The Oakham Poacher, by Sam Carter

The Oakham Poacher

by Sam Carter

supported by

paulclerkin Just received my cd lovely piece of work

mrchuckhall Really love this album and especially this song. I can just hear Martin Simpson playing this, but I’m not sure he’d improve it. Brilliant work, both lyrically instrumentally. Favorite track: Tubal Cain.

more...

	/

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of The Oakham Poacher via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Download available in 24-bit/96kHz.

ships out within 5 days

Purchasable with gift card

£6 GBP or more
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

Download available in 24-bit/96kHz.

£5 GBP or more
Full Digital Discography

11

releases

Get all 11 Sam Carter releases available on Bandcamp and save 15%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Sam Carter Sings Nic Jones: Live at Celtic Connections, The Oakham Poacher, Silver Horizon, Home Waters Live, Home Waters, How The City Sings, Live At The Union Chapel, The No Testament, and 3 more. , and , .

Purchasable with gift card

£67.58 GBP or more (15% OFF)

1.	Now Is The Cool Of The Day 03:14	lyrics	buy track
My Lord, He said unto me "Do you like my garden so fair? You may live in this garden if you keep the grasses green And I'll return in the cool of the day" Now is the cool of the day Now is the cool of the day Oh, this earth is a garden The garden of my Lord And He walks in His garden In the cool of the day Then my Lord, He said unto me "Do you like my garden so pure? You may live in this garden if you keep the waters clean And I'll return in the cool of the day" Then my Lord, He said unto me "Do you like my pastures of green? You may live in this garden if you will feed my lambs And I'll return in the cool of the day" [Chorus] Then my Lord, He said unto me "Do you like my garden so free? You may live in this garden if you keep the people free And I'll return in the cool of the day" [Chorus]
2.	The Oakham Poachers 04:03	lyrics	buy track
On the ninth of January Against our laws contrary, Three brothers quite unwary A-poaching went, we hear. Through Oakham Woods they rambled, Through briars and through brambles, And they fired at pheasants random, Which brought the keepers near. The keepers did not enter, Nor dared those woods to venture. Outside and near the centre, In ambush they did lie. As the poachers home were making, Nine pheasants they were taking. RIght then the keepers faced them, And they swore that they should die. These brothers being brave-hearted They boldly kept on firing, Til one of them got the fateful blow And they saw they were overthrown The keeper lay there crying, Like one who was a-dying With no assistance nigh him, His blood in streams did flow. Taken they were with speed For this human deed And there was no reprieve All in the court next day For the judge and jury tried them And mercy was denied them And the sentence it consigned them To meet their dreadful fate Their names I now will mention, John, Robert and George Perkins Three brothers tried for poaching And cut off in their prime Young Robert died in irons; While George he was transported And John was hung at Oakham May God forgive their crime.
3.	Tubal Cain 04:15	lyrics	buy track
Tubal Cain was a man of might In the days when earth was young By the fierce red light of his furnace bright The strokes of his hammer rang And he lifted high his brawny hand On the iron glowing clear Till the sparks rushed out in scarlet rout As he forged the sword and spear And he sang hurrah for my handiwork Hurrah for the shield and sword Hurrah for the hand that shall wield them well For he shall be king and lord So many came to Tubal Cain As he wrought by his roaring fire As each one prayed for a strong steel blade As the crown of his desire And he made them weapons sharp and strong ‘Til they shouted loud for glee And gave him gifts of pearls and gold And spoils of the forest free And they sang hurrah for Tubal Cain Who hath given us strength anew Hurrah for the smith, the forge and fire Hurrah for the metal true But a sudden change came o’er his head Ere the setting of the sun And Tubal Cain was filled with pain For the evil he had done He saw that men with rage and heat Made war upon their kind And the land was red with blood they shed In their rage for carnage blind And he cried Alas! That ever I made Or that skill of mine should plan The spear and sword for the man whose joy Is to slay his fellow man And for many a day old Tubal Cain Sat brooding o’er his woe And his hand forebore to smite the ore And his furnace smouldered low But he rose at last with a cheerful face And a brave courageous eye And bared his strong right arm for work While the quick flames mounted high And he cried hurrah for my handiwork While the red flames lit the air Not alone for the blade was the bright steel made And he forged the first ploughshare And men, taught wisdom from the past In friendship joined their hands Hung the sword in the hall, the spear on the wall, And ploughed the willing land And sang hurrah for Tubal Cain A staunch old friend is he And for the ploughshare and the plough To him our praise shall be For Tubal Cain laid down the blade And turned from tools of war So we shall mind what we have made And what we’re forging for
4.	Long Time Travelling 03:14	lyrics	buy track
Ye fleeting charms of earth farewell Your springs of joy are dry; My soul now seeks another home. A brighter world on high. I’m a long time trav’ling here below I’m a long time trav’ling away from home, I’m a long time trav’ling here below, To lay this body down. Farewell my friends, whose tender care Has long engaged my love; Your fond embrace I now exchange For better friends above.
5.	The Light Guitar 02:46	lyrics	buy track
Come leave the glad and festive scene The halls of dazzling light And walk with me through forests green Beneath the silent night Then as we watch the lingering rays That shine from every star I’ll sing a song of brighter days And strike the light guitar The water o’er the lake looks clear For there, the moonbeams play My little boat is waiting there To bear us far away I’ll tell you tales of older years Of hapless love and war But should they make you shed a tear I’ll strike the light guitar Oh gentle song shall be our guide To far and distant lands And whether bliss or woe betide This heart you shall command And when the evening shades appear We’ll roam beneath her star And I’ll sing the songs you love to hear I’ll strike the light guitar

about

The Oakham Poacher is Sam’s first solo collection of songs from the folk canon, some captured on record for the very first time. The title track is Sam’s version of The Oakham Poachers, one of the few traditional songs collected in Sam’s home county of Rutland. The latest single Tubal Cain featured on the BBC Radio 2 Folk show, and was described by Fatea magazine as ‘close to the perfect version of a traditional song’. The EP highlights Carter’s distinctive fingerstyle guitar and storytelling flair, arriving soon after his acclaimed album Silver Horizon (2024), a Top 40 Folk Chart success and one of KLOF Mag’s Albums of the Year.

credits

released December 5, 2025

Sam Carter – Guitar, Vocals

Track 1 – Jean Ritchie; arr. Sam Carter
Tracks 2 and 5 – Trad.; arr. Sam Carter
Track 3 – Lyrics: Charles Mackay (1814–1889), adapted by Sam Carter; music: Sam Carter
Track 4 – Melody: Edmund Dumas, 1856 (The Sacred Harp, 1870);
words attributed to “Farwell” (New Selection, 1806); arr. Sam Carter

Recorded March–September 2025
All tracks except Track 3 recorded at The Laundry Rooms, Sheffield
Recorded and mixed by Simon Dumpleton
Track 3 recorded at Balcony Recording Company, Sheffield
Recorded and mixed by Chris Wilkinson
Mastered by Sam Proctor at Lismore Mastering

Photography by Kate Griffin
Sleeve design by JMG Studio

license

subtotal
taxes calculated at checkout

about

Sam Carter Sheffield, UK

‘Sam Carter is a brilliant guitarist and songwriter who combines the observational with social comment and personal reflection’ Songlines

2010 BBC Folk Awards Horizon Award Winner

Recommendations

shows

Aug 21

Sotterley Estate

Sotterley, UK
Aug 28

West Midlands Showground

Shrewsbury, UK
Sep 16

Cecil Sharp House

London, UK
Sep 17

The Spring

Havant, UK
Sep 18

Durham Folk Festival

Durham, UK
Sep 18

The Stables, Wavendon

Milton Keynes, UK
Sep 20

The Greystones

Sheffield, UK
Sep 24

Exeter Phoenix

Exeter, UK
Sep 25

Pound Arts Centre

Corsham, UK
Sep 26

Wolverhampton Arts Centre

Wolverhampton, UK
Sep 27

The Crescent

York, UK
Oct 1

Norwich Arts Centre

Norwich, UK
Oct 4

Cambridge Junction

Cambridge, UK
Oct 8

Waterside Arts Centre

Sale, UK
Oct 9

Derby Folk Festival

Derby, UK
Oct 9

St Mary's Creative Space

Chester, UK
Oct 11

The International

Leicester, UK
Nov 15

The Poppy and Pint

Nottingham, UK

contact / help

Contact Sam Carter

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Sam Carter recommends:

Salvor
by False Lights

My folk-rock adventures with Jim Moray Sam Carter
go to album

If you like Sam Carter, you may also like:

Beflean : An Alternative History 2002-2023
by Jim Moray

supported by 37 fans who also own “The Oakham Poacher”

Good example of why I like your music. Never frightened to adapt a traditional piece and to breathe new life into it, without taking away from the essence of the original. Inventive to the point of sheer brilliance! Long may it continue! renteddrumkit
go to album
Gil Brenton
by The Magpie Arc

supported by 30 fans who also own “The Oakham Poacher”

The album is bookended by its two strongest songs, but everything in between is solid as well. Gil Brenton is a fantastic marriage of British folk and rock music. Full review here: https://theeliteextremophile.com/2026/05/25/album-review-the-magpie-arc-gil-brenton/ TheEliteExtremophile
go to album
EP2
by The Magpie Arc

supported by 30 fans who also own “The Oakham Poacher”

Darling Charms - Would've thought NK would have learned her lesson after the Port 'n' Brandy 😘 xx This whole EP is bangin' btw. Beautiful work xx Gill Loomes-Quinn
go to album
These Frightening Machines
by Katherine Priddy

featured on Bandcamp Radio Apr 6, 2026
go to album
Postcards From the Country
by Trae Sheehan

West Virginia country-folk singer-songwriter Trae Sheehan aims to find a balance between the traditional and the modern on his new LP. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 29, 2020
go to album

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

£6 GBP or more

Streaming + Download

£5 GBP or more

Full Digital Discography

£67.58 GBP or more (15% OFF)

about

credits

license

Shopping cart