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about

A song inspired by a seasonal worker who used to come every year to the farm I lived on as a child. We'd say hello and he'd just make bird noises in reply; crow, dove or cuckoo..
He looked like Ernie Wise and always wore a black beanie, or "Benny hat", as we called them back then.
We never knew his name.

lyrics

He flew a thousand miles to join us in the summer sun
He flew a thousand miles to come and work the ground
Beneath his cap, I swear he had a head of feathers
And envy in his eyes as he watched the martins fly

Harvest came, harvest went, the days were hard and long
Still, he whistled while he worked and sang the Robin's song
Sang the Robin's song

Bridge

He'd shout out to the cuckoo, argue with the ragged crows
He watched the plover tumble, amusement in his eyes
Come the autumn, he stuffed himself with bread and water
A southern voice was calling him to make the journey home

We looked along the power lines, we searched amongst the trees
To wave and wish him well but we never saw him leave
Never saw him leave

Bridge

We looked along the power lines, we searched amongst the trees
To wave and wish him well but we never saw him leave
Never saw him leave

credits

from Downbeat Is The New Upbeat, released April 8, 2023

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Will Riding image

Will Riding Chester

A Lancashire born, Chester based singer-songwriter with a deft and playful turn of phrase and acoustic - folk sensibilities inspired by, amongst other things, 70’s Children’s TV.

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