Geordie Song Project
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
This book is a celebration of a community working together. The project has involved groups centred around West Walker. The songs have meaning and excitement for us because we have worked on them together. Before beginning this project we had no idea how many brilliant Geordie songs there were. "You've got the best song writing tradition in England", we were told, but we didn't really believe that until we had to choose our Top 10. What a job we had deciding which songs to leave out!
This is our final choice, not necessarily because they're the best songs (everybody's choice would be different!) but because, between them they reflect the history of the region and in particular our own neighbourhood, Walker. They also appeal to all ages.
Believe it or not, there were once fields in Walker and we like to think the locals would sing "Ca'Hawkie" as they brought the cows in for milking.
Seafaring is still in the blood of many Geordies and no other songs in the English language reflect that better than "Bobby Shaftoe" or "When the Boat Comes in".
But, coal was what made the north east important in the eyes of the world and gave birth to its most famous song "The Keel Row". Here in the east end of Newcastle our ancestors invented and sang our local anthem "Byker Hill and Walker Shore, Collier Lads for Ever More".
In the 19'h century, the industrial masses wanted to be entertained and would cram into music halls such as Balmbras to listen to professional entertainers such as Geordie Ridley and Joe Wilson who wrote and performed songs like "The Blaydon Races" and "Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny". They might even have gone to a pantomime called "The
Lambton Worm" based on an old medieval legend.
Throughout all this, the grand old River Tyne - the greatest symbol of the North-East - kept on flowing, just a few hundred yards from our doorsteps in Walker. No collection
of Geordie songs chosen by us would therefore be complete without "Water of Tyne".
Enjoy the songs - sing them together and while you're doing this you'll be doing your bit to preserve our wonderful Geordie heritage.
Group Name |
|
West Walker Community Association |
| Project Contact |
|
Phil Kitchen
West Walker Primary School, Community Wing
Church Street
Walker
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 3XB |
| Finishing Date |
|
30 April 2004 |
| Local Community Involvement / Partnerships: |
Key Participants in this project have been West Walker Primary School, West Walker Community Association, Expressions Womens Singing Group,
Newcastle Basic Skills Service, NewcastN Ranger Service, Tyne and Wear Museurr
Service, Differentia, Folkworks, The SAGE Music Centre Gateshead, GRBM Rain,
Axis Audio, Dunston Silver Band and Chris Mabbott who did the illustrations.
We are grateful to the Local Heritage Initiative for providing us with funding for
this project. |
| Grants: |
Heritage Lottery Fund: £16,885
|
|
Audio
