At the time of writing, the ‘Window for the World’ collection is a work in progress; a number of new tunes and songs have been recorded but are yet to be put onto CD. Nonetheless the last five years have been musically an exciting time. The songs have explored the history of and life within the Forest of Dean, whilst other songs have celebrated Gloucestershire culture. But perhaps most importantly my most recent music has reflected the harm that is happening to our world, one in which where our politicians are falling to heed calls to protect the environment and reduce the amount of plastic waste in our oceans. It seems so sad that thirty or so years on from the optimism that came with the demolition of the Berlin Wall, we have now entered a decade in which industrial greed, curtailment of civil freedoms and rights, oppression (both deliberate and subconscious) of black and ethnic minorities, and growth of population and pursuit of capital gain seem to be the primary goals of heads of state who increasingly employ the methods used by dictators and oligarchs.  Chinese Whispers echoes the way in which attempts to control the outbreak of coronavirus have been confused, misleading and knee-jerk responses to another danger which threatens us all. Happy Days!

The Clint Mann Collection  Volume 13: WINDOW FOR THE WORLD

This song combines a reflection of the consequences of warfare for the people of Afghanistan and Ukraine with the titles of 50 or so songs and albums which form the lyrics. You might like to listen and guess which ones you recognize but here below are the lyrics:

Refugees in transit on the road of bones
Searching for an exodus from a game of thrones.
Exile on a main street, exit just in sight
The fearless must endure a hard day’s night.

Living in a glass house on the eve of wars
Human desperado, clutching at straws.
Night spent in absentia, too late for the sky;
Days of future passed, ready to die.

Too late registration, doomsday afternoon,
Living in the past upon the dark side of the moon.
So here come the warm jets, brothers in arms
Ranks of Eden louder than the bombs

The power and the glory, the end of innocence,
There’s a riot going on, things stop making sense,
In a downward spiral, lost in search of space,
Rock bottom where the hand cannot erase.

MPs talk of queues and cures with images and words,
Hot rats, midnight vultures – evil nightbirds.
We’ll talk about it later – you can dig me out
Meddle in a foxtrot roundabout

In a misplaced childhood, many nursery crimes,
Car wheels on a gravel road, sign of the times,
False romantic warrior stirs a bitches brew;
Violator turns a baby blue.

Pawn hearts of betrayal, each a talking head,
Blind faith that all things must pass when the queen is dead.
Once progressive forces see their passion play:
On the road to nowhere, in a silent way.

Window for the World

Progressive Forces

This is a remixed version of Oceans of Plastic, a song I wrote a year or so ago about the dreadful way we are polluting our seas and endangering species. The original recording was made by Dave Stephens at Mitcheldean Festival and I have remixed it and dubbed some vocals and effects.

Oceans of Plastic

A song from 2019 to join in the clamour for action to combat climate change.

A song about coronavirusisolationsyndrome

Chinese Whispers

Clint Mann 2019

Pebble on a Beach

Tells the story of the 1872 tragedy at Dolomite Quarry on Plump Hill when four local men were killed by poison gas following the detonation of a charge, watched on the surrounding hillside by hundreds of onlookers.

Lyrics:
There lies a limestone quarry, not far from Mitcheldean
Where pampas grass and purple orchids grow.
But in the crags above, traces may be seen,
Tragic scars of many years ago.
At Quarry House, carved in stone, initials can be seen:
The name of Aaron Symonds set on high.
A quarryman who made a plan and told all Mitcheldean
He’d blast the limestone face into the sky.

Set the chamber charge and blast the quarry stone
Witness there a great explosion loud!
Dynamite and sulphur, four men overthrown,
Poisoned by the gas before a crowd

People came from miles around to see the great event
And sat upon the hillside far and near,
They waited long past six o’clock, impatient and intent
Until they saw a flag of red appear.
The chamber fuses then were lit and some men moved away,
And fifteen minutes later came a sound;
A mass of rock was lifted up, from side to side was split,
Limestone boulders crashing to the ground. 

CHORUS

A great Hurrah was shouted out from folk up on the hill,
Who to the quarry hastened then to go,
The quarryman who lit the fuse lay fallen down and still,
His body down among the fumes below.
Three men attempted rescue but were cut down by the gas
And in a lifeless state their bodies lay.
Remedies attempted on the four without avail,
Relatives and women cried away.

CHORUS

The jury at the inquest gave a verdict that the gas
Had caused the deaths of all four men the same.
The coroner Mister Carter after witnesses were called
Exonerated Symonds from the blame. 
John Griffiths, William Tomlin, Hiram Bayliss, Thomas Goode,
The heroes of the Dolomite we name;
Working men and rescuers who did the best they could,
Whose lives were lost so needlessly in vain.

Heroes of the Dolomite

Clint Mann is a singer/songwriter who lives in the Forest of Dean. His music is grounded in Prog rock but is also inspired by the history of the local area and contemporary issues affecting our environment. Original compositions are driven by vibrant guitar playing with varied chords and complex time changes. Think 'Genesis' meets 'Roy Harper' meets 'Big Big Train' and you'll get the idea. Hear Clint at events and festivals around Gloucestershire or at Mitcheldean Folk Club on the 2nd Thursday each month. 150+ original composition are available online at Soundcloud. 
For direct contact, email to: mannclinton0@gmail.com