Ghost Train to Hell
This album was conceived during the pandemic when The Cap’n decided the only way to avoid going ‘stir crazy’ was to go busking.
When faced with the opportunity to sponsor the project or the threat of a performance outside their homes, friends of The Cap’n wisely contributed towards setting up a helpline for young care leavers.
This album prioritises live recordings (to be replaced as better versions are captured). There’s something compelling about a live performance that is lost in the recording studio.
Hope you like it…
Caroline Special FX
Much loved band member, Caroline Ellis, owns a menagerie of extraordinary musical instruments.
This original song features: car horns, siren whistles, the ‘Incredible Thunder Machine’ and we believe a first in musical history, a pair of clockwork false teeth.
This version was recorded at the Yarmouth Sea Songs Festival. A brilliant day out for lovers of sea shanties and ‘Old Gaffers’, the picturesque ancient sailing vessels.
Dangerous Seas
A map of local shipwrecks haunts the bar of The Red Lion Inn, the 11th century pub at the head of the River Yar in Freshwater, Isle of Wight.
One autumn evening the Cap’n looked out across stormy seas and caught a glint of light off a garret window of a historic harbour house. Was someone there, watching, waiting?
He felt a chill as he was catapulted onto the bridge of a ship in the age of sail. Horrified, he did all he could to save the ship and crew as it was driven onto The Needles and smashed to pieces by giant waves in a screaming hurricane.
MG Song
The only regret his dad ever shared about bringing The Cap’n into the world was the need to trade in his much loved MG sports car for a Morris Minor for his new family.
The Cap’n really felt for his dad, pride deflating like a punctured tyre, as mum gave him, in no uncertain terms, the ultimatum of trading in the MG or no more hot dinners.
The Cap’n is pretty sure that his dad never quite forgave him despite writing this song as a sort of apology.
Politician
William Hogarth, the 18th century artist and satirist, produced four extraordinary paintings titled ‘The Humours of an Election’ in 1755.
Like other areas of human endeavour, the political corruption depicted has, if anything, become even more accomplished in the subsequent 250 years.
This song was inspired by these paintings which are on display at the Sir John Soan’s Museum.
Ice Cream Lady
Debbie, our Ice Cream Lady, faced an uncertain future. Hampshire County Council were introducing a Controlled Parking Zone by The Crabbing Bridge where, for many years, she had braved the weather meeting the needs of walkers, crabbers and kite surfers for refreshing ice creams.
The plans were to introduce Yellow Lines just where she was trading. This would have effectively killed the microbusiness of a much loved member of our community.
In response to this threat, The Cap’n organised a petition. It secured 1,374 signatures and was presented to HCC’s Parking Enforcement Team. This, along with the accompanying song resulted in Debbie receiving an exemption…
… and The Cap’n getting ‘mates’ rates’ on future ice creams!
Ghost Train to Hell
Some people think this original song is an allegory for our headlong, technology fuelled dash to oblivion. It might be…
Others think it might be the former Minister of Transport responsible for privitising British Rail cast as a deranged Scottish engine driver on the ‘Ghost Train To Hell’. It could be…
Or is it just an eccentric band having a bit of a laugh?
Which Road
The Cap’n faced an uncertain future. He had graduated into the jaws of a major recession. He had written dozens of job applications and had received dozens of rejections.
Gritting his teeth, the Cap’n prepared his CV and the next batch of letters. On his way back from the postbox he cast his mind wildly about for an alternative.
When you really don’t know what to do with your life, write a song about it!
The Haunted Toilet
It was Halloween and the Cap’n had promised the organisers of a ‘Celebration of the Spoken Word’ at The Bridge, our community theatre, that he would write a poem for the event.
When he volunteered, the Cap’n had in mind the idea of writing a grand poem celebrating our lovely, picturesque village by the sea, its iconic landmarks and its lovely people.
Only a couple of days before the show the Cap’n was facing disaster. Absolutely nothing had came to mind, apart from several pages of pencil written, cliché riddled tripe.
Facing defeat, he cast his mind wildly about for inspiration when he spotted an article about Hampshire County Council being £143 million in debt. This was all that he needed.
Here’s what someone in the audience captured on their iPhone…
Goodbye
The Cap’n was cheerfully contemplating his demise when he came to the surprising conclusion. There wasn’t a decent song to play at his funeral:
‘Verdi’s Requiem?’ – Too gloomy
‘Jerusalem?’ – Too grandiose
‘My Way?’ – Too schmaltzy
‘The Bright Side Of Life?’ – Too annoying
He needed something cheerful, reflective, slightly self-deprecating, slightly comic, yet upbeat. After a bit of a struggle, he came up with a song, Goodbye!