Johnny’s on the Water was learned from the singing of Appalachian folk singer Jean Ritchie (1922 - 2015). It twists the archetypal story of a woman left behind by a sailor, the singer rejecting grief and finding empowerment: ‘if he can live without me, I can live without him’. This line became the heart of our arrangement. 

We created this arrangement in residence at Snape Maltings in 2022. In slowing down the tempo, destabilising the rhythm, and replacing Ritchie’s sparse dulcimer accompaniment with an ensemble of modular synths, guitars and affected strings, we explore the way that the open sea warps our understanding of time and distance. The trumpet solo was played by Lissie Daly, a tireless campaigner for women in brass.

Musicians:
Lauren Spiceley - fiddle and vocals 
Joseph Woods - guitar and vocals
Martha Wiltshire - cello and vocals
Denis Wouters - electronics and vocals
Lissie Daly - trumpet
Tom O’Connor - fretless bass
Florence Brady - vocals 

Trad. arr. by Lauren Spiceley, Martha Wiltshire, Joe Woods, Denis Wouters, Lissie Daly, Tom O’Connor and Hannah Jacobs
Recorded at Pony Studios by Upcycled Sounds
Mixed by Denis Wouters
Mastered by Felix Davis
Artwork by Floortje Kattemölle, photographed by Martijn Petrus

Johnny's On The Water

Remorae are a collective of folk and electronic musicians who bonded over a love of ‘genre-bending’ [Folk Radio UK] folk music. 

Remorae began life as an experimental recording residency project, Folkatron Sessions, and has released 3 records - Mais C’est Quoi Maman? (2017), Skiver (2020), Home No More (2021) - including a collaboration with Mercury Prize-nominated Sam Lee. Their releases have been featured by Songlines Magazine, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 2, 6 Music and Folk Radio UK.

Remorae

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