FTX-049 - JACK-IN-THE-GREEN
MARTIN GRAEBE - The Singing Storyman
Already well-known as a song-maker from his compositions performed by many
present-day folksingers, such as PETER'S PRIVATE ARMY, HARRY THE HAWKER & HONITON LACE, this recording has 13 other original songs, well steeped in
the traditional idiom.
1. AS I SAILED [composed 1972]: A sailor's farewell to his truelove - 1'07"
2. JACK-IN-THE-GREEN [1972]: An instant May-tide custom - just add water -
4'13"
3. DANIEL'S DUCKS [1972]: Story from an old Devonshire dialect recitation -
2'19"
4. THE LAVENDER EXPRESS [1973]: Loosely based on fact. A Victorian gent named
Martin had the contract for clearing Londons streets of horse manure which he
used on his market gardens at Horley. He ran trains to his own private sidings
and, an ecologist's dream of a closed cycle, filled returning trucks with vegetables
- - 2'59"
5. THE ROAD TO HELL (Recitation) - 2'21"
6. THE EIGHT SET'S SONG [1974]: Came about from a weakness for steam power in
all its forms - 3'49"
7. HONITON LACE [1971]: Loosely based on a letter written to "The Girl's
Own Paper" in 1897 - 5'08"
8. DROOPING WILLOW: The Oxford Book of Light Verse describes this as a broadsheet
from a Victorian scrap-book. Tune by Martin - 4'04"
9. HARRY THE HAWKER [1972]: You can't stand in the way of progress, but Harry
he'll be back when all the petrol has gone - 3'43"
10. HI, SHOO, ALL O' THE BIRDS (BIRD-STARVER'S CRY): Based on a traditional
fragment collected by Cecil Sharp from John Durbin of East Harptree in Somerset
with tune by Martin - 1'25"
11. NOVEMBER DRINKING SONG [1973]: Written for a seasonal cycle for Geoff and
Pennie Harris to sing in "Maypoles to Mistletoe" - 4.05
12. THE KNOCKER-UP WOMAN [1972]: A tradition that has been killed off by the
modern tower-block buildings - 2'51"
13. NEWTON FAIR [1974]: An everyday story of country folk - 4'26"
14. PETER'S PRIVATE ARMY [1972]: Victorian vagabonds wandering the country
seeking an agent who will shoot them to stardom - 3'34"
15. THE SHROPSHIRE UNION [1972]: This Inland Waterway is Martin's favourite
stretch of canal - 3'11"
16. THE GREAT GALLEON OF PLYMOUTH [1974]: This song will set Science back a
thousand years. Anyway, as a Food Technologist, I believe the moon is made of
cheese - 2'40"
17. THE TALE OF NEDDY NIBBLEM AND BIDDY FLYNN: The words from "Wisehearts Merry
Songster" to Martin's own tune - 3'29"
The above are Martin's own comments on the songs. Recorded and edited by Peter
Kennedy, Dartington Ciderhouse, Totnes, Devon 1974 & first published by
Folktrax 1975.
MARTIN GRAEBE was born at Eastbourne, Sussex, in 1946. He first discovered
folk music when he was on a four-year course at the National College of Food
Technology, but he did not start writing and performing until he moved to Devon
to work for Ambrosia, doing research on rice puddings. Married with one daughter,
he is presently living in Gloucester. He has become the champion of West Country
song collector, Baring Gould, and is currently secretary of The Folk-Song Forum.
Martin has published his own collection of songs in an illustrated broadsheet
book, giving both words and music. Obtainable from him at 100 Cheltenham Road,
Gloucester GL2 OLX (Telephone: +44 (0) 1452-523861)
