HERE’S TO THE SINGER

~ Jeff Corfield, c.1997


There’s songs that are written and songs that are played
To keep the cash registers ringing,
But give me a song that the people have made
A song that’s been made for the singing,
There’s songs about work and there’s songs about play
There’s songs about struggle and glory
Ah give me a song where the folk have their say
A song that can tell us a story.


Ch.
So here’s to the singers and here’s to the songs
That down through the decades come ringing,
May the gift of your tunes WITH the people belong
And long may the people keep singing



Be you Paddy from Ireland or Joe from Geelong
Be you Russian or French or Swahili
The people have long put their lives into song
With a passion delivered so freely
For a song is a wild bird, a song is a dove
That soars in the heavens before us
With the laughter, the freedom, the joy and the love
Of humanity woven in chorus.


CHORUS
                        
                                                                
In times when this world’s full of trouble and pain
And freedoms long fought for are waning
Just remember those struggles that led to the gains
And the songs that recall the campaigning
For a song on its own cannot right all that’s wrong
One singer, the storm cannot weather
But the people united will always be strong
Whether working or singing together.


CHORUS
                        

So sing us a song about hauling a rope
Sing of a sloop that’s still sailing
Sing us a song, full of life, full of hope
Pete : long may your banjo keep frailing
Sing of one people, the whole world around
And the joys of those freedom bells ringing
May the songs that you taught us forever resound
And long may the people keep singing.


CHORUS x 2


                        
A note to me from Jeff says : "I wrote it originally in honour of Pete Seeger’s 80th birthday, in May 1999, after we had visited him following our week on The Clearwater back in 1997.
So, in one sense it’s a bit specific (2nd verse reference to Swahili is a Seeger in-joke and also last verse reference to The Clearwater), though I also wrote it as a celebration of all the songs and singers we love.
Like many of my efforts it’s a bit sentimental and clichéd, and the tune “adapted” from a hotch-potch of traditional songs (esp “All the Good Times”!), but the chorus is robust and folks seem to like it.
What it really needs is to grow, change and adapt, in true folk style, to become more generic, so I pass it on to you with that in mind."    Jeff Corfield 03.05.1999


Jeff is a singer / songwriter / collector / musician / researcher / writer / scientist / proud family man - and more! - now of Townsville, Qld, but originally from Sydney - Perth - Kununurra - Darwin, too!

Sorry, I can't find the song on-line; the tape is here somewhere though ....... :)



Cheers, R-J