Just As The Tide Was A-Flowing
10,000 Maniacs · The Wishing Chair [1985]
in the month of May
when all the birds
were singing
I saw a lovely maiden stray
across the fields at break of day
she softly sung her roundelay
the tide flows in
the tide flows out
twice every day returning
her cheeks were red
her eyes were brown
her hair in ringlets hanging down
upon her face to hide the frown
just as the tide was a flowing
the tide flows in
the tide flows out
twice everyday returning
a sailor's wife at home must bide
she halted heavily she sighed
"he parted from poor me , a bride
I'm widowed by the sea" she cried
just as the tide was a flowing
the tide flows in
the tide flows out
twice every day returning
Just As The Tide Was A-Flowing
10,000 Maniacs recorded this traditional folk arrangement for their 1985 album, The Wishing Chair. The track showcases the band's early affinity for acoustic textures and narrative storytelling, hallmarks that would define their subsequent rise in the alternative rock scene. Nancie Wilson's distinctive vocal delivery anchors the song, transforming a centuries-old ballad into a poignant song within the group's growing discography. This recording captures the ensemble during a formative period, blending folk traditions with the emerging indie sensibilities that characterized their work in the mid-1980s. The song remains a testament to the band's ability to reinterpret classic material while maintaining their unique sonic identity.