Jan and Paul Ramsey
Sample Songs
Below are some examples of songs sung in local churches. Other songs may be found on our Facebook page janpaulramsey
Piper to the End
This is a Celtic folk song written by Mark Knopfler, the lead singer and songwriter of Dire Straits.
The song is about Knopfler's uncle Freddie who was a piper of the 1st Battalion, Tyneside Scottish, the Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment.
Freddie carried his pipes into action in World War II and was killed with fellow fighters at Ficheux, near Arras in the north of France in May 1940. He was just 20 years old.
Fakenham Fair
This is a traditional song. Although it obviously relates to Fakenham in Norfolk, the origin of the song is unknown.
The church, St Martin's, where this was recorded, is all that remains of the medieval deserted village of Waithe near Louth in Lincolnshire. The church is a Grade I listed building under the care of the ‘Churches Conservation Trust'.
All three recordings were made in a very cold January and February!
Seven Gypsies
This song follows a common of cited theme in the English speaking world: that of a rich lady going off with one or m ore gypsy. Originating as a Scottish Ballad, the song has a variety of names. The most common is ‘The Raggle Taggle Gypsies’ but other names used for both a similar tune and theme include: ‘Gypsy Davy’; ‘The Gypsy Laddie(s)’; ‘Black Jack David (or Davy)’; ‘The Draggletail Gypsies’; ‘Johnnie Faa’; and the version played here called ‘Seven Gypsies’.
©2022 Jan and Paul Ramsey