Lyrics Insights 3 – The Eel Reel

Lyrics Insights 3 – The Eel Reel

Good afternoon Ethryllites. I hope you have all been enjoying the first sunny days of spring. This week’s song insight is into  “The Eel Reel” a jolly sounding song with a dark story behind it. Before we begin, a quick update for you.

News Update

New Gig – Thursday 12th May 2016 – The RS Bar, The Royal Standard

On 12th May 2016 Ethryll will be appearing with two other groups / artists (which are still to be confirmed) at The RS Bar at the Royal Standard , 156 St. Mary’s Road, Sheffield S2 4AX. We will let you know as soon as we have more details on the other artists. Hope we can see you there.

Don’t forget the RoofRaiser for Refugees on Saturday 14th May 2016, at Shakespeares in Sheffield. This is for a fantastic cause, we hope you can make it down to lend your support.

 

The Eel Reel

You may be surprised to learn that the Eel Reel is a cautionary tale for children about tsunamis. Tsunamis are caused by massive seismic events (earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). They can cause devastation hundreds and even thousands of miles away from the epicentre. People affected by a tsunami may not feel any other effects of the earthquake.

The tsunami caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 was recorded to be as high as 46m when they destroyed the town of Merak. They travelled far enough to rock ships off the coast of South Africa and fluctuations in sea level were even detected in the English Channel. Since the cataclysmic Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 an improved networks of sensors in the Pacific ocean can give the people living along the Pacific Rim a life saving warning. Nature does, however, give it’s own short warning of a Tsunami about to strike. The sea rapidly and eerily retreats, often far further than a normal low tide. Minutes before the Boxing Day tsunami hit, people were going down to the beach to photograph the retreating sea and stranded marine life. However, this few minutes warning, could have given more people time to reach a safer place. 

The Eel Reel begins with a young child waking their parents early to come and look at the beach. The sea has run away, and the sands are covered with fish flapping and dancing desperately about. It moves into a chorus where the child fantasises about dancing and playing with the fish. The odd pun in the lyrics, and the quirky similes convey the child’s joy and wonder at the phenomenon.

The reel section really tests the nimble fingers of the band as each repeat through the reel is faster and faster and more embellished. As the song ends, it tells how the child’s parents know the significance of the sea running away. They rush the child, who is innocent of the danger, to the best haven they can reach in time. The highest room of a strong building. Hopefully, in future, more people will know the meaning of a rapidly retreating sea. 

Here you can watch an early video clip of the Eel Reel at Acoustic Edge.

The Eel Reel

Wake up! Mummy! Daddy!
I know it’s still the break of day,
Don’t be angry, I have to show you,
The sea has run away.
Now all you can see,
Are miles of rock and sand,
Why did the sea run away?
Is it scared of the land?

(Spoken ) 1,2,3,4

Chorus x2
I am off to dance with the fishes on the sand,
We will probably do a cod reel,
Waltzing fin in hand,
They wear moustaches and sequin suits,
They leap and sparkle ‘round my boots,
I’m off to the beach, come on and bring the band!

Reel Section

(Spoken)  5,6,7,8

Chorus x2
I am off to dance with the fishes on the sand,
We will probably do a cod reel,
Waltzing fin in hand,
They wear moustaches and sequin suits,
They leap and sparkle ‘round my boots,
I’m off to the beach, come on and bring the band!

Verse 2
Quickly my parents pulled me,
To the highest room,
My Dad said “Hurry, the building’s strong,
The sea will be back soon.”
But I just sat and cried,
For the lost opportunity,
To spend my morning dancing,
With my new friends from the sea.

Lyrics Insights 2 – Pothole Tambourine

Hello Ethryllites everywhere. Welcome to another our series of insights into our songs and lyrics. This week our featured song is “Pothole Tambourine”.

Firstly, A Quick News Update

 On Wednesday night we were at West Street Live in Sheffield for an eclectic evening featuring ourselves, Uncle Funkle and Bright Black. Some youtube clips of our performance can be found here. I would like to particularly thank Matt H. who made me lemsip and was generally lovely (I was feeling rough as a badgers bum that night as I have had the lurgy all week – not quite sure how I made it through the set).

The next gig we currently have booked is on Saturday May 14th “RoofRaiser for Refugees” at Shakespeare’s in Sheffield. We will be appearing with the Bell Hagg Orkestar and Kingfisher Blue. It is all taking place for a fantastic cause. We would love to see you there if you can make it.

Pothole Tambourine

Pothole Tambourine is written about the delightful highways and byways of South Yorkshire. Whilst driving between my home in Rotherham and work at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital I had to drive up a particularly badly potholed road in Greasborough. Having had a rehearsal the night before, I still had my tambourine in the boot. Every time I hit a pothole there was a wonderful arrhythmic percussion effect. Thus the idea was born. It was developed further as I drove around Sheffield. Southey, Walkley and Arundel Gate all get a mention.

I particularly hate potholes as, following back surgery a few years ago, they have caused me particular pain. They have also done hundreds of pounds worth of damage to my vehicles over the last 20 years.

I  this song Kris really gets to have a bit of a show off on the bass, with a really funky beat going on below. Martin uses a light hand on the fiddle here, adding just a little pizzicato embellishment. We decided to use the harmonica as the solo instrument in this song, as it mimics the frantic car horns which can be heard wherever drives swerve to avoid holes in the road and nearly hit each other. The vibraslap was added after seeing a friend’s band “Braver than Fiction” use one and realising it would give us the perfect “sproing” noise we had been missing.

Happily Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council seem to be trying to get on top of these potholes at last. Keep it up guys, you’ve a little ways to go yet. Our vertebrae and vehicles thank you for your efforts.

Pothole Tambourine

Fare thee well my springs and track rod ends,
Shock absorbers fair thee well,
For I know that it’s going to be a long time in the shop,
Before you all work again.
There’s a rhythmic clunk from the junk in my trunk,
The change on my dash rings like a bell,
There is no help for it, I cannot ignore it,
If I let it bug me I would be in Hell,
I’m shaken to distraction, by the up and down action,
When I only want to go along,
There’s just one thing left to do for peeps like me and you,
In all the clatter try and find your song.

Pot Hole  (sproing) Tambourine (clap clap) Pot Hole Tambourine
Like the surface of the moon, On a lane of leafy green,
Pot Hole (sproing) Tambourine (clap clap) Pot Hole Tambourine,
The state of Britain’s roads is utterly obscene,
Pot Hole (sproing) Tambourine (clap clap) Pot Hole Tambourine,
Sing this song as you bounce along,
To your Pot Hole Tambourine.

The views may be pretty around the steel city,
But better keep your eyes upon the track,
Otherwise a crater will get you sooner or later,
Knackering your wheels and you back,
From the Green of Southey to the heights of Walkley,
You will find it is much the same,
Ridge and Furrow Tarmac, Grass through the black,
Not so much a journey as a deadly game.

Chorus

Instrumental (harmonica)

My poor old shocks, can’t take any more knocks,
I’ve lost my exhaust and cowell plate,
My track rod ends, now have funny bends,
And my oil sump is down Arundel Gate,
It’s becoming clear, I’ll need new wheels every year,
Driving’s draining all the pennies from the bank
Unless I win NASA give over, to lend me a Luna rover,
Or I buy an army surplus 10 tonne tank,

Chorus x 2 (key change on 2nd)

Sing this song as you bounce alon———————-g, To your Pot Hole Tambourine. (Sproing)

Lyrics Insights 1 – Wait ’til I Get You Home

Hello again Ethryllites. I hope you are all having fun and generally being awesome on this fine spring day. We enjoyed a fabulous gig on Friday night at the West Street Ale House. It is a great new venue, and you need to try the beer. Delicious.

On Wednesday next week (13th April) we continue our “World Tour of West Street” at West Street Live. We hope to see you there, treating yourself to an outrageous cocktail and some good tunes. The perfect remedy for hump day.

WestStreetAleHouse

At Friday’s gig I had a request to start posting some of Ethryll’s Lyrics on our website. I thought this was an epic idea. I am hoping it may even lead to more singing along. So over the next few weeks I will be writing some features about our songs, including the lyrics and some insights.

Wait ’til I Get You Home

“Wait ‘til I Get You Home” is about a couple, one of whom is an extrovert, the other is more reserved. The song tells about the social awkwardness this creates for them. However, the song also tells how all’s well when they get home and it’s just the two of them. The song is not about any particular couple, it is based on patterns I have observed in many relationships of friends, family, colleagues and fellow conspirators. The song does not specify the genders of the couple. So don’t be surprised if it reminds you of some people you know, or even of yourself.

The song writing process for “Wait ‘til I Get You Home” began whilst I was driving, and was hastily scribbled down in my notebook whilst parked in a lay-by. To start with it was quite “straight” but I knew I wanted to use my new djembe in it. What brought the song truly to life was when Jackie and Kris got hold of it. Jackie changed the guitar part to more flamenco inspired rhythm, and Kris added a calypso style bass line. Added to this, Martin’s fiddle is more traditional UK folk. Like chocolate and chilli, it probably shouldn’t work, but it does.

You can hear us performing Wait ’til I Get You Home at West Street Ale House in this youtube video.

 

Wait ‘til I Get You Home – © Ethryll 2016

Verse 1

Tonight you’ve been laughing a little too loud,
Tonight you’ve been acting a little too proud,
Tonight perhaps you’ve raised one more glass than you should,
That pot plant you’re chatting up would run it it could,
And you’re dancing like my dad, After too much coffee,
I forgot on nights like this, You can get really bossy,
It might surprise them all but it happens to be true,
The best part of the evening will be leaving with you.

Chorus

Wait ‘till I get you home, darling,
Wait ‘till I get you home,
They just can’t understand why we fight on no man’s land,
Wait ‘till I get you home

Verse 2

Tonight I’ve scarce seen a smile on your face,
Tonight you’ve been acting with funereal grace,
Stood by the wall with that stick up your butt,
Too cool to come out on the dance floor and strut,
On the edge of conversation, Wincing at jokes,
Your Monosyllabic, Responses are like croaks,
It might surprise them all but it happens to be true,
The best part of the evening will be leaving with you,

Chorus X 2 Bridge Chorus X 2

Coda

Wait ‘till I get you home, Wait ‘till I get you home, Wait ‘till I get you home (Cha, cha, cha).