Category: Songs

Sing the things you see…


In 2007, a new edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary omitted forty words, all names of common plants and animals, that had apparently fallen so far out of use by children that they no longer warranted inclusion. The “lost” words included acorn, fern, heron, kingfisher, newt, otter, wren, and willow. New words were included in their place: blog, broadband, bullet-point, cut-and-paste, and voicemail.

This inspired author Robert MacFarlane and Illustrator Jackie Morris to create the book “The Lost Words,” a book of “spells” intended to restore these words to our collective vocabulary by restoring their names and forms to our collective consciousness. That book, in turn, inspired a collective of musicians to create the album “Spell Songs,” all featuring the lost words.

This song, “The Lost Words Blessing,” takes its form from traditional Scottish Gaelic folk songs, in particular a type of Scottish incantation called Carmina Gadelica, and it struck us as the perfect benediction for the new year. Each year incurs loss, forgetting, leaving or being left behind. So here’s a song of restoration, of calling back to you what has been lost, of allowing yourself to remember that outside the gray box, there is simple magic that is always available to you, as a creature who is both in this world, and of it.

Here’s to a peaceful new year.


If you’ll be my bodyguard…

Those who saw our cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer” will recall Andrea’s star turn as Paul Simon at the end – well we’ve scooted forward a decade and a half or so for her to reprise the role in this cover of “You Can Call Me Al” from his solo album Graceland. And if you’ve seen the original video for this song, you can probably predict what’s coming visually. If you have not, then … this will be confusing, and references to Chevy Chase will be lost on you. Anyway, come along and be our long-lost pals as we attempt our living-room version of this 1986 classic.

(Stick around for the bloopers!)


AAA!

Hallowe’en nearly-frights in this cover of They Might Be Giant’s short and scary “Aaa”. Who is that hiding underneath the blanket? What does that button do?


You’re shaking my confidence daily

This is what happens when you decide to do a little vocal warming up and then get totally carried away. 😉

Simon & Garfunkel’s singalong classic gets the live-at-the-piano-and-then-some treatment.


Why do we never get an answer?

When Owen first learned this song, back in around 1986, he would play it loudly (and badly) on pianos in his school’s music room at lunchtimes, much to the chagrin of the Head of Music, who would loudly exclaim, “Don’t bash pianos!” Owen did not learn his lesson, and continued to bash pianos. Perhaps he should have heeded that sage advice from 40 years ago, as repeated bashing of his own piano in the making of this video left him with a sprained index finger. 🙂 Andrea was thankfully uninjured, being sufficiently far away across the Atlantic to avoid any piano-bash ricochet.

Which is a long and cautionary tale by way of introduction to this Justin Hayward classic from The Moody Blues, given the Aeon Wanderers twist. This is our first duo cover of the Moodies, but Owen may have done a handful more solo…

Also look out for growing vines – we’re quite pleased with them. 😉


We’re gonna be 500 miles … or so

Our very close comrades, The Disclaimers, perform That Song From Scotland That Everyone Knows for Theme Music’s “Mispeldt Words” theme (yes, it has been a while!) – they invite you to sing along in your best brogue!

Disclaimer: no accents were permanently harmed during the making of this song.


She’s an Easy Lover…

It seemed like a no-brainer, when we were contemplating famous duets, to try to tackle a cover of “Easy Lover,” as originally performed by noted Englishman Phil Collins, with soulful sidekick Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire.

Less obvious was what to do about a video.We watched the original video many times. It has everything: helicopter flight! Costume changes! Dancing! Goofing around in a studio! And an elaborate professional film set with lights, cameras, and action.

WE, on the other hand, have laptops, green screens, iPhones, Sharpies, USB interfaces, Hoovers, unflappable determination… and, apparently, quite a long time to put together our best interpretation of this classic 80s video about making a video about making a video

Edit (18th November 2023):

For the first time ever, we were initially unable to upload to YouTube because their algorithm thought our cover was the “Extended Dance Remix” of the original, and blocked it worldwide! But on trying again later in the year, everything seemed ok! Must have been an awesome dance remix. 😉


If you need me, I’ll be downstairs

Welcome to 2023! Here’s our take on Jonathan Coulton’s ode to suburban ennui – we recorded it waaay back in early 2021, but couldn’t decide on what to do for a video. Andrea had the idea to use a dolls’ house, but not having suitable props, nor being able to find online footage or imagery that would work meant we had to try for something a bit more crafty. Owen then decided to build a dolls’ house in 3D … and naturally it’s now some 18 months later, because these things take time and computer upgrades to make happen. But here we are – join our couple as they find their way through life’s twists and turns…


One might say it’s the reason for the season…

It’s that time of year again! It’s almost like clockwork – gears within wheels within circles – how this festive season recurs annually… the temperature dips, the snowflakes fly, the lights twinkle, the children’s cheeks are all aglow… the anticipation builds. What’s coming our way this December? Is it? Could it be? Yes it could! Look to the skies and sing along as we celebrate the Reason for the Season.



Outside it’s 1933

It has not escaped our notice that the world is changing on both sides of the pond, and not necessarily for the better. We assume it has not escaped your notice, either. All around, there are echoes of a darker time earlier in our history, one that we believed was safely behind us. It’s often good idea to illuminate the dark places, so as not to tread there again, and Frank Turner’s “1933” is one excellent option for that.

Today is an important, even critical, day in the United States, and it isn’t hyperbole to suggest that the fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The only thing that stands between continued progress toward our shared survival, and tumbling back into a dark place whose depths are yet unknown, is your vote.

You know what to do.