Tuesday 13 July 2010

From clifftop to song



'Auchmithie Road' is a poem I wrote for a friend a few years back. We lived in the clifftop village of Auchmithie from 2002-2004 and it really is a beautiful, striking place - the kind of home you really want to get back to. The poem is on one of my postcards (see above). Recently Montrose musician Gary Anderson has put this poem to music...and I LOVE it. Very cleverly he used the opening three lines as a chorus - not something I would have thought of in a million years - and it really works. This is the second piece of mine he has songified this year (just back here I told you about the other one) and they are both great, I'm so pleased! Anyway, to hear the new one go to Gary's MySpace profile (here) and go to the last song on the player ('Auchmithie Road'). Of course you can listen to his other songs while you are there.

x

20 comments:

A Cuban In London said...

The poem is beautiful and I'm sure Gary's done it justice. 'Songified'? :-) Dear, oh, dear, it's hard for us non-English speakers to keep up with you lot. :-) That's another one for the glossary. Have a great week.

Greetings from London.

Rachel Fox said...

Sorry, Cuban...poetic licence (i.e. making stuff up...).
x

Unknown said...

How exciting the music compliments your poetry very well.

Jim Murdoch said...

The chorus is quite catchy. I can just see an audience chanting along with it. Love the way it just stops 'on the edge' at the end.

Rachel Fox said...

Absolutely, Jim, it's a really catchy chorus. I love it!

Thanks Gwei.

x

The Solitary Walker said...

Beautiful, Rachel

Crafty Green Poet said...

Excellent, i enjoyed the poem and will have to enjoy its songification later. I love the collaboration between musician and poet

Kat Mortensen said...

How wonderful to realize your work in music. I'm off to listen now.

Kat Mortensen said...

It's lovely and mellow and you can sway to it. Nice.

Eryl said...

I felt myself swaying at a beer festival as I listened, there were banners and everything!

Totalfeckineejit said...

Fine poem, Id love to have some of my words songified.Mucho jealous!

hope said...

I sat here grinning at my framed copy of said poem, complete with it's little pebble friends, while I hummed the chorus. Nicely done!

Dianne said...

I can't wait to read your book

Rachel Fox said...

Glad you're all enjoying the song.

Dianne...why can't wait? Do you have a copy? Want a copy?
Eh?

x

Hugh McMillan said...

brilliant, Rachel. That's really great.

Rachel Fox said...

The ones he's done for my poems are very different to the ones he's done for some of Raymond Vettese's - there's a real range on the myspace player.
x

joanne fox said...

I love your postcards Rachel! I think I will order a set or two for something I am doing at the local writers' group. Your cards would make a nice prize in a mini-competition.

Marion McCready said...

That's brilliant!! Nice guitar work too!

Rachel Fox said...

Joanne - I'm away just now so when you do order I'll send them when I get back (about a week's time).

Marion - yes, it's great isn't it?

x

joanne fox said...

Thanks Rachel. I'll order over the weekend, but there's no rush - I'm just planning ahead for the autumn!