FTX-227 - HERE'S TO THE LADS

SONGS OF SPORT & PLAY

Graeme Miles -7- Another selection from one of England's most outstanding song-makers. This album contains songs about Archery, Betting, owls, Chess, Cricket, Football (Soccer & Rugby Union), Grouse- shooting, Horse-racing and the Lyke Wake Fell-walk. The Teesside Fettlers, Liverpool Spinners, Vin Garbutt, Ewan McColl & Peggy Seeger are among those who have performed Graeme's compositions.

1. HERE'S TO THE LADS (Rugby Union) (unacc) - 2'31"

2. CRICKET BY THE SHIPYARD WALL (with guitar) - 2'07"

3. THE PUNTER'S SONG (About 1961 when Betting was legalised) (unacc) - 2'21"

4. THE HARTBURN LASS (or THE WHALE OF A TALE) (unacc) - 3'07"

5. DOCKLAND GIRLS (unacc & with banjo) - 5'00"

6. THOSE WEALDEN MEN OF LONG AGO (Kent Cricket - unacc) - 3'01"

7. THE MEN IN WHITE (unacc/ 1972) - 1'51"

8. THE FOOTBALL SPECTATOR'S LAMENT (with guitar) - 1'34"

9. I'M EMLYN JONES (Rugby Union) (unacc) - 1'04"

10. THE FALL OF THE WHITE KING (Chess Match Song) (with banjo) - 1'30"

11. THE BOWMEN OF YORKSHIRE (SCORTON SILVER ARROW is an archery contest, now held at Richmond, and probably the oldest annual sporting event in Britain) (unacc) - 2'53"

12. THE LITTLE RED GROUSE (A bird's eye view of shooting - unacc) - 3'23"

13. KEMPTON PARK (King George Cup 1965 with Racehorses, Arkle & Dunkirk) (with guitar) - 3'50"

14. HUNSLET LADS FOR EVERMORE (unacc - 1965 - when Hunslet got into the Football League Final) - 2'35"

15. THE LYKE WAKE WALKER'S DIRGE (First champion of the fell walk 1955 - unacc) - 2'08"

16. OLD ALBERT'S FINAL WOOD (Bowls Match) (with banjo) - 2'08"

17. THE HOSTEL WARDEN (unacc) - 0'42"

Recorded & edited by Peter Kennedy & first published on Folktrax cassettes 1977.

GRAEME MILES first had his interest in folk music kindled by the "As I roved out" radio programmes in the fifties, introduced by Peter Kennedy & Seamus Ennis, when he was living at Billingham and attending West Hartlepool Art School. To obtain authentic background for his song-making, he worked as a moulder's labourer, deck-hand, railwayman, docker and quarryman.

Then in 1955 came National Service. mainly in Germany with the Royal West Kents, and, after demobilisation, the "Skiffle Craze" with guitars and banjo. In he mid 60's he was living and working in the Cleveland hills and it was then that he developed skills in shaping the more rural type of songs. Inspired then by the work of Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger, he became interested in writing songs for documentaries. Graeme has recorded more than 200 of his songs for FOLKTRAX:-

221 THE GREEN BANKS OF GRAIN - First album from the Teeside & Cleveland area, containing some of his best rural songs.

222 THE SMOKESTACK LAND - A Second album from the area, but containing rural, but also urban & industrial songs.

223 THE SEA'S THEIR BREAD - Songs & Shanties of Fisherfolk & Sailors

224 THE SQUADDIE'S DREAM - Soldier Songs: Conscripts, regulars, deserters etc.

225 THE IRONMASTERS - Miners, moulders, foundrymen & others.

226 THE ENTERTAINERS - Miscellaneous Songs & Contemporary Ballads.

228 THE RING OF IRON - Outstanding songs of the local industries.

229 THE EAGLE AND THE DOVE - Some of the strongest protest songs.

230 THE LYKE WAKE - More songs about the North Yorkshire moors.

231 THE WEALDEN FOLK - Songs about Kent, "the Garden of England".