Notes - Sweet River.

"'Sweet River', is the title track of my most recent CD (2008).

On the folk circuit there is a certain type of song that is guaranteed to have your average folky wetting his/herself with self indulgent sentimental nostalgia. Iconic songs with titles like 'Fields of Athenry', 'Streets of London' (but not 'Highways of Heckmondwike' - or 'The Bogs of Ballybunion') are usually greeted with a customary time honoured reverence,which elicits frowns of disapproval at even a mere hint of parody.

Already having acheived notoriety and pariah status with an evil piss take on 'Athenry', I decided to embark upon a more subtle project. A formulaic song with all the appropriate cliches of the sacred iconic ditty.'Sweet River' was the result.

It lacked a tune - but this was quickly rectified when my friend Martin, a confirmed bachelor of fifty odd years finally got wed. He is a Methodist Lay Preacher, and at his wedding they sang the fine old Methodist hymn - 'How Great thou Art'. The chorus was a rousing one and it fit. So I nicked it!

I was running a folk night at The Grove at Brearley at this time, so I laid my nefarious plans and premiered the song without warning. It had the desired effect. Too much so in fact. I was hoist with my own petard. ' best song you've ever done' 'fabulous' -'do THAT song'- 'Please' ... requested everywhere I go - etc. etc. - in the end they even started convincing me it was a good song! my God! What did I do? It would seem that if you want to write a popular song then simplicity and cliche is the key. It certainly worked with Sweet (ruddy) River! Now I'm branded with it for life!