From the CD and show of the same name, a potted history of the canals in one song. Wixamtree WIX 051. Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle. (Written by Graeme Meek)

Where The Working Boats Went

A song about Bedfordshire's answer to the Cornish pasty; a traditional local ploughman's lunch. The clanger is a suet pudding cooked in a pudding cloth, with meat at one end and jam at the other. It was eaten as a lunch by workers in the fields. This song appeared in the film of the same name produced by Dunstable-based Five Feet Films, and which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.  The local Gunns Bakery now make their own baked suet crust version which has proved very popular in recent years. (Written by Graeme Meek)

The Bedfordshire Clanger

A tune named after the poet, Robert Bloomfield, who lived in Shefford in Bedfordshire and wrote ' The Farmer's Boy'. He is buried in Campton Churchyard, just outside Shefford.  Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle.(Composed by Graeme Meek)

Robert Bloomfield's Jig

One Man's Morris (Meek) and Ampthill Sunrise (Goodman) a Morris tune and a song about the Ampthill tradition of Morris Dancing (Redbornstoke Morris) to welcome in the dawn on Mayday in Ampthill Park every year. The song is part of the tradition. From the CD 'Charivari' (Wixamtree WIX 051)

One Man's Morris/Ampthill Sunrise

Barry's tunes, one of which has proved very popular with Morris sides up and down the country and across the world, having been brought to people's attention by being the last track on the CD 'Grandson of Morris On'. We use that tune for the broom dance in our canal show 'Where The Working Boats Went'. (tune composed by Barry Goodman - CD 'Where The Working Boats Went' Wixamtree Recordings WIX 051)

Banbury White Horse/Four Up

The enormous Bedfordshire brick industry has come and gone. This song tells how the landscape has been scarred and attempts to turn it into a more pleasant environment after over 100 years of deep clay extraction. This song appears on Life & Times' community project CD 'Marston Vale' which features the choir of Marston Vale Middle School on some of the choruses.

The Pits That Scar The Land

From the EP CD Sands of Time. Commissioned by the Greensand Trust

The Engine Boy

A tradition that existed on Dunstable Downs until the early-mid 19th century. Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle. From the CD Charivari, Wixamtree WIX 051

Dunstable Downs Midsummers Day Song

An east of England tradition that includes Bedfordshire. This song is sung annually at the Plough Monday celebrations at The Cross Keys, Pulloxhill. A copy of it hangs on the wall in the pub. It appears on the CD Charivari, Wixamtree WIX 051

Plough Monday

A Bedfordshire tradition of mumming at the end of the year is accompanied by this song. From the CD Charivari, Wixamtree WIX 051. Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle.

All In The Wintertime

A song from the show WHERE THE WORKING BOATS WENT, this is the story of how the Duke of Bridgewater began the Industrial Revolution craze for canals. Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle.From the CD Where The Working Boats Went, Wixamtree WIX 052. (Written by Graeme Meek)

The Duke of Bridgewater

A song from the show WHERE THE WORKING BOATS WENT, this tells of the misery of winter on the canals. Features Debbie Chalmers on fiddle. From the CD Where The Working Boats Went, Wixamtree WIX 052.

lifeandtimes-uk

Popular tracks