By the writer of the song - Ralph McTell
Listen to the song first, narration begins at 4.05
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A one hit wonder, went back to teaching after this hit. (from memory)
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That would make sense. I did see him singing songs on childrenâs educational TV from time to time over the years.
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When I was about 11 I performed this song, singing and playing my guitar at the school concert for the parents. It had a lot of verses! I had a full sized guitar even though I was very small and I remember dreading the F Major chords as I could barely reach them. It all went off fine though. Afterwards my headmaster came up to me and said âYour singing and playing was lovely but you ruined the performance by wearing those ugly platform shoes.â I had no answer to that!
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Must be wonderful to have played for most of your life.
Bringing great joy to yourself and all those around you.
Welcome to the forum, Rane.
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I love that song & good to know how it came about. Thanks Bretrick.
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Thank you Bretrick . The electric guitar is a relatively small thing and only weighs as much as a new born infant, but it has made me very happy throughout my days. To me, those guitars are like works of art and I feel lucky to have them.
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Thatâs very impressive @Rane, I used to enjoy those moments at school when we all sang together with a few girls and boys playing musical instruments. I regret not having learned to play anything then, I was only interested in singing. 
Now here I am, in my fifties, âclumsilyâ teaching myself how to play the piano! 
I tried the guitar but my fingers cried out in pain too much! 
Welcome to the forum!
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You should have told him to try walking a mile in your shoes
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I remember when this song was first in the Charts - I had just left home in the North of England and travelled down the country to live in London when I was a young teenager, so hearing this song again takes me back to those times when I lived in a London Youth Hostel with a lot of other young teens.
Welcome to the Forum, Rane - you obviously have a lot of musical talent.
I am impressed that you were able to play and perform that song when you were still so young - Good for you - and I can imagine some of my old school teachers being disparaging about our modern fashions and footwear too! 
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Probably the most played song at Folk Clubs - certainly for new singers.
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