A folk horror concept album. Soundtrack to a lost film.
For more information, including how to purchase the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Buy album on BandCamp

Children Of Belas Knap

The Labours Of The Months

Written by Ian Williams

Added rabble vocals. :)

The furrows that we plough 
In the rain and sun
The hare and the harvest-time
The labours of the months

The trenches that we dig 
Across the bloody Somme 
The moonlight and the sniper’s eye
The labours of the months
The labours of the months

January, February
March, April, May
June, July and August-oh
September and October-oh
November and December-oh

The Labours Of The Months

The Winchcombe Meteorite

In the sky a fireball appears
It's been travelling 4 billion years
From Jupiter and Mars it came
Across the blackness of deep space
Towards our little Cotswold town it steers...

Chorus
It went 'cross the sky like a blinding light
It landed with a bang and gave her a fright
The little pile of ashes on the drive
Was the Winchcombe Meteorite, oh!
The Winchcombe Meteorite

Older than the Earth, it tumbles down
Amino acids and organic compounds
We were all tucked up in bed
As towards us debris sped
When a space rock fell onto our town...

England's Wyrding

The Winchcombe Meteorite

Here Goes Nothing

Take Me To The Sun
Words & music by Ian Williams

Chorus
Take me to the sun
I’m tired of this inclement weather
Take me to the sun
Let me lay down

Take me to the sun
We’ll go on a trip and stay forever
Take me to the sun
Come and lay down

Verse 1
It’s our recreation
The skies and the seas
The feel of the warm sand
On our hands and knees
And this revelation
Comes down the road
The city is fading
Time to let go

Verse 2
We’ve been on the treadmill
Go round and round
The life and the death mill
Keeping us down
But we’ve left the best ‘til
The summer’s in reach
The hot sun is shining
Down on the beach

Take Me To The Sun

Source Of Dreams

Witten by Ian Williams

For Syd

The Scarecrow Man
With the coal-rimmed eyes
Lives in a dream
Stares at the skies
It’s raining
Put your raincoat on

The raggedy star
From an outer space
Source of dreams
With an ice cream face
Is singing
A scarecrow song 

 Not singing
 But drowning

Source Of Dreams

Thin Immaculate (Best Of 1989-1993)

Radio Friendly (Live at The Narrowboat, Nottingham)

Mrs Poverty (Live at The Narrowboat, Nottingham)

Cross!

(Unlisted)

Happy War (Xmas Is Over)

Classic Synth Pop 1983 - 1986
Performed by Glass Bead Game

Working On The Side

You've Lost That Lovin’ Feeling

Song For Helen

Written by Ian Williams
Performed by Television Of Cruelty

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/3oIVUQEWfzk

Song For Helen

Words and music by Ian WIlliams

Stuck here by the radiator
I’ll never be warm again
And I know I’ll regret it later
When that big fat bill comes in

But they’re singing Christmas carols
It always takes me back
We were kids when it first snowed 
It’s covered up our tracks

Chorus
So I wish you Happy Christmas 
Hope all your dreams come true
I wish you Happy Christmas
May happiness walk beside you

There's ghosts up in the rafters
The TV’s on the blink
Here's to happy ever afters
If you’ll join me in a drink
A toast to all the years we wasted
The ones we left behind
From the follies of our youth
To the day you said goodbye

Although my ears and nose are frozen
Although my ears and nose are frozen
I'm warm in that glow

Here's to all the rock 'n' rollers
The soul girls and the freaks
All the sunsets and cherry colas
The secrets that we keep
As I sit and write my letter
That I know I’ll never send
We’ll soon be kicking off a New Year
I’ll see you round that bend 

I'll see you round that bend

A Letter On Christmas Eve

The Death of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Written by Ian Williams & ChatGPT

I asked ChatGPT the following:

"Write a new David Bowie song, sent back from beyond the grave. It should include chords and be formatted with labels for verse, chorus, etc. Use at least one unusual chord progression. Include subtle references to the death of rock 'n' roll, Orwell's 1984 and eastern mysticism."

Its response is below. I changed the length of the chords here and there and wrote the melodies. All performances by the one man band that is Televsion Of Cruelty.

Verse 1:
Em - G - Am - D
In the darkness, we hear a voice
Em - G - Am - D
Whispers from the other side
Em - G - Am - D
Bringing visions of a world
Em - G - Am - D
Where the music's been denied

Chorus:
C - G - D - Am
But we'll keep on dancing
C - G - D - Am
With the rhythm of our soul
C - G - D - Am
We'll keep the music alive
C - G - D - Am
Till the end of rock 'n' roll

Verse 2:
Em - G - Am - D
From the ashes of the past
Em - G - Am - D
We'll rise again with grace
Em - G - Am - D
And we'll keep the fire burning
Em - G - Am - D
With the rhythm of the space

Chorus:
C - G - D - Am
Cause we'll keep on dancing
C - G - D - Am
With the rhythm of our soul
C - G - D - Am
We'll keep the music alive
C - G - D - Am
Till the end of rock 'n' roll

Middle 8:
Bb - F - G - Em
In the year of 1984
Bb - F - G - Em
They're trying to silence our beat
Bb - F - G - Em
But we'll keep on playing
Bb - F - G - Em
With the rhythm of the street

Chorus:
C - G - D - Am
Cause we'll keep on dancing
C - G - D - Am
With the rhythm of our soul
C - G - D - Am
We'll keep the music alive
C - G - D - Am
Till the end of rock 'n' roll

Outro:
Em - G - Am - D
From the east, we find the truth
Em - G - Am - D
With the rhythm of the ages
Em - G - Am - D
And the death of rock 'n' roll
Em - G - Am - D
Will never turn the pages.

The Death of Rock 'n' Roll

The Death Of Rock 'n' Roll

Track 3 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Goblins And Foul Fiends

Buy on BandCamp

To Be A Pilgrim (Mop Fair Morris)

Sun Will Return
Words and music by Ian Williams

Track 5 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Here in the night
Lit by the fire light
To dream winter’s dream 
That summer will come again

Chorus
And you will remember me
As the seasons turn
You will remember my name
And the sun will return

The leaves on the ground
Visions of summer found
Remind me of home
A tryst by a standing stone

Chorus
And you will remember me
As the seasons turn
You will remember my name
And the sun will return

Yes you will remember me
As the seasons turn
You will remember my name
And the sun will return

You will remember my name
And the sun will return

Instrumental

To sleep and to dream
A king and his mortal queen
Our days will be long 
When Winter has sung his song 

Chorus
And you will remember me
As the seasons turn
You will remember my name
And the sun will return

Sun will return
Sun will return
Sun will return

Sun Will Return

Track 7 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Snowfall / The Unquiet Grave

Track 4 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

The Green Stone Of Langdale

Track 2 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Jerusalem (New Home In The Country)

Track 1 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Prologue: The Mists Of Time

Track 10 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Madia's Dance

Track 9 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

There's Been A Break-In!

Track 8 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

In The Bleak Midwinter (Ghosts)

Track 11 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Sun Will Return (Reprise)

Track 12 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

Epilogue: To Make It Come True

Track 6 from “Children Of Belas Knap”, a folk horror concept album by Television Of Cruelty. 

For more information, including how to read the companion book, visit www.childrenofbelasknap.com

In The Bleak Midwinter (Yuletide)

"I could've worked the waltzers
You the candy floss stall
But no matter, it's back to school now
Through the sweet summer rainfall"

First recorded 20 years ago in 2004, Sweet Summer Rainfall was originally released on the Happy 4 Less EP and subsequently on the first Television Of Cruelty album, Season 2.

The song features backing vocals by Jen Shaw (aka Lady M), bass by Graham Hills (aka "G") and some rather approximate distorted guitar by Ian (courtesy of a complete lack of foldback when recording it!).

Sweet Summer Rainfall (2024 Remix & Remaster)

From the album Dirt And Decoration by The Bruise Violets, a Waiting List side-project designed as a vehicle for our more "commercial" songs (we were obviously smarting at our lack of success by this point). Recorded in 1997 at Rooftop Studios (my Nana's old attic) by the estimable Mr Martin Howells, who made us promise not to release anything until it was properly mixed. Did we listen? Nah, 'course not!

Lipstick Smile

Driving on a Sunday
You and me together
Waking up on Monday 
Another week to weather

Take me to a mansion 
Coffee and a tea cake
The embers of our passion
Burning like a heart-ache 

There's nothing I like more 
Nothing I like more
There's nothing I like more
Than being alive

And hangin' around with you
Hangin' around with you
Hangin' around with you
Hangin' around with you 

Murder on an island
Telly in the evening
The language and the violence
Suspend our disbelieving

Down the shopping aisles
Traffic on a go-slow
We can see for miles
From our bedroom window

There's nothing I like more…

Dancing in the kitchen
To your reggae music
Your nicotine addiction
And my bloody boozing

We used to be so freaky
Trippin' to the seaside
Giggling and cheeky
Hitching by the roadside

There's nothing I like more...

Hangin' Around (With You)

Little Savage (demo)

Lord Lovel [Wyrding Mix]

Fractured pop, rock, folk, dance, ambient and orchestral concept music from the Cotswolds, UK.

(Other tracks are from previous musical incarnations The Waiting List and Glass Bead Game.)

Television Of Cruelty

Pinned to spotlight

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