An old song of mine, possibly the oldest I still perform. Written on November 18th 1974 when I was still a little boy! Something about it has kept me playing it and, apparently, continued to make listeners enjoy it.

Sailing on through the evening, faced with fear and awe
Lights of land have enticed me but I dare not touch the shore
A hero on the water, all majesty aglow
The common track has turned its back and that’s what you refuse to know

It seems your figurehead’s matchwood, your flag is gleaming white
There are ulcers under the varnish and they’re showing through tonight
The voice that said you were frightened, it wasn’t all that wrong
But truth’s not what they’re paid for, and they’ll find my will too strong

The pumps are choked with deception, frustration turns the wheel
Fires are flaming around me and I really feel how they feel
But the furnace just throws out blackness, the heat’s of a negative kind
And all these strains of creation, well, they’re surely too much for one mind

So we’re sailing on through the evening, faced with fear and awe
Lights of land have enticed us but we dare not touch the shore
Heroes on the water, all majesty aglow
The common track has turned its back and that’s what you refuse to know

The Ship

Tony is a highly versatile singer and musician who began singing and playing in his mid teens in the folk clubs of 1960′s Birmingham.  Writes intriguing and poetic songs with strong and memorable melodies.

He plays a variety of instruments including guitar, mandola, mandoline, banjo, dulcimer and harmonica. He often describes his repertoire as ranging from “sea shanties to Jerry Lee Lewis” and he takes in most styles in between. He writes his own songs too which are distinctive and thought provoking. He has played as a solo performer for many years but also has been involved with bands such as Trilogy and Witches’ Brew but most particularly as a member of Dempsey’s Lot, a Midlands based Irish band led by the near legendary Tommy Dempsey. 

At present he is playing with a number of local musicians and is recording a new album with these using his own songs. Tony is a keen member of Bromyard Sessions, a loose group of local musicians who play for free every Tuesday evening in the Falcon in the Herefordshire market town of Bromyard..

The Ship

Tony Burt