The Navvy's Wife - A Musical Drama by Mick Ryan Wildgoose Records WGS360CD (2008) A musical drama written by Mick Ryan which gives voice to those whose lives were shaped by the great drive to carve out Britain’s canals, railways and roads. Thousands were caught up in the migration of able-bodied men to the vast scars of construction that have now softened into our landscape. Bonds forged by kinship, friendship, love and economic necessity helped them all survive the brutal realities of the hard life the men were drawn to. This itinerant way of life conferred hardship and uncertainty on the women caught up in it but of these mothers, lovers, wives and widows the newspapers had very little to say; of their longings, sorrows, hopes and joys they said nothing, nothing at all … Mick Ryan (vocals) Heather Bradford (vocals) Paul Downes (vocals, harmony vocals, guitar, mando-cello, mandoline, banjo) Judy Dunlop (vocals) Jackie Oates (vocals, harmony vocals, five string fiddle-viola, shruti) Roger Watson (vocals, harmony vocals, melodeon, concertina) This double CD contains the songs and music from the drama of the same name. The CD appears to be currently unavailable from Wildgoose Records (Jun 2021) but you may be able to find a copy. The website for the drama has ceased to exist but more details can be found on 'The Navvy's Wife' page of the Songs of Albion website. In 2020 a video of the 2006 concert performed at Chester Folk Festival was put online. It can be viewed here. CD One 1 Men From Limerick (Mick) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad. 2 The Women's Song (Jackie, Judy, Heather) 3 My Paddy (Jackie) 4 Don't Forget (Mick) 5 Mammy’s Poem (Heather) 6 Farewell My Son (Heather) 7 My Paddy (part 2) (Jackie) 8 The Right Thing (Mick and Jackie) 9 Don't Forget (part 2) (Mick) 10 I Miss Him (Jackie) 11 The Railway Age poem (Roger) 12 Brassey (Roger) 13 The Navvy's Wife (Judy) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad., adapted Mick Ryan 14 Women Not Their Wives (Judy, Jackie, Heather) 15 They All Hate (The Cast) 16 The Eyes Have It (Paul, Judy) 17 Farewell (Judy) 18 Dangerous Enough poem (Roger) 19 So Many Ways To Die (Roger) CD Two 1 Poppies (Mick, Judy) 2 The Journey (Mick) 3 What Brought Paddy Over poem (Mick) 4 We Get All Sorts (Heather) 5 Here Comes Mick (Paul) 6 Just Like You (Roger) 7 Something To Show (Mick) 8 The Journey (part 2) (Mick) 9 Wasn't He the Lucky One (Heather) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad. 10 Aren't We the Lucky Ones (Jackie, Judy, Heather) 11 The Land Around You (Mick, Roger)
The Navvy's Wife - A Musical Drama by Mick Ryan Wildgoose Records WGS360CD (2008) A musical drama written by Mick Ryan which gives voice to those whose lives were shaped by the great drive to carve out Britain’s canals, railways and roads. Thousands were caught up in the migration of able-bodied men to the vast scars of construction that have now softened into our landscape. Bonds forged by kinship, friendship, love and economic necessity helped them all survive the brutal realities of the hard life the men were drawn to. This itinerant way of life conferred hardship and uncertainty on the women caught up in it but of these mothers, lovers, wives and widows the newspapers had very little to say; of their longings, sorrows, hopes and joys they said nothing, nothing at all … Mick Ryan (vocals) Heather Bradford (vocals) Paul Downes (vocals, harmony vocals, guitar, mando-cello, mandoline, banjo) Judy Dunlop (vocals) Jackie Oates (vocals, harmony vocals, five string fiddle-viola, shruti) Roger Watson (vocals, harmony vocals, melodeon, concertina) This double CD contains the songs and music from the drama of the same name. The CD appears to be currently unavailable from Wildgoose Records (Jun 2021) but you may be able to find a copy. The website for the drama has ceased to exist but more details can be found on 'The Navvy's Wife' page of the Songs of Albion website. In 2020 a video of the 2006 concert performed at Chester Folk Festival was put online. It can be viewed here. CD One 1 Men From Limerick (Mick) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad. 2 The Women's Song (Jackie, Judy, Heather) 3 My Paddy (Jackie) 4 Don't Forget (Mick) 5 Mammy’s Poem (Heather) 6 Farewell My Son (Heather) 7 My Paddy (part 2) (Jackie) 8 The Right Thing (Mick and Jackie) 9 Don't Forget (part 2) (Mick) 10 I Miss Him (Jackie) 11 The Railway Age poem (Roger) 12 Brassey (Roger) 13 The Navvy's Wife (Judy) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad., adapted Mick Ryan 14 Women Not Their Wives (Judy, Jackie, Heather) 15 They All Hate (The Cast) 16 The Eyes Have It (Paul, Judy) 17 Farewell (Judy) 18 Dangerous Enough poem (Roger) 19 So Many Ways To Die (Roger) CD Two 1 Poppies (Mick, Judy) 2 The Journey (Mick) 3 What Brought Paddy Over poem (Mick) 4 We Get All Sorts (Heather) 5 Here Comes Mick (Paul) 6 Just Like You (Roger) 7 Something To Show (Mick) 8 The Journey (part 2) (Mick) 9 Wasn't He the Lucky One (Heather) - Words Mick Ryan, Music Trad. 10 Aren't We the Lucky Ones (Jackie, Judy, Heather) 11 The Land Around You (Mick, Roger)
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