Cassady
Neal Cassady was the inspiration for Jack Kerouac's 'On The Road', and the driver of Ken Kesey's 'Magic Bus'. A key figure in the Beats and one of the original Merry Pranksters. This song celebrates one of the most influential cultural figures of all time. Cassady inspired everyone he met, he lived every day as if it was his last, and he burned brighter than the midday sun. Fearless.
Sixteen Tons
A song about the life of a coal miner, recorded by Merle Travis in 1946 and a fair few others since. It describes the life of a worker who owes his soul to the company store and falls deeper in debt with every day of labour. As relevant today as yesterday. A challenge for tomorrow. Get to it.
Ballad Of A Happy Man
A song about a working man out of work and luck. A life balanced between loss and heavy drinking, where friends are a salvation. Even at the heart of the beast, the flame of love burns bright.
Raglan Road
A poem by Irish writer Patrick Kavanagh, about unrequited love. Recording my last album 'Walk With Me' in Dublin was a magical experience. The land of poets and scholars. My family are Irish and this has been a massive influence on me.
Heaven
A song about the prison of addiction and a life is built around heroin.
Coal Not Dole
A folk song. The story of the miners strike, 1984-85, a defining battle in British history. The chorus of ?which side were you on?? is the meaning of the song and the album. The impact of Thatcher?s victory led to the destruction of communities, the defeat of organised labour, and the shattering of the working class. Time for a fightback.
Les Fleurs Du Mal
The title is taken from a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire. ?The Flowers of Evil?. I read this when I was gigging in France and it blew me away. It celebrates a journey of beauty and sens ual excess. Magnifique.
Hymn
This is a poem for the poor and weak. The song came out of watching the world unravel, and how much hurt this causes.
I
am joined by one of my favourite singer- songwriter?s Eliza Gilkyson for joint vocals.
A perfect ending to the album. Enjoy.
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