The Music of the Sea

The music of the sea can be gentle and peaceful but at other times loud and angry. 

The Great Storm of 1839

A fictitious tale about a carpenter boy but the jist of the story is true.  Yes there was a great storm in 1839 which killed hundreds of people a lot of them being passengers and sailors which got caught in the storm in Liverpool Bay.  The Great Storm swept across Ireland and then onto the West coast of England mainly Liverpool, Southport and Manchester demolishing trees, roofs etc., and causing widespread panic along the way. The name of the ship The Brighton is true and it did break up on the Burbo sand bank.  The Magazine lifeboat had two attempts until it finally rescued the remaining passengers.  14 of the crew did attempt to try and get help but were drowned.  Written in July 2003 and only home recorded at the mo.

Northern Ireland

Written in the early 1970's as a protest song and one I occasionally sang in folk clubs.

Sean Mc Coll

Written in Agust 2002 I'd had the tune for ages before a story line came.  Recorded on my first album and one I like singing a lot.

I Wish I Was a Ballroom Dancer

Written for my mother in July/August 2003 who was a brilliant ballroom dancer besides other wonderful things she did.  She missed her opportunity in life to be a dancer because it just wasn't the done thing in her time.  The week before she passed away she said " I wish I'd been a ballroom dancer".  So this ones for her.

Sing Me a Sad Song

It's a sad song!  Written in October 2003.

Hebden Bridge Love Song

Written in April 2003 and no it's not how I met Maggie.  Sorry to disappoint you romantics out there but it's just a fictitious story although the locations are true.  At the Hebden Bridge Picture House you can take hot drinks and cakes with you to your seats.  Our usual is hot chocalate. Just across thr road is Crown Street where the fish and chip shop is.  Originally, I had a guitar tune for this song but dropped it and then I tried singing it unaccompanied but then I went back to the guitar and added another bit to it and the end result with guitar was definately the better option.  A popular song whenever it's played.

Song for Rachael

This was for Maggie's daughter Rachael on her 21st birthday.  A brief look at her childhood days.

I Only Ever Saw You in my Dreams

Written in August 2003 from a deep down spooky weird feeling that I had seen Mags 30+ years ago in a pub car park in the Lakes.  When we talked we had both been to the same places in our younger days but never actually met but our paths had definately run alongside each other until finally they crossed.

Follow the Full Beam Home

This just came to me when I was driving home one night up and down the dark lanes.  Quite logical when you think about it because you do follow the full beam home when it's dark.  Started sometime in 2006 and finished it in JUne 2007

It's Crazy

Dunno where this came from but it's one of my current favourites probably because I managed to learn the words! I began writing it in the Summer of 2006 and finished it eventually to my satisfaction in February 2007.  I've yet to try audience participation when I sing this one.

The Maypole

Inspired by a phrase from Maggie's brother Keith which was "we danced around you since the day you were born". Started writing it in April 2007and finished it in June 2007.  I've tried my best to learn this one for over 12 months and the dam thing won't stick in my head!

The Old Buckskin Suitcase

I was helping a friend move house and she came across her father's old suitcase which had travelled with him from Ireland and they used to call it the buckskin suitcase.  A definate prompt for a song which was finished in the following week.  Written in May 2008.

The Big Fella

The big fella is in memory of Dave Harney who became a regular at the Pineberry session, Queensberry.  The original poem was written by W. Bulloch who had the Wild Rover tune in his head when he wrote it.  However, I was asked by Dave's partner Pam to put a tune to the poem and I did that in October 2004.  A lively and enjoyable song but not yet recorded.

Your Blue Eyes

This is definitely a country music song.  Started it in the winter of 2004 and finished it Sept 2005. Inspired by Maggies blue eyes smiling at me across a stainless steel silver table in a cafe at Bury market of all places! Not yet recorded.

Seasons

Walking the dogs up the track one fine evening I came up with the line 'walking up the old road' and the song evolved from there. A sad song of a lost lover/soulmate.   Written in October 2005. Not yet recorded.

Ancient By-Ways

Written in 2002 the song's lyrics are based on a poem by Ray Jack called 'The Pennine Way' which he wrote in 1976.   Ray loved the countryside and walked the paths and by-ways like most of us like to do and he was acutely aware of mans encroachment and erosion of the countryside even in the 70's.   Tragically Ray died in 1992 aged 44 and though I never got to meet him I knew we would have liked each other.   I was asked by Maggie if I could write a song based on Ray's poem and not long after Ancient By-Ways was born.   It's dedicated to Ray's memory and Ray's late dad Roy for I believe they both would have liked it as much as I do.

Bound Away

This was written in 1996 in about 10 minutes which is a personal best in time.   Some songs take months to complete!   It's turned out to be a favourite of mine and friends alike at sessions and gigs.

Call to Arms

Throughout history there seems to have been a call to conflicts and wars leaving wives and sweethearts behind.   There is an abundance of folk songs with a similar story line.   The tune was rattling round in my head for several months before the words came in 2002.

God's Own Country

The title comes from something Maggie said which describes the area where we live.   A love song originally written for 'mother nature' or a love song for anything you want it to be.   Written in 2002 and became my song of the month!

John & Henry Davis

A story about two actual brothers who were lead miners originally from Derbshire who moved to work the lead seams at Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales. John had a deep bass singing voice and Henry had the tenor.   They are buried in a churchyard near Grassington with a wonderful epitaph that if they were alive today they would rank amongst the most famous singers of the day.   The song was recorded a few years ago and even though well liked by friends at sessions   it was not included on my first two CD's but will be when I get round to producing   the third.

When the Long Grass Grows(Maggie's Song)

Written in the summer 2001 not long after meeting Maggie and my first love song to her.   The long grass is a name we gave to an area where we used to walk with the dogs.   In the summer the grass grows lovely and long and sways in the summer breezes.

Murphy's Dance

A fantasy tale about two imaginary irish dancers who dance together and are so good they fall in love and never stop dancing.   They dance away into the distance and are never seen again.   With the wonders of modern technology in the recording studio I play the bohran, two guitars and the banjo all at once! Written in 2002 it will definitely be included on my third CD.

Wind of Change

Written in 1992,   I thought of friends from long ago who we used to drink and sing together and how nothing stays the same.   As we age we look back at our youth and think of things we were going to do and of past friends that are no longer with us.