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.
Polly Vaughan
Tony Rose Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Young Polly went walking by the side of a pond.
She sat under the shady trees, the showers for to shun,
With her apron wrapped around her, as white as a swan.
Young Willy went hunting with his dog and his gun,
Young Willy went hunting as the evening came on.
Down among those green rushes, as the evening came on,
And when he'd seen what he'd done away he did run
Crying, "Father, dear father, do you see what I've done?
Down among those green rushes, as the evening came on,
I shot my own true love in the room of a swan."
"Stay at home, dear Willy, till your trial do come on,
That you may not be banished to some far land.
On the day of your trial your father will appear
With a hundred bright guineas if that will you clear."
On the day of the trial young Polly did appear,
Crying, "People, oh people, let Willy go clear,
Down among those green rushes, as the evening came on,
He shot his own true love in the room of a swan."
The ballad Polly Vaughan tells the tragic story about a young girl named Polly and her lover Willy. One evening, Polly went for a walk by a pond and sat under some trees to avoid the rain. Meanwhile, Willy was out hunting with his dog and gun. As the evening approached, Willy ended up shooting Polly, mistaking her as a swan, as she had wrapped her apron around her to avoid getting wet. Upon realizing what he had done, Willy ran away, seeking refuge from his father. He cried out to his father, confessing his mistake and asking for help.
The scene then shifts to the day of the trial, where Polly appears and pleads with the people to let Willy go free as it was an accident, which was caused by his unwise actions. She knew the love they had for each other, and wished to forgive him. In the end, Willy's father helps in his trial, and Willy was cleared of all accusations after paying his dues.
The ballad has been reinterpreted numerous times by different artists, and it remains a haunting tale of love and tragedy. Some speculate that the story may be based on a real-life event that occurred in the 17th century, while others believe it may be a cautionary tale on the dangers of hunting without proper guidance or caution. Despite the interpretations, the ballad's melancholic tone and beautiful melody continues to captivate audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
One midsummer's evening, the sun being gone down,
It was a midsummer evening when the sun had set.
Young Polly went walking by the side of a pond.
Polly went for a walk by the side of a pond.
She sat under the shady trees, the showers for to shun,
To escape the rain, she sat under the shade of the trees.
With her apron wrapped around her, as white as a swan.
Her white apron was wrapped around her like a swan.
Young Willy went hunting with his dog and his gun,
Willy went hunting with his dog and gun.
Young Willy went hunting as the evening came on.
He started hunting in the evening.
Down among those green rushes, as the evening came on,
In the evening, he went down among the green rushes.
He shot his own true love in the room of a swan.
Mistaking her for a swan, he shot his true love.
And when he'd seen what he'd done away he did run
After realizing his mistake, he ran away.
Crying, 'Father, dear father, do you see what I've done?
He cried out to his father, telling him what he had done.
Stay at home, dear Willy, till your trial do come on,
Willy was advised to stay at home until his trial.
That you may not be banished to some far land.
His father advised him to avoid being exiled.
On the day of your trial your father will appear
His father promised to appear on the day of the trial.
With a hundred bright guineas if that will you clear.'
He promised to bring in a hundred bright guineas to clear him.
On the day of the trial young Polly did appear,
Polly appeared on the day of the trial.
Crying, 'People, oh people, let Willy go clear,
She pleaded with the people to clear Willy.
Down among those green rushes, as the evening came on,
She reminded them of the situation on that fateful evening.
He shot his own true love in the room of a swan.'
She explained what had happened when Willy mistakenly shot her.
Contributed by Muhammad D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dave Low
One of the most beautiful and picturesque of folk songs delivered by a genius. God bless him.
Brian Bull
What a lovely arrangement by this fine singer and musician. He has been an inspiration to me for decades.