Roots
A song based on my childhood home in the South Wales valleys (UK) and the people I grew up with. I wrote this on my tenor guitar which I bought earlier this month (my first acoustic guitar, apologies for any clunkiness!)
Lyrics below
Forest clad mountains and grey skies
Rumbling coal trains at their feet
teens all in bands or wanted to be
Girls learning to dance in the streets
Hymns in the chapel on Sundays
Sospan Fach at old Beaufort arms
Mams calling hometime down into the valley
Five more minutes kids shout from the parks
The echoing roars soar up through the valley
When the blue and blacks scored a try
Dancing at Woodys and smoking your ciggies
Were the sights and sounds of your life
Pre chorus
There was love not everyone showed it
Messy and mixed up old town
Many survived by just getting high
But you left without a goodbye
Chorus
You can travel the world
from Texas to Canberra
Leave the Ebbw valley sounds
and the tree line behind you
Though That black seam of life
Maybe buried deep inside you
I still see your roots
Fathers that buried their feelings
Dug them deep in the pit with the clay
Nightmares of times they’d run for their lives
Friends not making past 20 birthdays
drugs in the gully if you want them
monotony keeping at bay
What would Isambard think of the kingdom he built
Would he recognise it all today?
Pre chorus
You couldn’t tell us your truth
Hid like the men in the clay
later we wept when you shared how youd felt
If only we had been brave
Bridge
You’ve have been buffeted, cruel winds have blown you
And yet you’re here standing tall
Your branches of kindness touch all that can find them
Stand firm i won’t let you fall
Just really good…really good!
As mentioned on the Facebook page, this is wonderful, Bec. As a Welsh exile this is so evocative, though I think anyone can relate to the theme: ‘Hymns in the chapel on Sundays Sospan Fach at old Beaufort arms’ brought a tear to my eye! Your voice had never sounded better either. Cheers.
Lovely song.
Thankyou Simon, Phil and Stephen, really appreciate you taking the time to listen.
Amazing how we remember our pasts as a series of pictures isn´t it. “Smoking your ciggies” is a great line. Number 6 or Embassy (for the coupons)?
Beautiful song. I loved the way your voice lifted at the pre-chorus. The song flowed naturally and the melody was gentle and perfectly expressed the loving sentiment of the song. Your voice really is pure and beautiful and it really came through in this song. Well done.
Lovely Bec. Loving the tenor guitar..
I might have to try one of those. Love the vocal shift. It certainly reminds me of my roots xx
Nice nostalgia piece. Greatly melody in the chorus. Enjoyable to listen to.
This is so good Bec. It’s a gorgeous melody and the words fit perfectly. Love that tenor guitar – it sounds great, as does your voice.
very evocative, Bec, and I particularly liked the high head voice section
Loved this xx
Ha ha ha Andy. Ive never smoked (apart from a particularly wild hen weekend but less said about that the better ?). I certainly think in pictures so I’m glad that has somehow been conveyed
Thanks Louise for kind comments. It is expressed with love to some troubled people I grew up with. I’m experimenting with the voice – wouldn’t normally dream of going there, but it’s so limiting melody wise if I don’t!
Im loving the guitar although it’s very early days! Thanks for comments about the song, glad it took you back to gods country ?
Thanks you Martin really kind.
Thanks Alan, Scott and Beverley – really kind of you all to take a listen and leave a comment. Much appreciated.
Beautiful song.
Thankyou Jayne, much appreciated
Lovely chord sequence and beautifully evocative lyrics.
Rebecca, I honestly don’t know how I got 3 SEPARATE LISTINGS of my song. I notified Saskia right after discovering this myself and notified her again today. P.S. I loved everything about YOUR song …and voted for it!
Thankyou Julie much appreciated!
Ha ha Ian, technically it’s not supposed to be possible, you must have a superpower. I just felt you needed to get them combined because you were in the lead when you add them all up (unless you also got multiple votes from the same people, but there’s no way you can know that!) looks like it might be sorted?
Lovely vocal transforms the finely observed, potentially nostalgic, imagery into something more generally meaningful. Well done!
Wow, thanks very much Mike. Much appreciated!