadsword she did take for an oar
And she paddled her way to the shore-o
She paddled her way to the shore
"Oh, were my men mad drunk or were my men mad?
Or were they so deep in despair-o
For to let you away with your beauty so gay
For to paddle your way to the shore-o
For to paddle your way to the shore?"
"Oh, your men they weren't drunk, your men they weren't mad
Your men weren't so deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
Once again I'm a maid on the shore-o
Once again I'm a maid on the shore!"
The Maid on the Shore is a traditional English folk ballad performed by The Askew Sisters. The song tells the story of a young woman who wanders along the shore, searching for solace in her solitude. A sea captain becomes enamored with her, and he sets out to capture her. After the captain and his crew lure her onto their ship, the young woman outwits them by singing them to sleep, stealing their treasure and captain's sword, and paddling her way back to the shore. When the captain realizes what has happened, he is bewildered and disheartened, wondering how he could have let such a beautiful and cunning girl slip through his fingers.
The song has a dreamy quality to it, enhanced by its sparse, lilting tune and the gentle yet firm voice of The Askew Sisters. It speaks to the longing for freedom and independence that many young women feel, as well as their ability to defy expectations and take control of their own lives. The Maid on the Shore resonates with themes of empowerment, strength, and resilience, and its moral message is that cunning, wit, and courage can overcome even the most dangerous situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, there once was a maiden who lived all alone
There was a girl who lived alone.
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o
It was a clear, bright night when this happened.
And all she could find for to comfort her mind
She had nothing to do but to walk by herself.
Was to wander alone on the shore-o
So she walked alone on the shore.
And it's all the sea captain who followed the sea
A captain saw her from his ship.
Let the winds blow high or blow low-o
He was determined to have her, no matter what.
"I will die, I will die," that sea captain did cry
He was willing to do anything to get her.
"If I don't get that maid from the shore-o
He wanted her so bad.
If I don't get that maid from the shore"
He had to have her.
"Oh, I have got silver and I have got gold
He tried to use his money to buy her.
And I have got costly ware-o
He had expensive items to offer.
I'll divide, I'll divide with my crew," he did cry
He offered to share with his crew if they helped him.
"If they bring me that maid from the shore-o
He really wanted her.
If they bring me that maid from the shore"
He was obsessed with her.
Well, the sailors they hoisted a very long boat
The captain's crew got into a boat and sailed to shore.
And straight for the shore they did steer-o
They headed directly to where the girl was.
Saying "ma'am, if you please, will you enter on board
They asked the girl to come on their boat politely.
For to view a fine cargo of ware-o
The captain's crew offered to show the girl their cargo.
For to view a fine cargo of ware.
They wanted to impress her.
And with much persuasion they took her onboard
They convinced her to get on their boat.
And the captain he welcomed her there-o
The captain was happy to see her.
Saying "first you will lie in my arms all this night
The captain had other plans for her.
And then I'll hand you to me crew-o
He was going to give her to his crew.
And then I'll hand you to me crew"
He wanted his crew to enjoy her too.
So she sat herself down at the stern of the ship
The girl went to the back of the boat.
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o
It was still a bright night.
She sang charming and sweet, she sang neat and complete
She had a beautiful voice.
She sang sailors and captains to sleep-o
Her singing put everybody to sleep.
Sang sailors and captain to sleep
Her singing made the whole crew sleepy.
Then she's robbed them of silver, she's robbed them of gold
She stole their money.
She's robbed them of costly ware-o
She also took their expensive items.
And the captain's broadsword she did take for an oar
She took the captain's sword and used it to paddle.
And she paddled her way to the shore-o
She paddled to the shore herself.
And she paddled her way to the shore"
She got away with her loot.
"Oh, were my men mad drunk or were my men mad?
The captain wondered what happened.
Or were they so deep in despair-o
He couldn't believe they let her get away.
For to let you away with your beauty so gay
He thought she was too beautiful to let go.
For to paddle your way to the shore-o
He couldn't believe she got away on her own.
For to paddle your way to the shore"
He wondered how she managed to escape.
"Oh, your men they weren't drunk, your men they weren't mad
The girl replied.
Your men weren't so deep in despair-o
His crew wasn't hopeless.
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
She used her charm and cunning to deceive them all.
Once again I'm a maid on the shore-o
She had successfully escaped and returned to her life on the shore.
Once again I'm a maid on the shore!"
She was happy to be home again.
Contributed by Joshua V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.