The Houghton Weavers are an English folk music band formed in 1975 in Westh… Read Full Bio ↴The Houghton Weavers are an English folk music band formed in 1975 in Westhoughton, in the borough of Bolton in Lancashire, England. The current three band members are David Littler (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, banjo-ukulele, bouzouki, piano accordion and vocals), Steve Millington (bass guitar, keyboards, acoustic guitar, piano accordion and vocals) and Tony Berry (lead vocalist).

David Littler and Tony Berry are both founder members of the band, whilst Steve Millington joined in 1996.

Previous members are Norman Prince (1975 to 1999, 6 string acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar and vocals), John Oliver (1975 to 1976 vocals), Denis Littler (1976 to 1984 bass guitar and vocals) and Jeff Hill (1984 to 1996 and 1999 to 2007 bass Guitar, 6 string acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, electric guitar and vocals)

They sing mainly English folk music, much of it in Lancashire dialect, and demonstrate an eclectic range of song subjects including "The Blackpool Belle", "Uncle Joe’s Mintballs" and "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" (a biographical song about the painter L. S. Lowry).

They are best known for their BBC T.V. show "Sit Thi Deawn" (a Lancashire colloquial corruption of "Sit You Down"; referring to the supposed hospitality of Lancashire people). The programme ran for six series or seven years and was a mixture of easy listening music and comedy for a local audience[1]. The group also starred in six of their own series for BBC Radio 2.

The Leaving Of Liverpool
The Houghton Weavers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fare thee well to you my own true love I am going far away
I am bound for California, but you know that I′ll reurn some day

So fare thee well my own true love
And When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

I have sailed on a Yankee sailing ship, "Davy Crockett" is her name
And Burgess is the captain of her and they say that she′s a floating shame

So fare thee well my own true love
And When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

I have sailed with Burgess once before, and I think I know him well
Now if you're a sailor then you will get along, if you′re not then your life is hell

So fare thee well my own true love
And When I return united we will be
It′s not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

Oh the light is on the harbour dock and I wish I could remain
Oh you know that it will be a long long time before I see you again

So fare thee well my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

So fare thee well my own true love
When I return united we will be

It′s not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "The Leaving of Liverpool" by The Houghton Weavers speak of the sadness and longing that comes with leaving one's true love and setting out on a journey to California. Although he vows to return, the separation from his beloved is a source of great sorrow, and he admits that it is not the leaving of Liverpool that troubles him, but the thought of being apart from her. The singer also reflects on his past experiences sailing with Burgess, the captain of the ship he is currently aboard, and acknowledges the difficult life of a sailor.

The song captures the bittersweet nature of saying goodbye to a loved one and the uncertainty that comes with leaving for a new adventure. The lyrics are simple yet poignant, and the melody adds to the emotional weight of the words. The Houghton Weavers' version of the song is particularly well-known in the United Kingdom and has become a staple of traditional folk music.

Line by Line Meaning

Fare thee well to you my own true love I am going far away
I bid farewell to you, my dearest love, as I venture to a distant place.

I am bound for California, but you know that I'll return some day
My destination is California, but rest assured, my love, that I will be back in your arms one day.

So fare thee well my own true love, And when I return united we will be
Goodbye, my true love, I shall return to unite with you once again.

It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me, but my darling when I think of thee
The thought of leaving Liverpool does not sadden me as much as the thought of being away from you.

I have sailed on a Yankee sailing ship, 'Davy Crockett' is her name, And Burgess is the captain of her and they say that she's a floating shame
I have sailed on a ship called 'Davy Crockett,' which is captained by Burgess and reputedly a disgraceful vessel.

I have sailed with Burgess once before, and I think I know him well, Now if you're a sailor then you will get along, if you're not then your life is hell
I have sailed with Burgess previously and believe I understand him quite well. If you are a sailor, you will have a good relationship with him, but if you are not, your time will be difficult.

Oh the light is on the harbour dock and I wish I could remain, Oh you know that it will be a long long time before I see you again
The light shines on the harbor's dock, and though I wish to stay, it is certain that I will not see you for a prolonged period.

Contributed by Adeline V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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