Talking with Richard the other night he reminded me of a song we did with Rebise from MJ. I didn't realise we had finished it but this version from 2009 suggests we did. I don't know why it never got posted to MJ. Perhaps we weren't happy with it. I wasn't too keen on my vocals or the guitar break and maybe I was going to add some more instruments. Who knows? Anyway, here it is in all its failings.
Dick: Lyrics, music, vocals
Richard: Lyrics, music
Rebsie: Lyrics, vocals
Pontefract Castle was a feared castle in the North of England. It saw much death and destruction and after the Civil War the people willingly pulled it down on the orders of Cromwell.
Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,
Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
Within the guilty closure of thy walls
Richard the second here was hack'd to death;
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.
Pontefract Castle (© 2009 Langford/Marris/Fairholm)
Oh the wind blows cold
Cross the fields and through the south gate
Pontefract Castle stands in ruins above the town
These wretched stones caused the people fear and heartache
but the people built the castle
and the people pulled it down
Another fight, but it's always someone else's
Life's hard enough without this constant fear
We'll pay the price but we all know where the wealth is
It's sitting in the castle and
we won't see it out here
Catch the murmur through the sedges
Catch the clamour in the stones
Bring the fires to the edges
The time to act is now
Beat the rhythm of rebellion
Blow the horns around the stones
Raise the sleepers from the hollow hills...
Oh the wind blows cold
The people built the castle
But the people pulled it down
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Thought provoking and interesting words about a piece fo history I didn’t know. Cool track indeed.
Thanks. I don’t think a lot of people know the story even in the Uk!
good song and great performance – really really love the guitar solo.
I do think you could improve the vocals however.
Thanks Charlie, you’re spot on about the vocals. Not one of my best efforts (then again my vocals rarely are) It may have been the reason I never posted on MJ when we first did the song. Might try them again but it means posting a new track.
I’ve just re-listened to an old one of yours downloaded from MJ. “Stay”. Your singing is stellar on that, so I guess that (like me) you’re not so keen on re-doing vocals. 🙂
Stellar? That was probably what I was drinking. Actually, if that’s the version I’m thinking of I recorded it fairly late on a Friday evening after several cans of Stella. Sorted!
Thanks 🙂
great vibe here.
love the slow vocals
good one, guys
KC
Thanks Cees 🙂
The title caught my eye as my youngest son happened to go to Pontefract castle last week on a school trip. The dungeons and the gift shop were his favourite bits.
Great song, especially like the lyrics (I like “The people built the castle, but the people pulled it down”).
Nice work.
Cheers!
Thanks! What a co-incidence!
I’ve never been there but Richard knows it well.
Cheers
****
A dark and brooding piece this. Nicely done overall. (Vocals aren’t that bad ****. Only a few places could use some punched in corrections.)
Enjoyed!
Sorry about that ****
I meant to write D I C K !
😉
Thanks M I K E!
If I had the time I’d redo the vox. I guess that may have the reason it was never posted!
Cheers
Dickl