It seems to be turning into another of those juke box weeks on this blog... but I think it's a good sign... for a while there I could hardly listen to music (and that was weird). Here's a song from a 2007 album ('Awkward Annie') from one of the best known (living) English folk singers - Kate Rusby:
Yorkshire singer Kate Rusby is so well-known and popular that I imagine in some folk circles admitting you like her music is a bit like saying you like ABBA to a hardened indie kid or something (I don't know this, I should point out, I just imagine it might be the case). Luckily I'm still a fairly new folk fan (had never listened to the stuff before 2004) and so I don't have any strong allegiances and can just like whatever takes my fancy. I do like her voice but what I like most of all are her own compositions (and the song above is one of hers) – she's not known for it particularly but I think she's a really good songwriter.
Back in 2005 'our Kate' (as she's sometimes known on Radio 2) released an album called 'The Girl who Couldn't Fly' – so titled, she said, because of a fear of flying. I've had my own issues with aeroplanes too so I wrote what I used to call then a song-without-a-tune. It went a little something like this:
Not flying today
Too high too quick
It just feels wrong
Too fast too slick
Catapulted along
We’re packed so tight
And sharing no air
But everyone flies don’t they?
To everywhere
Chorus
Oh, great, do you see
It’s not just me
Have you heard the new album
By Kate Rusby?
Trapped and belted
I can’t feel me
Where have I gone to
Where can I be?
Am I stashed in the locker
Or under the seat
Am I in with the sickbags
All folded and neat?
Chorus
I quiver and sweat
And you don’t know why
You think I’m strange
Being scared to fly
But look at the ground there
That’s where I’d be
Give me the bus back
A boat on the sea
Chorus
Yes, keep all your jets
And your pre-packed meals
I have my own wings
I have my own wheels
I’ll fly without airlines
I’ll give speed a miss
I’ll fly when I’ve landed
If I just survive this
Chorus to fade
RF 2006
I sent it to her even (well, to the record company)... but then I've sent a lot of mad letters to people (some with poems, some without).
Anyway, I'll be back at the weekend for a colourful poetry bus (yes, there is a prompt... it's here).
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11 comments:
She's performing near us soon - must go and see her again...
She's not long had a baby (so I heard on't radio). There's a child who'll hear some good lullabyes...cue this song...
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I had just typed a long comment and then the phone rang and it was Mum and John's got the move to Stoke Mandeville tomorrow and when I came back all my typing was gone!
Summary: folk not for me, love your poem/song and the chorus and last two lines are priceless.
Now off to ring extended family etc. Hurray!
It's a very big genre...contains all kinds of songs and artists. I can't believe you wouldn't like some of it!
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p.s.hope move goes well for your brother.
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Thanks for sharing that, huge fans of Kate here, a good friend bought me a Cd some years ago that we sing along to in the car all the time.
much love martine
I used to listen to her cds a lot...haven't done for a while... you know how these things go! Listened to some the other day though and really enjoyed it again.
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I love that you sent her your song!
I've sent all kinds of things to all kinds of people... it's a bit of an affliction.
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Well, I hope she gets it and responds, both as a fellow wordsmith and aerophobe!
Great clip. I've just ordered the album.
It was years ago that I sent it. I got a nice email - thanks for the great poem or something along those lines. I'm sure she gets a lot of fan mail (and poems!).
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