The obituary in the UK's "The Independent" newspaper for Tony Rose said "A beautifully relaxed interpreter of traditional song, with rare warmth and intimacy, Tony Rose made an indelible mark on the British folk scene. Emerging during the 1970s when folk clubs were still a force to be reckoned with, he was wholly committed to the grass roots scene, eschewing the seemingly sexier terrain of folk rock bands, modern song and political material that seduced so many of his contemporaries.
He loved traditional music and while it never brought him riches – indeed he returned to his first job as a teacher when the folk clubs themselves hit a recession in the late 1980s – he saw no reason to deviate widely from it. Accompanying himself on guitar and English concertina, he established an easy style that was instantly identifiable, putting him on a par with such giants of the era as Martin Carthy and Nic Jones.
Born in Exeter in 1941, Rose was smitten by folk song at Oxford University in the early 1960s, where he had won a scholarship to study Modern Languages at Queen's College. He first heard the British folk pioneers Louis Killen, Shirley Collins, Alex Campbell and Johnny Handle at the university's Heritage Society. He was also profoundly influenced by another West Country singer, Cyril Tawney, the ex-Navy man turned songwriter. Rose cut his musical teeth at his local folk club, the Jolly Porter in Exeter, where he became an occasional member of the resident band the Journeymen.
He moved to London to become a teacher in 1965 but, offered more and more gigs on the burgeoning folk scene, he became a professional singer in 1969. His first album, Young Hunting, in 1970 had a huge impact, mixing West Country songs like "The Bellringing" and "Tavistock Goosey Fair" with comic ditties and testing ballads like "Golden Vanitee" and "Blackwater Side".
With his rich, lyrical voice, a repertoire of largely unfamiliar material and erudite introductions, the long-haired Rose swiftly became an important member of the second wave of the folk revival. The subsquent albums Under The Greenwood Tree in 1971 (with more complex arrangements and also involving Dolly Collins and Peter Knight) and On Banks Of Green Willow in 1976 enhanced his reputation further. On Banks Of Green Willow particularly confirmed his status as a great singer, tackling epic ballads like "The Bonny Hind", "Lord Randall" and "Fanny Blair". Of all his recorded work this was his tour de force.
In the late 1970s he formed a folk "supergroup", Bandoggs, with Pete and Christine Coe and his close friend Nic Jones, in which Rose played, among other things, mouth organ and performed a storming version of Loudon Wainwright's "Swimming Song". Despite acclaimed live work, the group suffered financial and logistical problems, and split up without recording.
Rose returned to his solo career, releasing the 1982 album Poor Fellows (the title track was drawn from Peter Bellamy's groundbreaking folk opera The Transports). This encompassed contemporary song for the first time with thoughtful arrangements of Bob Dylan's "Boots of Spanish Leather" and Richard Thompson's "Down Where The Drunkards Roll". While the album also featured traditional material like "The Yarmouth Tragedy" and "Clerk Saunders", Rose's sense of the absurd was illustrated by the inclusion of his grave interpretation of the kitsch pop standard "The Three Bells," a song he was even occasionally prevailed upon to sing in French as an encore at gigs.
But as the folk scene constricted, artists relying exclusively on the club circuit struggled and Rose ultimately returned to teaching. However, he remained a familiar figure on the scene, gigging occasionally and regularly turning up at West Country folk events such as the Padstow May Day celebrations and Sidmouth Folk Festival. He also worked as a folk journalist.
In 1999 he retired from teaching and made an unlikely return with a new album, Bare Bones, released on his own Boneshaker label, which largely featured new versions of old songs no longer available. Sounding as good as he ever did, he was still easing himself back into the circuit when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. He died in June 2002."
He recorded several LPs for the Trailer label in the 1970s, which outrageously have remained unavailable since Trailer's bankruptcy.
Just as the Tide was Flowing
Tony Rose Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down by a rolling river,
Oh, a jolly sailor, I did stray,
And I beheld some lover.
She carelessly along did stray,
A-viewing of the daisies gay;
And she sweetly sang a roundelay,
Just as the tide was a-flowing.
Oh, her dress it was as white as milk,
And jewels did adorn her.
And her shoes were of the crimson silk,
Just like some maid of honour.
Her cheeks were red, her eyes were brown,
Her hair in ringlets hanging down;
She'd a lovely brow without a frown,
Just as the tide was a-flowing.
I made a bow and said, "Fair maid,
How came you here so early?
My heart by you it is betray'd
And I could love you dearly.
I am a sailor come from sea,
Will you accept my company
To walk and view the fishes play,
Just as the tide is a-flowing?"
And no more we said, but on our way
We walked along together;
And the small birds sang and the lambs did play,
And pleasant was the weather.
When we were weary we sat down
Beneath a tree with the branches round;
And what was done shall ne'er be found
As long as the tide is a-flowing.
And as she lay there on the grass
Her colour it was a-changing
And she cried out and said, "Alas,
Never let your mind be ranging.
Here's twenty pounds I have in store,
Well use it, when you will there's more.
Oh the jolly sailor I adore
Just as the tide is a-flowing."
We both shook hands and off did steer,
Jack Tar drinks rum and a brandy.
And to keep his shipmates in good cheer
The lady's gold is a-handy.
So along with another pretty maid I'll go
To a public house where the beer do flow,
Success to the maid that will do so
Just as the tide is a-flowing."
The lyrics to Tony Rose's "Just as the Tide was Flowing" describe a chance encounter between a jolly sailor and a beautiful woman by a rolling river. The sailor is struck by the woman's beauty and asks to join her on her walk along the river's edge. The two wander together, enjoying the beauty of the nature around them until they come across a tree where they rest. As they part, the woman gifts the sailor with twenty pounds and he heads off to find another pretty maid to enjoy some drinks with.
The lyrics paint a picture of a brief, but enchanting moment in time. The sailor and the woman seem to have an instant connection, bonding over the beauty of the natural world around them. The repetition of the phrase "Just as the tide is a-flowing" serves to drive home the fleeting nature of their encounter, and the sense of impermanence that is inherent in life.
At its core, "Just as the Tide was Flowing" is a simple love song. It captures the magic of a chance encounter and the thrill of discovering a kindred spirit. At the same time, it acknowledges the fleeting nature of such moments and the inevitability of parting ways. It's a reminder to cherish the time we have with the people we love, whether it's a lifetime or just a moment.
Line by Line Meaning
One morning in the month of May,
It was a May morning when this story took place.
Down by a rolling river,
The singer was by a river, with a current that was flowing swiftly.
Oh, a jolly sailor, I did stray,
The singer, who is also a sailor, was wandering around.
And I beheld some lover.
The artist came across a couple who were lovers.
She carelessly along did stray,
The woman was walking freely and without a care in the world.
A-viewing of the daisies gay;
She was admiring the colorful daisies.
And she sweetly sang a roundelay,
She was singing a sweet and cheerful song.
Just as the tide was a-flowing.
All of this was happening while the tide was rising.
Oh, her dress it was as white as milk,
The woman's dress was as white as milk.
And jewels did adorn her.
She was wearing precious and beautiful jewelry.
And her shoes were of the crimson silk,
Her shoes were made of silk and were crimson in color.
Just like some maid of honour.
She looked like a high-ranking woman, as if she were a maid of honor.
Her cheeks were red, her eyes were brown,
The woman had red cheeks and brown eyes.
Her hair in ringlets hanging down;
Her hair was curly and hanging down.
She'd a lovely brow without a frown,
Her forehead was beautiful and she looked happy.
Just as the tide was a-flowing.
This was all happening while the tide was rising.
I made a bow and said, "Fair maid,
The artist greeted the woman politely.
How came you here so early?
He asked her why she was out so early.
My heart by you it is betray'd
He confesses that he likes her.
And I could love you dearly.
He admits that he could love her.
I am a sailor come from sea,
He tells her that he's a sailor who's returned from the sea.
Will you accept my company
He asks if she wants to be in his company.
To walk and view the fishes play,
He suggests that they go for a walk and watch the fish.
Just as the tide is a-flowing?"
He asks her if she's willing to do this while the tide is rising.
And no more we said, but on our way
They didn't talk much; they just continued on their way.
We walked along together;
They walked together.
And the small birds sang and the lambs did play,
The birds were singing and the lambs were playing.
And pleasant was the weather.
The weather was pleasant.
When we were weary we sat down
When they got tired, they sat down.
Beneath a tree with the branches round;
They sat under a tree with overhanging branches.
And what was done shall ne'er be found
They secretly did something which they will never tell anyone about.
As long as the tide is a-flowing.
As long as the tide rises, their secret will be safe.
And as she lay there on the grass
She lay down on the grass.
Her colour it was a-changing
She started blushing.
And she cried out and said, "Alas,
She suddenly cried out and said, "Oh my goodness!
Never let your mind be ranging.
She warned him not to think of other women.
Here's twenty pounds I have in store,
She gave him twenty pounds she had saved.
Well use it, when you will there's more.
She urged him to use it wisely and remember she has more if he needs it.
Oh the jolly sailor I adore
She revealed that she's in love with sailors.
Just as the tide is a-flowing."
Again, she emphasized that sailors were her type of guy.
We both shook hands and off did steer,
They shook hands and went their separate ways.
Jack Tar drinks rum and a brandy.
The singer revealed that sailors usually drank brandy and rum.
And to keep his shipmates in good cheer
He shared his drinks with his fellow sailors to keep their spirits high.
The lady's gold is a-handy.
He also bragged about the gold he received from the lady.
So along with another pretty maid I'll go
The artist revealed he's planning to go out with another pretty girl.
To a public house where the beer do flow,
He'll take her to a pub where they'll drink beer.
Success to the maid that will do so
He wished the best for the next girl he'll be with.
Just as the tide is a-flowing."
And again, he emphasized that it will be while the tide is rising.
Contributed by Sadie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@peiyingchen516
One morning in the month of May, Down by some rolling river,
A jolly sailor, I did stray, When I beheld my lover, She carelessly along did stray, A-picking of the daisies gay; And sweetly sang her roundelay, Just as the tide was flowing.
O! her dress it was so white as milk, And jewels did adorn her.
Her shoes were made of the crimson silk,
Just like some lady of honour. Her cheeks were red, her eyes were brown, Her hair in ringlets hanging down;
She'd a lovely brow, without a frown, Just as the tide was flowing.
I made a bow and said, Fair maid, How came you here so early? My heart, by you it is betray'd For I do love you dearly.
I am a sailor come from sea, If you will accept of my company To walk and view the fishes play, Just as the tide was flowing.
No more we said, but on our way
We'd gang'd along together; The small birds sang, and the lambs did play, And pleasant was the weather. When we were weary we did sit down Beneath a tree with branches round; For my true love at last I'd found, Just as the tide was flowing.
@Teddyb1939
Thanks for this magic,Tony Rose one of the greats!!
@kololikate
I just found this in my CD player and really enjoyed it after several months without music!!
@Keltrissa
Many thanks for this. One of my favourite singers - I was lucky enough to see him "live" several times.
@carolinemidwood1242
I was lucky enough to see Tony many times in the 70s and 80s. I often wondered what had happenned to him so his death has come as a real shock
@frog20003291
more please more!
@spikelancaster28
Best version ever of this fine song. Lovely concertina playing. ony was a wonderful singer and a really great guy. Glad to have known him.
@californiadreamin8423
Spike Lancaster Hello Spike. Really enjoying this song....did Tony play the concertina ? The accompaniment is 200%.
@kololikate
@@californiadreamin8423 Brilliant English concertina player.
@kololikate
I love this and was lucky to see him several times over many years. I have vinyl and CD recording of his music and think his version of Spanish Boots of Spanish leather is just the best.
@lewisunderwood5248
Lovely ! Beautiful folk singer.