This was written for my friend, Anwi's, birthday. She looks after hospitality at the Moustache Hostel in Delhi. She had tasked me with writing the song while I was off exploring and most of it took shape on the road, hence the descriptions of various parts of India and the emotional reaction that I was having to them!

Anwi

Written in our tent at Exile Festival 2015 (much to the delight of the people who were camping near us, I'm sure), this is a simple rag that Nancy loves dancing to. 

Nancy's Dancin' Rag

This song is inspired by Kenneth Graham's Wind in the Willows. In the chapter "Wayfarers All" Rat meets a ships rat who regales him with tales of his travels. Entranced, Rat runs home to pack his things. There, Mole grabs him and stops him from going. This always struck me as being deeply, deeply sad.

Wayfarers All

An old, analogue recording that I did in my bedroom when I was a student. This was definitely written under the influence of Bagpuss  

Terum Terim Teroo (Demo)

An analogue demo recorded in my room when I was a student. People always seem to really like this song, although I thing it sounds really naive now - this is definitely a boy's rather than a man's song!

The Mooney Blues (Demo)

I learned this from the singing of Burt Lloyd. The story is very close to one that appears in the ancient Welsh text, The Mabinogion. In the older version the magicians are the Sorceress (Goddess?) Caridwen and the legendary bard Taliesin. In the song, the magical powers of the two legendary characters have been transmuted to an allegory for the sexual pursuit by a blacksmith of a young maiden. 

The Two Magicians

I first heard this song played in one of Nottingham's many caves, on a bleak December evening in a now defunct pub. I love the mysterious, veiled conversation between the curiously named characters. The origins of the song are shrouded in mystery - I've heard theories about it relating to the peasants revolt, or to pre-historic human sacrifice (although I don't think that either of these stands up to much historical scrutiny). Whatever it's about, I love it and have made it a regular part of my busking repertoire. 

The Cutty Wren

I love this song, but hate my vocal on it!!!! The lyrics are a wonderful evocation of unrequited love. I think that it's originally Scottish (it mentions the River Clyde) but has spread far and wide. My mate, Nick the Greek, had me play this at his wedding ceremony. This caused some consternation as his wife's hair is brown!!!!

Black Is The Colour

This song was taken from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs by Burt Lloyd and Ralf Vaughan-Williams (although there have been loads of famous recorded versions). The narrator of this song has to be the most magnanimous spurned lover in the history of music!

The Blacksmith

One of the most famous English folk songs, Scarborough fair deals with a maiden's attempt to stave off an Elfin knight's advances by issuing him with impossible tasks to perform. This is a composite version with lyrics taken from several different sources.

Scarborough Fair

I wrote this following a little busking trip to Germany last year. I went to stay with a friend who was stationed on the British army base in Bergen - a place with a dark and upsetting past......

Thoughts from a cafe in Bergen

A song to make Edward Said's head spin! I've thrown all my love for the Arabian Nights, Omar Kyam, 1920s pop music and the Carry On films at this one!

The Queen of Araby

The second Dave Mooney and Nancy album - this time, we've tried to move away from the skiffle/busker sound of the first album and produce something more eclectic. Loads of fun to record - I just hope we've not gone too far!!!

Put the Devil Into Hell

Dave and Nancy have been performing an eclectic mixture of folk, blues, jazz, skiffle and tea-dance inspired music since the spring of 2014. Originally formed as a street performance duo, Dave Mooney and Nancy now regularly perform at a wide variety of venues and events, but like to keep the ethos and aesthetic of traditional busking at the forefront of their shows. Whilst both are keen to pursue their own, solo projects, they are also happy to be joined on stage by a variety of other artists, from esteemed street dancers, La Petit Morte and Mirrabelle to the folk theatre stylings of the Finger Puppet Mummers.

Dave Mooney and Nancy

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