> The Watersons > Songs > Mike Waterson: Bright Phoebus

Bright Phoebus

[Mike Waterson]

Sung by Mike, Lal and Norma Waterson, Tim Hart, Maddy Prior, and Martin Carthy on Lal & Mike Waterson's album Bright Phoebus. They were accompanied by Mike Waterson and Martin Carthy, acoustic guitars, Richard Thompson, lead guitar, Ashley Hutchings, bass guitar, and Dave Mattacks, drums. This track was reissued in 2002 on CD 2 of the Topic 4CD compilation The Acoustic Folk Box. Blue Murder (Mike & Norma Waterson, Eliza & Martin Carthy, and Coope Boyes & Simpson) recorded it again for the tribute album Shining Bright - The Songs of Lal & Mike Waterson. An alternate recording from the same recording session was published in 2004 on the Watersons' 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song.

This is the Waterson Family singing Bright Phoebus on Friday, October 2, 2009 at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall:

Cover Versions

John Pashley's Phoenix New Orleans Parade Band (John Brunton, tenor saxophone; Eugene Farrar, trombone; Philip Kampen, sousaphone; Howard Maude, bass drum; John Pashley, trumpet; Dave Stanley, snare drum) on the tribute album Shining Bright - The Songs of Lal & Mike Waterson

Lyrics

Today bright Phoebus she smiled down on me for the very first time;
For the very first time she smiled on me.
Today bright Phoebus she smiled down on me for the very first time;
For the very first time she smiled on me.

No more clouds, no more rain, gone the clouds, she smiled again.
Today bright Phoebus she smiled down on me for the very first time;
For the very first time she smiled on me.

This morning cockerel crowed and he woke me for the very first time;
For the very first time he crowed for me.
He flapped his wings and he strut around for me for the very first time;
For the very first time he crowed for me.

No more clouds, no more rain, gone the clouds, she smiled again.
Today bright Phoebus she smiled down on me for the very first time;
For the very first time and she smiled and she smiled and she smiled on me.