Aldbury Morris Men - Both Sides of the Shoreline

Both Sides of the Shoreline

AMM dancer Chris Sissons is an accomplished singer, and he has recorded this disc of folk songs, price £10 including p&p in the UK or $18 in the USA- order from Chris Sissons.

Liner Notes

As you walk towards the quiet country pub, you become aware of unusual sounds drifting into the night air. Could there be an international football match on tonight? Pushing open the door you walk into a wall of noise radiating from a small group of individuals tucked in the darkest corner.

It has been your good fortune (!) to stumble on a folk music session, with voices raised in song, and musicians battling for dominance on a variety of instruments.

Since discovering - and becoming smitten by - folk music in 1971, I have been able to participate in many such evenings. However, my daughters are a bit young for the pub experience, and - not wanting them to miss out - I decided to put together for them, and for anyone else who wasn't there on the night (or who was, and wants a souvenir), a selection of songs which might be heard on such occasions.

This CD contains songs from a number of countries, both traditional and contemporary, from land and sea, of different styles and character, accompanied and unaccompanied.

I hope there's something here for everyone - enjoy!

Chris

Full Track Details

Rise Up, Jock (Bob Pegg)

Two strangers meet in a wood, have a fight, kill each other, come back to life and throw a party. Just another ordinary day! The song illustrates the circle of life, death and rebirth through the seasons of the year, as presented visually in a traditional mummers' play. And it's got a great chorus!

Napoleon Bonaparte (Traditional)

The Napoleonic era produced a wealth of fine songs, some of them even being about the great man himself! This one comes from Ireland. The chorus is a challenge, as you only get three chances at it, but it's worth the effort.

Andy's Gone With Cattle (Henry Lawson)

The first Australian song on this recording, and one which has been a favourite of mine for a number of years. Everyone knows of people whose presence or absence has particular impact. Andy is one of those, so I thought I'd better include him. From the singing of Gerry Hallom.

The Dawn or a Brand New Day (Ian Bruce/Gavin Stevenson)

A true story, this song tells of one man's recovery from drug dependency, through a realisation of all that the real world has to offer. Ian is one of the great singer/songwriters on the folk circuit, and he rashly gave me permission to reproduce this song. Ian, I hope you're not too offended by my rendition!

A Bushman's Song (Banjo Patterson)

Back to Australia with a wonderful statement of the independent spirit! A snapshot of the life of an Australian bush worker towards the end of the 19th Century, with examples of the various skills to which he could turn his hand. Another one from Gerry Hallom's repertoire.

Old King Coal (John Kirkpatrick)

Well known for his mastery of the squeeze box family (accordion, melodeon and concertina) John Kirkpatrick is also a talented songwriter, as demonstrated by this track. Coal is personalised in a number of traditional songs as a malevolent and death- dealing Character. Unusually, this song portrays coal as a benevolent ruler destroyed by the greedy. Like John Barleycorn, Old King Coal has some surprises left at the end!

Babylon (Traditional)

Not an obscure song from the Middle East, but one of the Child Ballads, which takes in country walks, banditry and mistaken identity. In the best ballad style, only one of the characters is still standing at the end, murder and suicide having done for the rest. Be warned - picking flowers can be dangerous.

Bush Lullaby (Louis Essen)/Flash Jack from Gundagai (Traditional)

Our last visit to Australia consists of two songs linked by a common theme in the choruses, but which are radically different in every other respect. I copied Martin Wyndham-Reed, from whose singing I learnt these, in running them songs together, but I reversed the sequence.

The Grey Funnel Line (Cyril Tawney)

So sailors always love the sea - or maybe not. This was written by ex-submariner, Cyril Tawney, and expresses at least one sailor's longing to be back on shore.

The Bantry Girls' Lament (Traditional}

Another fine song from Ireland (obviously!). Probably again from Napoleonic times, in which case the King of Spain is likely to refer to Napoleon Bonaparte's brother, Joseph, who was declared King of Spain in 1808. Given the high casualty rates during the Peninsular War, more from disease than battle, the odds on Johnny's safe return would not have been good. From the singing of Sean Cannon.

Quare Bungle Rye (Traditional)

Bargains and special offers aren't always what they seem. A cautionary tale. And next time you meet someone with an unusual name - well, where did it come from?

Napoleon's Lamentation (Traditional)

The great man again! Twenty years of Napoleonic history wrapped up in three short verses means you get action in every line, and it misses out the boring bits!

Fiddler's Hill (Peter Bellamy)

Peter was, without doubt, the greatest influence on my development as a folk singer, and his untimely death was a huge loss to the world of folk music. He had a seemingly bottomless repertoire, making use of both traditional and contemporary songs, and also wrote a number of fine songs this being a particular favourite of mine. Turn down the lights, and feel the shivers run down your spine!

Rambling Sailor (Traditional)/Chicken on a Raft (Cyril Tawney)/Leave her, Johnny, Leave her (Traditional)

So far I've managed to keep Rod and Tim in the background, this is the opportunity they've been waiting for. Rod starts the set with Rambling Sailor, one of the 'Ratcliffe Highway' family of songs with a consistent story line - sailor meets girl; sailor beds girl; sailor wishes he hadn't! Tim then leads the singing of Cyril Tawney's Chicken on a Raft, it is left to me to wrap up the set, with the shanty Leave her, Johnny, Leave her, usually reserved for the completion of a voyage, purists among you will notice that I've combined verses from both the capstan and pumping version, but I believe shanty men would have sung whatever came to mind.