The musician known as Gandalf or Mehdi and aka Heinz Strobl, has produced well over 40 very interesting albums. I think one of his best is the 2006 album: Sacred River.
It is a very peaceful collection and will give the listener if he or she desires, the time and space to tuck those day to day problems into their proper compartments, if only for a little while.
This track is the last one one the CD and marks the ending of the life of the river in its current form, only to be reborn again, tranquil yet stirring at the same time, if that does not seem too much of a contradiction in terms.
Just the man… Hammer can you recall a song called Leaning. Its about a man leaning on a gate looking at the fields and dreaming, and at the end he says his old dog is buried there, sang by a Bass.We used to have an Harvest supper and a concert in SCorton and one of the choir men sang it. I had to be taken out of the hall as my sobbing drowned out the singer!
Annie,
Was it this one? sung by the Baritone Harold Williams.
I am still trying to track down a version of it.
LEANIN
Sowin’s pretty good
Reapin’ ain’t so bad
Scarin’ off the crows
Suits a farmer’s lad
But if you ask’es me
The thing that suits a fellow
Is a little bit of straw to suck
To keep your fancies mellow
When you’re leanin’ on the gate beside
The pond that lies beside the side
Of farmer’s stacks of new mown hay
It’s just atwix the ricks
Beside the barn where farmers sticks inside
The chicks he only hatch’d today
Leanin’, leanin’
I’m champion down our way, they say
At leanin’ on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side of farmer’s stacks of new mown hay
That he’s been gleanin’
While I’ve been leanin’ … all day
Had a lurcher once
Better than a gal
Poacher? Well, a bit
But 'e was a pal
Now there’s just a mound
Underneath the el-lum
Reckon folks would laugh at I
If I was to tell 'em…
Why I’m leanin’ on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side the hedge where my old dog would play
It’s just a’cos from there I see the sunlight
Glintin’ through the tree
Upon the grave where ‘e do lie
Sleepin’, sleepin’
Goodbye is hard to say
That’s why
I’m leanin’ on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side of farmer’s stacks of new-mown hay
And at the gleanin’
He’ll find me leanin’ … all day
Well here I am with tears rolling down my face after all these years.You see a dog treats you with love and understanding.I have three dogs ashes waiting to be scattered with me when I go.
I have found a couple of references to it.
The Harold Williams recording was very early but I believe it can be found on a CD entitled : ‘25 Great Singers in Popular Ballads.’
There is a CD called 'Alan Titchmarsh: ‘Radio 2 Melodies For You’. and Owen Brannigan should have a version on there. It is also thought that Ian Wallace may have recorded it.
I have a lot of albums by David Arkenstone both as solo and in collaboration with Diane Arkenstone. This is track five from of his best albums: Atlantis.
It is a 2006 import on the Narada label and still worth a punt if you can find it.
On the other hand, this is a little piece of nonsense from Family, a band I saw many times back when things were a little less complicated. This track is from their 1969 album: Family Entertainment and catches Chappo in one of his more quieter moods.
A small boy, bucket in hand. Building castles in the sand thinking of his life that lies ahead.
An engine driver, sailor, why not a king of the sand castle as the gypsy woman said. Taking a ride on a dinkie rail a green engine that’s old could be a royal procession through big city streets.
Waving to the crowds from a sand carpet of gold, shaking hands of the V.I.P’s one meets. Sailing a toyboat in a rock pool thinking that it could be the Queen Mary, passing the Cape Horn tip. Something majestic, sailing world wide seas.
Attention please, I’m the captain of your ship.
After all these thoughts and more the boy returned to find that the sandcastles were washed into the sea. Head in hands, eyes full of tears and a mixed up mind. The gypsy woman can’t foresee the years.
Just read your post on David Arkenstone, & enjoyed the link.
New to me, but reminded me there is a whole world of music out there other than my old time favourites. Thankyou Hammer.
Medwyn Goodall aka Midori, is another musician I have a lot of time for. He is a Yorkshire lad but now lives in Cornwall. A most prolific composer performer he has recorded well over 75 albums.
This is track three from the exceptional album: Where Angels Tread. It was first released in 1995/6 but was re-released in 2003 on the ‘New World Music’ label.
Boy, can Joan Sutherland still hit those notes!