Alphin
Words and music by Gerry Kearns.
Vocals: Gerry Kearns chorus: Gerry Kearns, John Howarth
Instruments: John Howarth banjo, Dave Howard mandolin and Gerry Kearns guitar.
Chorus
You are Alphin; you can see all around you,
To the north and the south and the east and the west.
In the springtime, when the larks begin singing
We will climb your fair peak and its there we will rest.
There’s your foe Alderman staring out at you
Your sweetheart Rimmon left sticken below
Wharmton and Whinberry each in your vision
Derbyshire Cheshire stretched out below.
Chorus
Your grit-stone steps beckon ramblers to climb you
Through marshy pastures and heather to spare
Hiding the plover, the pippet and curlew,
The fox and the owl sharing ground with the hare.
Chorus
By Greenfield we’ll see you your dark slopes are striking
Lord of all Larasmere your frame marks the east
And from your broad girth springs Warlow Brook gurgling
Saddled to Noonsun, a closeness exists.
Chorus
We’ll climb you in summer with the sun on our backs
We’ll climb you in autumn when mist cloaks your moor
We’ll climb you in winter when snow fills your tracks
You are millions of years of years and yet another year o’er.
Chorus
Vocals: Gerry Kearns chorus: Gerry Kearns, John Howarth
Instruments: John Howarth banjo, Dave Howard mandolin and Gerry Kearns guitar.
Chorus
You are Alphin; you can see all around you,
To the north and the south and the east and the west.
In the springtime, when the larks begin singing
We will climb your fair peak and its there we will rest.
There’s your foe Alderman staring out at you
Your sweetheart Rimmon left sticken below
Wharmton and Whinberry each in your vision
Derbyshire Cheshire stretched out below.
Chorus
Your grit-stone steps beckon ramblers to climb you
Through marshy pastures and heather to spare
Hiding the plover, the pippet and curlew,
The fox and the owl sharing ground with the hare.
Chorus
By Greenfield we’ll see you your dark slopes are striking
Lord of all Larasmere your frame marks the east
And from your broad girth springs Warlow Brook gurgling
Saddled to Noonsun, a closeness exists.
Chorus
We’ll climb you in summer with the sun on our backs
We’ll climb you in autumn when mist cloaks your moor
We’ll climb you in winter when snow fills your tracks
You are millions of years of years and yet another year o’er.
Chorus
Alphin is just over one thousand five hundred feet high, east of Mossley and south of Greenfield and easily spotted from the centre of Manchester, a pleasant climb with good views from the summit.
Alphin the giant is mentioned in the Saddleworth legend being in battle with another giant Alder over the water nymph Rimmon; the result reflected by the boulder strewn landscape near Dovestones reservoir.
The hill also bears the ashes of Larry Cassidy who was a good friend of the Tinkers.
The many walks up the hill are Gerry’s inspiration for the words and melody of this song, sadly the wildlife has diminished even since the song was written some ten years ago.
Alphin the giant is mentioned in the Saddleworth legend being in battle with another giant Alder over the water nymph Rimmon; the result reflected by the boulder strewn landscape near Dovestones reservoir.
The hill also bears the ashes of Larry Cassidy who was a good friend of the Tinkers.
The many walks up the hill are Gerry’s inspiration for the words and melody of this song, sadly the wildlife has diminished even since the song was written some ten years ago.
ALPHIN by Gerry (Gerarde) Kearns
‘A LANCASHIRE GRACE’ LFCD031
THE OLDHAM TINKERS
LIMEFIELD
Recorded by Dave Howard at his studio in Bury, Lancashire
Mixed and mastered by John Ellis and Will Falkiner at Limefield Studio, Middleton, Manchester
Words and music by Gerry Kearns.
Vocals: Gerry Kearns chorus: Gerry Kearns, John Howarth
Instruments: Instruments: John Howarth banjo, Dave Howard mandolin and Gerry Kearns guitar.
‘A LANCASHIRE GRACE’ LFCD031
THE OLDHAM TINKERS
LIMEFIELD
Recorded by Dave Howard at his studio in Bury, Lancashire
Mixed and mastered by John Ellis and Will Falkiner at Limefield Studio, Middleton, Manchester
Words and music by Gerry Kearns.
Vocals: Gerry Kearns chorus: Gerry Kearns, John Howarth
Instruments: Instruments: John Howarth banjo, Dave Howard mandolin and Gerry Kearns guitar.