The Lark
Gerry Kearns vocal & guitar; Larry Kearns whistle
I heard a lark in flight and song,
And I looked and listened as I walked along,
I asked her what vision inspired her sweet lilt,
In terrain hardly barren and hardly yet built,
And she told me what she sang of.
She sang of a river though barely a stream,
By which bluebells and heather and wimberry team,
Near an old mill where trout are there to be seen,
And its banks that boasts mirriods of yellows and greens,
And folk come with guns to shoot heron.
Then my songstress she sang of the village of Delph
With a tune so enchanting I warbled myself,
Of dwellings so rustic and pastraly calm,
So contented so restful so peaceful so warm.
Where folk come to get drunk on Whit Friday.
Then she sang of a meadow by a river of sorts
Where twenty-six men fought a battle in shorts,
Without effort she to her fare altitude soared
Then she dropped like a stone
And she whistled the score,
Screaming Saddleworth that’s not enough.
But when she gave me the sad tones of High Moor
Of the flight in its sight with her throat warbled sore
And it wasn’t only the eyesore that favoured her breast,
But the sound of a slug as it heralded death.
But larks still sing on High Moor.
I heard a lark in flight and song,
And I looked and listened as I walked along,
I asked her what vision inspired her sweet lilt,
In terrain hardly barren and hardly yet built,
And she told me what she sang of.
She sang of a river though barely a stream,
By which bluebells and heather and wimberry team,
Near an old mill where trout are there to be seen,
And its banks that boasts mirriods of yellows and greens,
And folk come with guns to shoot heron.
Then my songstress she sang of the village of Delph
With a tune so enchanting I warbled myself,
Of dwellings so rustic and pastraly calm,
So contented so restful so peaceful so warm.
Where folk come to get drunk on Whit Friday.
Then she sang of a meadow by a river of sorts
Where twenty-six men fought a battle in shorts,
Without effort she to her fare altitude soared
Then she dropped like a stone
And she whistled the score,
Screaming Saddleworth that’s not enough.
But when she gave me the sad tones of High Moor
Of the flight in its sight with her throat warbled sore
And it wasn’t only the eyesore that favoured her breast,
But the sound of a slug as it heralded death.
But larks still sing on High Moor.
Not too long ago, a letter appeared in the OLDHAM CHRONICLE complaining that its writer had not seen a lark in the Oldham area for thirty years. The person who penned the letter blamed the dearth of larks on the chemicals lavished on the crops around Oldham. But in fact there is very little arable land around the town, and , besides, the neighbouring moorland harbours more larks than ‘Soft Mick’.
The song who’s words were written by Larry and the tune by Gerry, is a tribute to the Lark’s natural ability to soar, view and sing and also Larry’s protest about people who kill birds for nothing , as many do. The images portrayed in the song are all Oldham ones, particularly of Saddleworth.
The men fighting the battle in shorts are the players of Saddleworth Rugby League Club and their opponents.
The song who’s words were written by Larry and the tune by Gerry, is a tribute to the Lark’s natural ability to soar, view and sing and also Larry’s protest about people who kill birds for nothing , as many do. The images portrayed in the song are all Oldham ones, particularly of Saddleworth.
The men fighting the battle in shorts are the players of Saddleworth Rugby League Club and their opponents.
That Lancashire Band 12TS399 stereo
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC 1979
Produced by Tony Russell
Recorded by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979
Notes by Larry Kearns
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England
That Lancashire Band PIERCD 504
Re issued in 2000 by Pier Records
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd Label
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC 1979
Produced by Tony Russell
Recorded by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979
Notes by Larry Kearns
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England
That Lancashire Band PIERCD 504
Re issued in 2000 by Pier Records
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd Label