‘Gibbet Wood’ is an original song written by Greg Harper about the true story of Sussex highwayman Jack Upperton, who robbed the mailman near the town of Arundel, West Sussex, in 1770. The song follows Jack's story to its gory conclusion.
The song was captured live at Purbeck Folk Club.
However don't despair! The historic story ends in this tranquil, beautiful, bluebell wood. A peaceful place to lay.
GIBBET WOOD
You ask my name, it’s Jack sir And brothers I have one We’re paupers from the country And money we have none I don’t say we was right sir To do what we done To rob the coach at Blakehurst To rob the mail and run
They say that there’s no honour Honour amongst thieves But of the two, there’s one sir Waiting beneath the eaves Waiting for the gallows To do what must be done But still there’s no names rollin’ Rollin’ off my tongue
For two long years I hung there Tarred, above the ground My accomplice still rides free sir Free, and unbowed And me I lie in Gibbet Wood Just off the Monarch’s Way Under the trees in a bluebell wood I still lie there today
You ask my name, it’s Jack sir I ain’t proud of what I done
To celebrate Earth Day on 22nd April, Greg has released a live performance video of Gossamer Wings, filmed last autumn at Purbeck Folk Club, whilst being accompanied by Nigel Ratcliffe on keyboard. The song was originally released on his ‘Bricks & Dust’ album. It has been described by Philip Lymbery, the CEO of Compassion In World Farming as "a beautiful, poignant and haunting song”.
The song's message gets more and more important, as nature, and our time left to act, both slip silently away.
GOSSAMER WINGS
I thought I saw a bumble bee Busily buzzing by It seemed to me when I was young They filled the whole of the sky I thought I saw a butterfly With beautiful gossamer wings But it’s been awhile Since I’ve seen Either of these things
I thought I saw a beautiful sight A meadow full of flowers We used to play there everyday All of our waking hours But I guess it’s just a trick of the light Reflecting off the corn If you shield your eyes It breaks the disguise And the colours are all gone
I remember the song thrush singing Waking me up at dawn I remember watching them catch All the worms upon my lawn But that was many years ago And now they’re all long gone I thought I heard a song thrush call But I guess that I was wrong
I thought I saw a bumble bee Bimbling through the sky I thought I saw a butterfly Slowly flitter by But to tell the truth all I saw Was a plain and empty sky The reason they’re gone Is the saddest of songs It’s simply you and I The reason they’re gone Is the saddest of songs It’s simply you and I
I am delighted to have been asked to perform at a special 175th Anniversary Service, to honour the men involved in the Worthing Lalla Rookh disaster of 1850, which will be taking place at St Mary's Church, Broadwater, Worthing, West Sussex, at 1.30pm on Sunday 23rd November.
I will be debuting a brand new song, 48 Dependants, which has been specially written for the event.
Eleven Worthing fisherman went out in a small open boat, to assist the stricken barque Lalla Rookh, which was floundering offshore, in a fierce storm. Tragically all eleven lost their lives. Twenty more fisherman then went out, boarded the vessel, and managed to re-sail the ship, taking it to safety.
As a result of this catastrophic loss of life, Worthing became a lifeboat town in 1853, with the RNLI taking command in 1865. This remained the case until 1930.
It will be an honour to be part of this important historical event.
This Remembrance I am releasing a recent ‘live performance' video, of a song called Delville Wood, that I wrote after visiting the WW1 battlefields a few years ago. I went to Delville Wood early one morning, and the song conveys my experience of that peaceful, and tranquil morning. However, to help you understand the song a little better, let me give you some background information.
In July 1916 Delville Wood became an objective for the allied army, trying to dislodge the Germans from the village of Longueval, as part of the battle of the Somme.
The wood formed an area of 156 acres of trees, with dense undergrowth, and seamed grassy rides running through it. Its western border laid on a ridge, on the edge of the village.
At 5am on 15th July, 3153 officers and men of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade penetrated the wood, and secured a bridgehead, forming most of the wood. The soldiers named the grassy rides and bridleways running through the wood after well known streets in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Thus, Princes Street, Regent Street, Rotten Row, to name but a few.
For four days they fought heroically to hold the wood, whilst under heavy artillery bombardment, and fought off many German counter attacks. However on 20th July they had to withdraw from the wood. Only 780 men were present for roll call that day. The wood had been completely destroyed, and laid in splinters. Only one of the original trees, a hornbeam survived the devastation, and lives to this day.
Today the whole wood has been replanted. It was purchased by the South African Government in 1920, and now acts as a monument, museum, and final resting place for thousands of soldiers whose bodies were never recovered.
I hope that you enjoy the song, and it’s sentiments, and that you are able to spare a couple of minutes yourself, to remember, in your own personal way.
Here is the recent live performance of the song.
DELVILLE WOOD
Nothing moved in Princes Street / Nobody there, no-one to greet you / No piercing scream, no metal clang / Just the sound of the birds, as they chattered and sang / Nothing moved, nothing should / All lay quiet in Delville Wood // In Regent Street, no shoppers there / Just a couple of silent grazing deer / In the morning light, in a wooded glade / Laying quietly upon the brave / Nothing moved, nothing should / All lay quiet in Delville Wood // A careless footprint in Rotten Row / At the sudden noise, they turn, they go / Across the gentle furrows which in the soil remain / Which belie the carnage, the suffering, the pain / Then nothing moved, nothing should / All lay quiet in Delville Wood / Nothing moved, nothing should / All lay quiet in Delville Wood //.
I am delighted to release two new ‘live performance’ videos, filmed recently, during a concert at Purbeck Folk Club in September. Thank you John Kirwin for the footage.
These two videos feature two of my favourite environmental songs, The River and Cool Clear Water. I never get tired of performing them live, as the message they share becomes more and more important, with each day that passes.
They both feature Nigel Ratcliffe on keyboard, adding a beautiful wash of sound on The River, an environmental lovesong, and environmental ‘Rock & Roll’ piano on the anti-fracking song Cool Clear Water.
I hope that you enjoy both the passion, and the fun, represented in them.
Many thanks to everyone who came along this afternoon to my concert at Ropetackle Arts Centre.
Starting from the warm welcome of the venue staff, to the lovely attentive audience, who listened throughout, it was a real pleasure to share my songs with you. Thank you all.
The setlist: Highdown Hill, Well Spun Lies, Gibbet Wood, Greater Need, The Fire Inside, Who Knows Who, Crows, No Damn Illusion, Delville Wood, The River, Goldfish & Hoopla, Since Time, Looking At Me Now, My Town, Shadow On Your Hand, Jezebel, Gossamer Wings, Birdsong, Cuckmere Shore.
Greg will be accompanied by Nigel Ratcliffe (keyboard) for this performance. Collette & Richard’s “Pop Up Cafe” will be selling tea, coffee, and homemade cake. You can also BYO drinks - glasses provided. Doors 7.30pm. Admission £8 (cash only) on the door.
Greg will be accompanied by Nigel Ratcliffe (keyboard) for this performance.
Entry is free, but ticketed as capacity is limited. Please book early. Ropetackle Arts Centre Box Office tel: 01273 464440 Monday - Saturday 10am - 4 pm.
