May 2022 update: on Saturday May 21, I was among 46,000 Sunderland supporters who witnessed a rather important win at Wembley (there were also 26,000 people there who did not support Sunderland and even that left lots of empty seats... Read more →
It is hard to believe (as I update this introduction in 2021) that more than 70 years have passed since Ewan MacColl wrote his second best known song, Dirty Old Town. MacColl composed compellingly on many subjects, from the challenges... Read more →
December 2022 update: thoughts of reviving this post from my Cover Story series, this instalment comparing different versions of the heartwarming song of farewell, The Parting Glass, came to mind as I joined relatives, friends and acquaintances at the funeral... Read more →
Aug 2022: a great song and two great performances of it described. Sadly, I still cannot locate a clip of Dr Faustus's version. if anyone out the can help, please write to me at this link or just post something... Read more →
The revived, evolving discussion at Salut! Live about the origins and differing interpretations of The Bells of Rhymney, Idris Davies's emotive 1930s poem from the South Wales coalfield that became an outstanding song in Pete Seeger's expert hands, reminds us... Read more →
And still they keep coming. No sooner had I added the John Denver version of The Bells of Rhymney to the original file - posted all of 50 instalments of the Cover Story series ago and now updated here -... Read more →
Aug 2022: responses from readers when this item first appeared in 2017 led me to investigate an unexpected treasure: John Denver's version of the song in question, The Bells of Rhymney. I have never been a fan of the late... Read more →
