He was a member of the London Town Criers during the 1960s and subsequently joined Montreal band The Prodigal Sons. Prior to beginning his solo career, he was based in Victoria working with various artists, including Blake Emmons.
Valdy is the winner of two Juno Awards for Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year, and has received seven additional Juno nominations. His fourteen albums have achieved sales of nearly half a million copies, four of which are certified gold. Of Canadian folk artists in the mid-1970s, only Gordon Lightfoot was more popular.
Valdy also appeared on the CBC TV show The Beachcombers as the environmental activist "Halibut" Stu.
Valdy lives on Saltspring Island in British Columbia with his wife Kathleen. His daughter, Chelah Horsdal, is an actress.
His live albums include 'Family Gathering' (A&M) recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto for 1974 release, and 2003's 'Viva Valdy: Live at Last (Rack-On-Tour)'.
Valdy is much in demand on the touring circuit and on any given night, is playing to a packed concert house somewhere - performing some 250 to 300 show dates a year - while he continues writing and recording.
"Few performers are capable of achieving the kind of energy he generates on stage." - Globe and Mail
".....name probably doesn't ring a bell with most Americans, but in Canada this singer and guitarist is a legend." - Anchorage Times
".....unquestionably the most public performer in Canada today, and the most loved." - Macleans
"Valdy is regarded as one of Canada's most distinctive and successful minstrels." - Humber Log
"One of the best evenings of entertainment Confederation Centre has ever seen....a man of formidable talents." Charlottetown Evening Patriot
"Valdy remains one of the country's purest and most credible storytellers." Toronto Star
"He's a master of country, folk, rock and blues, and the catch is that whatever the sound, people know that Valdy is sincere." Saskatoon Star Phoenix
"Valdy's show is a disarming and practical blend of respect for the audience and show business expertise." Edmonton Journal
"Valdy elicited a genuinely warm standing ovation, the real kind, where the applause continues long after the encore is assured." - Winnipeg Free Press
You can visit Valdy's website for more information at his official home page - www.valdy.com
Country John
Valdy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mostly working at the mill by the river bend
And other than his wife, a single dream is his only thrill.
(what's that dream?) gotta get away
Gotta see the land,gotta see the world
Gotta be a band man.
In the evening when the sun begins to fade,
When work is over and supper is too.
And country John he do his do.
Sho'nuff as I'm breathing, sho'nuff I am leaving
Too much I have taken, so much is forsaken.
Between the moonshine and the shining of the moon
And a sway back woman by his side.
John would soon find that the living of his tunes
From way back was too hard to divide.
Leavin' in the morning, leavin' you got your warning
Too much I have taken,so much is forsaken.
Still he's dreaming gotta get away
Gotta see the land,gotta see the world
Gotta be a band man.
The lyrics to Valdy's song Country John tell the story of a man named John who lives a mundane life working at a mill by the riverbend with his wife. However, John harbors a secret dream of being a musician and seeing the world. In the evenings, he pulls out his guitar and plays his heart out. John dreams of leaving his ordinary life behind and becoming a successful musician on the road. He finds himself torn between the commitments of his everyday life and his deep-seated desire to pursue his passion for music.
The song explores themes of escapism and sacrifice as John grapples with leaving his life behind in pursuit of his dreams. He knows that if he wants to make his dream a reality, he must leave everything behind and dedicate himself to his music fully. The repetition of "Gotta get away. Gotta see the land, gotta see the world, gotta be a band man" reinforces his burning desire to escape and highlights the sacrifices he would have to make to achieve his goal.
Overall, the song Country John is a poignant reflection on the tension between chasing one's dreams and the sacrifices that come with it. Valdy captures the essence of John's struggle beautifully, leaving us with a powerful message about the pursuit of passion and the consequences of following our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Country John he lives his life
This song is about a man named Country John who lives his life in a particular way.
Mostly working at the mill by the river bend
Country John spends most of his time working at a mill that is located next to a river bend.
And other than his wife, a single dream is his only thrill.
Country John has only one dream that gives him happiness, other than the love he shares with his wife.
(what's that dream?) gotta get away
Country John's dream is to leave his current life and explore the world beyond his hometown.
Gotta see the land,gotta see the world
Country John wants to see the different landscapes and cultures that the world has to offer.
Gotta be a band man.
Country John wants to become a musician by joining a band.
In the evening when the sun begins to fade,
During the evening, as the sun sets, Country John's workday comes to an end.
When work is over and supper is too.
After finishing work and having dinner, Country John has free time.
A shabby guitar case comes out from underneath the bed,
Country John takes out his old and worn out guitar from under his bed.
And country John he do his do.
He starts playing music and immersing himself in his passion.
Sho'nuff as I'm breathing, sho'nuff I am leaving
Country John is determined to leave, as sure as he is that he is breathing.
Too much I have taken, so much is forsaken.
Country John feels that he has done enough in his hometown and needs to move on, even though he will have to leave behind many things.
Between the moonshine and the shining of the moon
Country John is caught between the allure of the moonshine, which is a type of alcohol, and the beautiful moon itself.
And a sway back woman by his side.
Country John has a woman beside him, but she is not attractive and has a bent back.
John would soon find that the living of his tunes
Country John realizes that his dream of becoming a musician is easier said than done.
From way back was too hard to divide.
He finds it hard to separate himself from his previous life and fully commit to his music.
Leavin' in the morning, leavin' you got your warning
Country John informs everyone that he is leaving in the morning and that they had been warned about it.
Still he's dreaming gotta get away
Despite the challenges he faces, Country John still holds onto his dream of leaving and finding his place in the world.
Gotta see the land,gotta see the world
Country John's desire to explore and discover new cultures remains strong.
Gotta be a band man.
Country John's dream of becoming part of a band and pursuing his passion for music continues to motivate him.
Writer(s): ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bryan Hann
To the song's narrator:
So your trailer lost it's load of rocks. You're telling me that there no cleanup crew came to retrieve them, or that they left rocks unaccounted for?
And if not, why do the dairy cattle have ongoing issues?
(Ditto with the fish, though retrieval from water is a little more difficult.)