Two things - first that Thompson's lyrics re-work a story that crops up on other folk somgs (listern for example to "Molly Bond" by the Oyster Band amd the tune is again an arrangement of the traditional Willie O'Winsbury.
Secondly, I've always understood that it was written by Thompson as a reaction to the motorway crash that hospitalised most of the band and killed both their drummer (Martin Lamble) and his then-girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn (who was also commenorated by Jace Bruce in 'Songs for a Tailor')/
Two things - first that Thompson's lyrics re-work a story that crops up on other folk somgs (listern for example to "Molly Bond" by the Oyster Band amd the tune is again an arrangement of the traditional Willie O'Winsbury.
Secondly, I've always understood that it was written by Thompson as a reaction to the motorway crash that hospitalised most of the band and killed both their drummer (Martin Lamble) and his then-girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn (who was also commenorated by Jace Bruce in 'Songs for a Tailor')/