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.
Up to the Rigs
Tony Rose Lyrics
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It was up Cheapside I made my way.
A fair pretty maid I chanced for to meet
And with kisses her I there did greet.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
She took me to some house of fame
And so boldly then did enter in.
Loudly for supper she did call,
A-thinking I was going to pay for it all.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
The supper being over and the table cleared,
The waiters brought white wine and beer.
The waiters brought white wine and red
And the chambermaid prepared the bed.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Between the hours of one and two
She asked me if to bed I'd go.
Immediately I did consent
And along with this pretty maid I went.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Her cheeks were white and her lips were red
And I kissed her as she lay in bed;
But as soon as she fell fast asleep
Then it's out of her bed then I did creep.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
I searched her pockets and there I found
A silver snuffbox and ten pound,
A golden watch and a diamond ring,
So I took the lot and locked the lady in.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
So come all young men wherever you may be:
If you meet a pretty girl you use her free.
You use her free but don't get drunk;
Just remember me when I was up Cheapside.
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
Up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
Up to the rigs of London Town.
The song "Up to the Rigs" by Tony Rose tells the story of a man who meets a pretty maid as he makes his way up Cheapside in London City. He follows her to a house of fame where she orders supper, assuming he will pay for it all. After the meal, they are served white wine and beer, and the chambermaid prepares the bed for them. They make love, but as soon as the woman falls asleep, the man gets up to search her pockets and find a silver snuffbox, ten pounds, a golden watch, and a diamond ring. He takes everything and locks her in before leaving.
The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of casual encounters based solely on physical attraction. It highlights the moral consequences of using someone for pleasure without any regard for their feelings. The lyrics suggest that the singer's behavior is likely to lead to negative karma in the future. The chorus, "up to the rigs, down to the jigs, up to the rigs of London Town" refers to the singer's descent into the lower parts of London in search of pleasure.
Line by Line Meaning
Up for London City on one fine day
I went to London City one day
It was up Cheapside I made my way.
I walked up to Cheapside
A fair pretty maid I chanced for to meet
I met a beautiful girl by chance
And with kisses her I there did greet.
I greeted her with kisses
I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs,
I experienced the ups and downs of London's nightlife
Up to the rigs of London Town.
I went to the top places in London's nightlife
She took me to some house of fame
She took me to a famous place
And so boldly then did enter in.
We entered it boldly
Loudly for supper she did call,
She called loudly for supper
A-thinking I was going to pay for it all.
She assumed that I would pay for everything
The supper being over and the table cleared,
After dinner, when the table was cleared
The waiters brought white wine and beer.
The waiters brought white wine and beer
The waiters brought white wine and red
The waiters also brought red wine
And the chambermaid prepared the bed.
The chambermaid prepared the bed
Between the hours of one and two
Around one or two o'clock
She asked me if to bed I'd go.
She asked me if I wanted to go to bed
Immediately I did consent
I agreed without hesitation
And along with this pretty maid I went.
I went to bed with this beautiful girl
Her cheeks were white and her lips were red
She had white cheeks and red lips
And I kissed her as she lay in bed;
I kissed her while she was in bed
But as soon as she fell fast asleep
As soon as she fell asleep
Then it's out of her bed then I did creep.
I quietly left her bed
I searched her pockets and there I found
I searched her pockets and discovered
A silver snuffbox and ten pound,
A silver snuffbox and ten pounds
A golden watch and a diamond ring,
A gold watch and a diamond ring
So I took the lot and locked the lady in.
I took everything and locked her in the room
So come all young men wherever you may be:
So listen, young men, wherever you are
If you meet a pretty girl you use her free.
If you meet a beautiful girl, enjoy her freely
You use her free but don't get drunk;
Have fun with her without getting drunk
Just remember me when I was up Cheapside.
Just remember me when I was in Cheapside
Contributed by Evan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BigYellow
I ain’t gone lie ever since dat flint to Lansing I been listening to yo music u hard asf🔥🔥
Juwan
KEep chipping away at it Tony Rose 🌹🔥💪🏾
Tori Star
Please give this video more views please share my guys Tony Rose super underrated straight drop 2🔥🔥🔥
Ro S
Flow 🔥 and 🤣 at the same time
Tim Owens
Beat fire as fuck 🔥
Tony Rose #1fan
IM STRAPPED UP IN DA CAR
BUT I AINT WEARING NO SEATBELT🤦🏽♂️🔥
Veracityz
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Sebi Santiago
I need this beat fasho this shit slap
Zetsu
🔥🎥
Oscar Hernandez
Shout out from Chicago 💙🌊🖤