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Attribution
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Keywords:
rg (42), rg paddler (44), cuckoo (1), cuckoo song (1)
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Description:
This is the only song I've ever written that is totally factual.
If you dont want to read my life story - scroll down (:
Emotions aside,I left university and was living with a girlfriend.I loved her very much,but things werent giong too well and I was a young man - 22 years old and I decided to move to Scotland for an adventure.I joined a course run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.I got some accomodation via the Gazette being sent down to me in advance.I rang an advert for cheap accomodation and the man at the end of the phone sounded very posh english and told me 'well its cheap acccomodation - but its a halfway house'.I'd been in pubs called 'halfway house' and I was very naive - I accepted and left Brighton with a very open mind - my spirit was full of longing for adventure.No kidding though it was tough.I had a lump in my throat that I went to the doctors about - he told me it was phsycosematical - a pyhsological affect of splitting up with my girlfriend.Basicaly - I couldn't swallow - a true lump in the throat - an emotional condition that actually made me quite mad for a while cos I couldnt shake it off.I didn't know what a halfway house is - I lived in scotland for a year thinking - 'they are all f****ng mad.Then I found out - most people had come out of REHAB.If anyone is interested it was a house,next to the inverness Islands - beautiful setting,right next to the river,10 minutes cycle from Loch Ness.The house itself was once rather grand - when I turned up late at night for an interview to live there but - with I might add - my deposit/rent in hand - it seemed great - the lounge had stags antlers,dark leather couches and stained glass windows - then he showed me into the tenants quarter - there were over 80 rooms.Big house! - Bad wallpaper,blood stains.After 2 weeks I realised my neighbour had a problem - she had a repetitive disorder - she never believed she was secure and would lock and unlock her door over 30 times before going to work in the morning.Sometimes she'd catch me going out and I would turn her key once for her to see and it was ALWAYS locked - so I told her 'dont worry - it's locked'.It was.Sometimes she ended up crying.I tried to help - I was still naive - still am,but sometimes I would just flop and say ' thats all I can do '.Anyway - I started the scottish wildlife course.It was great - I mean - GREAT.We did loads of stuff in wildlife spots - lochs,woodlands,estates,bridges,guided walks,whale watch,saving black throated divers.So after half a year came the outward bound trip from the Scottish Wildlife Trust.We went to a certain Island off the West Coast begginning with H.The warning was that we had to have enough food for 3/4 days then the boat would come from the mainland.Pete M was in charge - a very english guy with alot of scottish 'aughs' in his sentences - we loved him - showed us the ropes.The first night they made the mistake of camping out in the fields with me.I'd bought a bottle of vodka - and i was drinking it.The island air got to me and I started singing folk tunes.The second night,they all slept in with the boys in the bothy.The 3rd night I felt sympathy with a teenage lad on the course who loved his smoke and had run out and was bored.I'm very sorry Pete - but we broke the rules.Chris was smoking the last half of his joint and I said to him 'HEY - big man - you bored? - just take a step over there towards the Arctic Skua Nests - he was bored so did.Several black shadows sailed up from their nests.Next thing I saw - Chris was on his back being dive bombed by world war 2 style Skuas - .After that we tried smoking KELP - drieing it out in the calor gas oven - not a hope it burnt your throat to shreds.On the last few days madness ensued - OK Team - were going to build a mermaid sculpture on the beach.We all got into it - lord of the flies style.RIGHT - You and Ian gather some seaweeed for the pubic hair.Ben - Rich - you plough on with making the breasts out of sand.Ian (one eyed mountain born and bred) - beat and holds as far as I know the record for carrying 80 yes - 80 woooden slats on an iron frame backpack across the island.Altogether - the best journey of my life.Hope the current team has made it round the island by now,and hope someone saw the legendary 'purple ringed plover'
The photo is of one of the cliffs on the island - home to kittiwakes and puffins.
Lyrics:
Willy pushed the boat out
And we sailed around the isle
And the lads for once said nothing
For the silence was a smile
The morning sun shone brightly as we landed on the shore
And unloaded crates of timber -
Two hundred odd or more
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
But I sing for my lonely girl
Oh the tigermoths were a plenty
On the graveyard on the hill
And the chanting of the island birds
Haunts me even still
We trod the muddy trail
From the crofts to Puffin bay
Theres a pleasure in working
For nowt on a summers day
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
But I sing for my lonely girl
Dreamin of that green eyed girl
I was standing in the cave
And the tide was rolling in
With the crash of foam and waves
And I asked the ocean king
Whether I be right or wrong
To have followed fortunes whisper
But an answer there came none
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
And the cuckoo sings for my daddio
Dum diddly doo di day
But I sing for this lonely boy
Hardware:
Mac G3,Yamaha psr-something or other
Software:
Protools
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man you are so diverse &mdash 03/15/07 - 08:58:15 PM
this is a classic in the style of a true folk tune here. a man set a drift at sea finding pleasure in his music. [ Reply to This ]
Adrift at sea &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:05:28 PM
Thanks Vic - the other guys on the island told me to just shut up
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
Another classic &mdash 03/16/07 - 05:07:41 AM
I love it. Great playing and singing. Really no nits.
I'd buy this and play it and that's the highest praise I can give.
Cheers
Dick [ Reply to This ]
nits &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:08:06 PM
Thanks Dick - thts the highest praise I've recieved.Dont get many nits either anymore - am bald as a coot
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
You had me hooked from the first &mdash 03/16/07 - 08:33:03 AM
with the line "And the lads for once said nothing
For the silence was a smile". Great turn of phrase. Then it just goes on and gets better. Great guitar and vox and I really like the wandering harmonium sound. What are you playing for that?
[ Reply to This ]
The lads &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:12:34 PM
Thanks bud - unfortunately its a yamaha psr-275 making the harmonium sound,my harmonium dealer was out of town that day,but it would be great to use a real one.Willy the boatman actually never said anything for the whole week,he just went backwards and forwards in his boat earning lots of money,and drinking a can of beer in a shack the size of a telephone booth
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
wonderful &mdash 03/16/07 - 08:52:25 AM
now that was a great Life Story, and had me chuckling. LOVE the song - it's authentic, pure, and pleasing as all hell. sounds ancient, like it's been sung forever. marvelous job! anne [ Reply to This ]
lifestory &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:14:39 PM
thanks sisters - i guess many people wouldn't consider 'sounds ancient' to be a compliment however the reverse is true for me.Great comment
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
Thank you &mdash 03/16/07 - 09:51:49 AM
for sharing your interesting story and this song with us. It's...perfect. I'm on my 5th listen and I just want to keep playing it over and over. [ Reply to This ]
5th listen &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:17:09 PM
Roxy - I feel extremely warm inside because of your comment - and not because my electric heater is on 10 - thats for the cat.(high maintenance cat).Thank you
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
Wonderful! &mdash 03/16/07 - 10:00:05 AM
I like the way you stuck in a bit of the traditional song into your story... it's the kind of thing that just works for me, just works just right. So good I downloaded it! Thanks! [ Reply to This ]
Fantastic! &mdash 03/16/07 - 10:55:53 AM
RG, you did yourself proud on this one. Great lilting tone, catchy lyrics, and very well performed. Downloaded!
God bless,
Rick
[ Reply to This ]
This truely brought up deep emotion &mdash 03/16/07 - 12:41:59 PM
the writing is perfect... meloncholy yet hopeful... this is one of those "calls from the deep" songs for me... I'm not sure if I can even articulate how you've done this... or if I want to be able to... because on the surface it seems like a simple folk tune, yet I'm finding this so compelling even after several listens...
definately a new fave [ Reply to This ]
speechless &mdash 03/17/07 - 08:31:22 AM
Love the picture this tune paints. Lovely lovely song. Every verse is great, the last is my favorite. Wow, some songs just leave me speachless and I guess this is one of them. I've been listening to a lot of Richard Thompson lately and you remind me of him which is all a good thing. This is a great tune! Thanks! [ Reply to This ]
Speechless &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:20:32 PM
Wow! Richard Thompson? er... er.. Fairport Convention? I must find more about him - I've heard he's quite a legend - thank you indeed,eleveneyes
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
Great &mdash 03/17/07 - 11:13:20 AM
A great creation. Very original and still traditional in style. It has a musical masters touch. [ Reply to This ]
A Classic &mdash 03/17/07 - 09:09:11 PM
Marvelous song, so well sung and played. Everybody wants to sing and shout the chorus with you. Magnifique. [ Reply to This ]
Oh yeah... &mdash 03/17/07 - 10:55:23 PM
This is everything a folk song should be....
Lovely :)
Thank you for posting this! [ Reply to This ]
At first... &mdash 03/18/07 - 12:13:06 AM
...I thought this was going to be a cover of the English trad by the same name. This would have been nice. But this tune took me by surprize, and a very pleasant surprize it is! Everything about this piece works. I can envision folk enthusiasts of the future covering this someday! Bravo and encore!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
enthusiastic &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:27:05 PM
thanks mystified,amagi - if they do,be sure to get them to send a royalty cheque - well if I'm still around then,might have been re-incarnated as a broom handle or something by then.Thank you
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
A perfect mix. &mdash 03/18/07 - 12:29:15 AM
You captured just the right feel of melancholy, nostalgia, hope, and humor in this. I'm not usually much for folk but I was really swept away by this. [ Reply to This ]
Aye &mdash 03/18/07 - 10:46:09 AM
What a wonderful tune. Felt I was listening in a pub on the ocean after a nice cod dinner with a glass of stout. This song is a keeper. [ Reply to This ]
Beautiful and free. &mdash 03/18/07 - 06:57:40 PM
This gives me the feeling I get when I'm on the shore of Lake Superior - It's not the sea, but it's a really big, deep lake. I love the background story, too.
Nice balance and I enjoy the folk style you sing this in. [ Reply to This ]
Lake superior &mdash 03/21/07 - 02:34:57 PM
Theres definately something inspiring,soothing and at times spiritual about expanses of water - lakes and oceans can be both friend and enemy,it seems.I was always a big fan of beachcombing - all those strange washed up bits n pieces from old boats,and other lands.Alot of wierd cratures around at night though and the power of water is also frightening - well as we know especially with the recent disasters.I suppose i do have a slightly romantic perception of it also - even the weird creatures of the deep I find curious,whales and moonshine.Thanks KristyJo
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You used to call me... 'fluffy pup' [ Reply to This ]
Very nice! &mdash 03/20/07 - 10:49:23 AM
Instant favorite... &mdash 03/20/07 - 04:55:51 PM
I'm very happy to have come upon your music, sir. A beautiful breath of fresh air from the ocean.
Simply beautiful. [ Reply to This ]
I,m cuckoo &mdash 03/21/07 - 09:29:11 PM
wonderful &mdash 03/21/07 - 10:04:29 PM
This sounds like something that each succesive generation would pass along to the next.
Authentic folk ballad, full of fight but it is also beautifully written, touching, and poetic.
Really timeless. [ Reply to This ]
Overwhelmed &mdash 03/31/07 - 10:56:21 PM
Thanks you guys so much for commenting - its great to be listened to - I really hope I manage to do the same in return
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Ribbit to the limit put your whole heart in it [ Reply to This ]
Fantastic &mdash 03/22/07 - 04:05:15 AM
..I really like how it sounds like a cover of a traditional song, kinda timeless quality. I felt it had a kind-of overall Corries sound a bit in the guitars (not the vocals), mixed with a bit more Irishy folk sound- might be those daddy-o's. Loved the touch of accordian- instant fisherman, beach, island, sea breeze, open air etc, nice touch.
Good tune, great performances, enjoyed it very much - kudos.
Was Ned Flanders there? (Dum diddly doo di day) ;o) [ Reply to This ]
nice tune &mdash 03/25/07 - 06:23:03 PM
old and new - we love that - i'm glad i stumbled upon you - ty for the story and the u/l [ Reply to This ]
Top Notch &mdash 03/26/07 - 12:54:47 PM
Mr. P, you spoil us. This is a lovely little song, with really wonderful, narrative lyrics. Production is nice and crisp ... everything fits and supports your warm voice (and harmonies).
Love the ocean king image ... kinda Neil gaiman-ish.
Great stuff
Steve [ Reply to This ]
Beautiful.... &mdash 03/30/07 - 03:32:45 PM
I'm kinda new around here & found You in the *Underexposed* forum - I was Lucky : )
You have GREAT Music & an Amazing voice as well !! How do You find all those words ?!?
Tx ! My name is Lena : ) [ Reply to This ]
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