A song written by ‘Uncle' Gus Gomersal, a good friend of the family. This song recalls the Legend of the Bells from Whitby Abbey, which were removed by King Henry VIII’s men in the dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. The Bells were taken down the cliff via the wooden steps that became the 199 steps, and loaded onto a ship bound for London. Soon after the ship set sail there was a freak storm and the ship and bells sank. The Legend has it that you can hear the bells at Black Nab, off Saltwick Bay, Whitby, on All Hallows Eve.
2 - Grateful for the Rain - 4:41
Written by Dave Wilson of folk duo Winter Wilson. Dave heard the story of our great aunt, Mae Grayston, who emigrated to Canada in 1921 to marry a Canadian Soldier, Bill Grayston, whom she had started writing to in the aftermath of ‘The Great 1914-18 War’. Mae agreed to be married before she had met Bill in person, so it was fortuitous that they had a long and happy union. They settled in Dawson Creek at the start of the Alaska Highway in British Columbia, where we still have family. Mae emigrated on The SS Metagama.
3 - Housewife’s Lament - 4:45
Written by Vera Johnson, Canadian singer and protest songwriter and friend of our Dad and Mum, Bill and Wendy, in the 60’s and 70’s. The singer laments that tradesmen are not what they were and no longer go ‘the extra mile’. A smutty song that Sadie learned at the knee of our Mum.
4 - Young Simon John - 5:16
A song written by Tommy Daniels who is known for writing 'Poverty Knocks'. Tommy lived and farmed in Batley and would attend the folk club run by our parents, Bill and Wendy, until his death in 1970. A comic love song about a young farmer with poor personal hygiene.
5 - Running Fox - 3:19
The Wilsons suggested that we learn this song from their repertoire. A song written by Teesside songwriter Graeme Miles and set just up the road from Whitby. A happy story of an un-successful fox hunt when the Fox lives to tell the tale and the hunters retire to the pub. Win/Win
6 - Barley Queen - 3:46
Another song from ‘Uncle’ Gus Gomersal. Gus wrote this song for the Barley Queen competition that took place as part of Morley Folk Festival in 1973, and we suspect he may have just watched the Wicker Man film. A gruesome sacrifice is at the heart of the story, which is essentially about fertility and the extent we will go to to get good barley crops (an essential ingredient in beer!).
7 - When I First Came to this Land - 4:29
A Children’s song of immigration that our parents picked up whilst running the Pedlar’s Pack folk club in Toronto in the mid 1960’s. Attributed to Oscar Brand.
8 - While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping - 3:01
Ruth learned this song at the time of the family dog’s (a tan and white lurcher) demise. From the singing of ‘Skipper’ Bob Roberts this song is a well known story of poacher vs gamekeeper.
9 - Jenny Storm - 3:06
From the singing of Lal and Norma Waterson and from F.W. Moorman’s book 'Songs of the Ridings'. Set on the North Yorkshire coast near Whitby, the song features Boggle Hole as the place to find a lover’s washed up body, which pushed poor Jenny Storm over the edge of sanity.
10 - Blackmore Vale Hunt Song - 2:23
Given to us by Bob Auty (ex Holme Valley Hunt) in the back of the Star pub in Whitby in 2012 ish. Bob started passing hunt songs to the family in 1972 with ‘Master Smith’, recorded by Bill in 1973. This is unusual for us as it is a song that has no Yorkshire connection.
11 - Country Death Song - 4:20
We think this song should come with a parental advisory notice due to the violence contained in it. Written by Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes in 1988 in the style of a murder ballad. The singer seems to go mad and murders one of his children, and this in turn sends him completely around the bend and he hangs himself. Ruth’s son, William plays the cajon throughout.
12 - The Weavers - 3:31
From the singing of our Dad, Bill Price. Bill says on the sleeve notes of his 1973 album A Fine Old Yorkshire Gentleman, ‘Weaving is still an important industry in the Spen Valley, as it was 100 years ago when the song was collected and published by Abraham Holroyd in his ‘Yorkshire Ballads’ (1892). Fragments and variants are still to be heard around Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike.’
13 - Mingulay Boat Song - 4:00
Written by Sir Hugh S. Robertson (1874-1952) in the 1930’s. A beautiful song about heading homeward to loved ones. We recently recorded this with She Shanties and remain undecided as to whether we prefer it with the harp or with a rousing 11 - woman chorus.
14 - Down in the Diving Bell - 2:19
A suggestion by our friend and fellow She Shanty- Cath Tyler, this is a music hall song first published in 1869 and written by George Leybourne and Alfred Lee. Widely sung in the music halls of the 1870’s, it’s (unusually) about the happy union of a sailor with a mermaid.
CD - Mermaids Welcome - 53:02
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