A hymn to an imagined version of the River Don (the Yorkshire Don that is), from its birth to its North Sea Nirvana.
Fans of Pulp will recognise the influence of Jarvis Branson Cocker's "Wickerman", which also stalks the rivers of "Sheffield" - I hope he'll forgive me for including Trebor Bassett's aroma of "caramel and nougat".
Guitars and vocals: Dave Banks
Volca Keys percussion: Dave Banks
lyrics
Quiet flows the Don, and green grows its valley
Born in Midhope, flowing down to the sea
Where fat cats and gard’ners rest, and lovers dally
Mine to forge to warping sluice and the slumbering estuary
Sprung from wells and coal pits on the flank of the Dark Peak
Iron-stained or limpid as uncloaked destiny
Woodhead and Townhead, Sheephouse and Bullcliffe
Innuendo, Penistone, out you wend to the sea
Wharncliffe and Oughtibridge and on to Philadelphia
Haunt of owl and warbler and Branson’s Cockertoo
Parkside, switchblade, caramel and nougat
The heart of steel city, the river running through
Deepcar Neepsend Not quite a Jaguar Deep end
Deepcar Neepsend Yorkshire caviar Best friend
Brightside, a hall of meadows running into Rotherham
Glades of cowslip, meadowsweet and honesty
Otters play, the halcyon dives: no man there to bother ‘em
The fifth river of Eden; God’s own hydrology
Greasbrough and Denaby; the viaduct and Sprotborough;
Savour Thorne’s breathing moor. This undinal jewel
then goes Dutch in the flatlands, feeling continental,
To the estuarine ooze and the dreaming spires of Goole
Sheffield Sex City Discover Mexborough
Deepcar Neepsend Sand bar Deep end
from Artless,
released May 14, 2022
Guitars, bass and vocals: Dave Banks
Volca Keys percussion: Dave Banks
Recorded by Dave Banks at home in Chesterfield
Mixed and mastered by Tom Nash
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