the songs
and the stories
All songs have stories; histories, mysteries, tragedies, or romances attached to them.
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These are some of our favourite songs, and here are their stories.
fool's gold
track 1
Our name song is all about the Yukon Gold Rush in 1892. It is a tale of yearning for a better life, finding a fabled fortune, and escaping poverty and hardship.
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Alas, for the majority of prospectors, this was not to be.
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The inspiration was driven by the magnificent images of Eric Hegg.
one day
track 2
The story of the song is as old as humankind. Boy loves girl but hasn't the courage to tell her. Or, is it the girl who can't tell the boy?
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I don't often write romantic songs, and could not possibly tell you who it is about.
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Can you guess?
dream of
the vagrant
track 3
Having said I don't often write romantic songs, here's another one. ​
This song is all about a hopeless suitor who worships his love from afar.
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Perhaps a beggar (or bard) who views The Lady in her far tower?
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Perhaps The Lady can see him after all....
last safe light
track 4
The lead song from our live show 'Dark Light', the Last Safe Light is all about the Flannan Island Lighthouse, where in December 1900, three Lighthousemen simply disappeared into thin air...
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This song also allows our band to stretch out a bit more.
sweet poverty
track 5
One of our live shows has the unlikely title of 'Bang up to the Elephant!' and deals with Tales of the Victorian world.
Sweet Poverty is from that show and looks at the Workhouse. It's where you went when you had nowhere else to go.
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And you usually didn't come back.
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Oh, Sweet Poverty; we got plenty of that.
sundown
track 6
Sundown is a live favourite and motors along rather nicely. This extended version nods to the debt owed to Spaghetti Westerns, especially the 1973 Cint Eastwood directed 'High Plains Drifter'.
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The Stranger is approaching and there's something on his mind - revenge.
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He's riding fast, he's coming here...
