Video

Senwa de Dende

A beautiful round from Ghana. There’s a few different translations of this floating about but the general consensus it that it is a song for calling a loved one home to eat. I have heard a few times that it might be part of a longer song about an eagle who can’t find his way home, and that this part of the song is mother eagle calling him home. I first learnt it from Chandra Mather at Knockengorroch World Ceilidh in 2013, who said she’d been told it translated as ‘Welcome to the Feast’.

Tower of Strength: Two Parts

I learnt this (along with many other songs and pearls of wisdom) from my wonderful friend Jess Baker. I am unsure of the origins but it is a wonderful song and I’ve yet to sing with a group who haven’t had a lot of fun with it.

Tower of Strength: Three Parts (walkabout)

All three parts of Tower of Strength sung as a walkabout!

Oo a lay lay

A traditional echo song from Polynesia. It doesn’t appear to have any particular meaning.

Up Above My Head

Up Above My Head is a gospel song originally recorded by Sister Rosetta Thorpe and Marie Knight in the 1940s. I learnt this version from Jess Baker who tweaked the original lyrics to be slightly more secular.

Isme La: Teaching the lower part

Another song I first learnt from Chandra Mather, who in turn learnt it from Frankie Armstong – isn’t oral tradition wonderful! The origin is uncertain but appears to be a Persian language.