Swaledale is the Only Place for Me was written by residents of Reeth and Marske and Lindsay Ibbotson on 14 June 2014 as part of Wish You Were Here, and celebrates the people and landscape of beautiful Swaledale! 

Wish You Were Here is delivered by NYMAZ in partnership with Accessible Arts & Media, and commissioned by Yorkshire Festival; the first ever arts festival to precede the Tour de France. To get involved in Wish You Were Here, visit: www.nymaz.org.uk/wish-you-were-here

About Wish You Were Here: during the early 20th Century Cecil Sharp and his contemporaries travelled around England by bicycle collecting traditional folk songs and dances from the communities they visited. Fast forward to 2014 and Wish You Were Here – new collaborations in seven North Yorkshire locations to produce songs together that represent today’s communities.
Led by Rebecca Gross, a team of musicians has been inviting residents to imagine the answer to one illuminating question: what would you tell a travelling visitor about your community? With collaborations taking place across the county, each new song recording is being relayed by bicycle courier to the next community, passing on a sense of identity in true folk arts tradition.

Swaledale is the Only Place for Me - lyrics

So stick the kettle on and take a seat
And have some Yorkshire tea
As you’re cycling past our window
I know where I would rather be.
When you’re out on your bike
And you fancy an ale
Where you gonna stop…Swaledale!

Chorus

Swaledale is the only place for me
It’s one’t best ye’re ever gonna see
It’s a long way from Leeds City,
But it’s really blumin’ pretty;
It’s the only place we’ll ever wanna be!

Sweet, floral meadows surrounded by walls,
Barns standing rigid, centuries unfold.
Soft the sound of the babbling brook…
Farmers and miners created the look!

Chorus

Sheep dogs and peat bogs, the rugged steep hills,
Curlews are calling above the smelt mills.
Mists falling in are guarding the Dale…
While the farmers and keepers are downing an ale!

Chorus

Yan tan tether mether pip! (Local ‘sheep counting’ dialect)
They’re racing through the dip,
Then climbing up the hill,
(Let’s hope their lycra doesn’t rip!)
They’ll have to put a sprint on
When they get to Grinton,
Then it’s “Au Revoir, enjoy your trip!”
Baaaaaye!

Chorus

It’s the only place…..we want to be!


Swaledale is the Only Place for Me

01 Free - Gabrielle Chudi

Paradise: written and performed by children from the Switch project at Bilton Children’s Centre, who worked alongside Tom Hawthorn & Simon Denis from Live Music Now band Steppin’ Out during a series of songwriting workshops earlier this year. The project was delivered by a partnership of NYCC Prevention Service, Live Music Now and NYMAZ, funded by NYCC and Youth Music.

Paradise

Jack he was a Sunderland lad 
(arranged by Keith Gregson)

This is the backing track for Tall Ships 2018 massed sing!

Lyrics:

Jack he was a Sunderland lad, a Sunderland lad, a Sunderland lad

Jack he was a Sunderland lad, a Sunderland lad was he

He worked upon the keel-boats, the keel-boats, the keel—boats,

He worked upon the keel boats, upon the River Wear

Tune: traditional (The Keel Row)

Lyrics: Keith Gregson

Jack He Was A Sunderland Lad - Backing Track

Mr Platt: written and performed by children from Alne Primary School, as part of the Breakthrough Songwriting Project with Thomas Andrews. Funded by Youth Music.

Mr. Platt

On 25 July 2018, NYMAZ Ambassador Luke interviewed Hope & Social's Rich Huxley. He talks about making your music career sustainable, what his average week looks like, and what advice he'd give to a young musician getting started in the industry.

"Start small, do things with other people, collaborate, learn from others, surround yourself with people who are more interesting and brilliant than you are, and that will pull you along...and don't be afraid to ask for money."

Rich Huxley NYMAZ Ambassadors Interview

Check out one of the fantastic tracks recorded by the brilliant participants of NYMAZ project RAMjam! CD coming soon!!

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Funga Alafia main melody for the Eden Valley education pack.

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Bella Mama main melody for Eden Valley education pack

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The song Bella Mama sang in a round - abrilliant way to start developing harmony with your groups.

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