Good evening, and welcome to your selection of songs about walks taken. ‘A Walk in the Black Forest’ (above) was very popular when I was a child, in our house, at least. I don’t think I’ve thought of it since, but it flew into my head as soon as Fintan suggested the topic. And very jolly it is, too.
If you have an Earworm you’d like to share, please send an .mp3, .m4a or a link to adempster73@gmail.com, together with a few words about why you’ve chosen it. Next week’s theme will be creatures you might keep as pets – free reign, so if you want to adopt an aardvark or a dragon, you can. Worms should reach me by close of play on Sunday 26 March.
Many thanks to all contributors. Stay sane!
Planxty – Arthur McBride – Suzi: Two young Irishmen take an early morning walk by the seaside, only to be accosted by a recruiting sergeant and his crew. The conversation is quite polite until the lads make it clear that they’re not going to enlist, thank you very much.
Oysterband – The Road to Santiago – Suzi – Pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain for centuries. Originally you started from your home, today various starting places mark the beginning of a journey of several hundred miles to Santiago de Compostela, believed to be the last resting place of St James the Apostle. ‘We’ll walk that wild Atlantic shore/ And the Devil walks behind us.’
Richard Thompson – Walking the Long Miles Home – Suzi: The party’s over, a relationship has ended and the last bus has gone, or maybe doesn’t exist. He has to walk home – and he’s feeling better every step of the way.
Lal Waterson – Piper’s Path – Suzi: A winter’s walk down a country path to the sea. I’m assuming that the ’seaweed men’ seen on the way are seaweed gatherers, seaweed being very good for crops.
Jackson Browne – Walking Slow – Fintan28: Thoughts of death and personal strife aren’t enough to ruin Jackson’s day. The old neighborhood looks just fine. And he’s got David Lindley’s smooth slide to set the pace (he’ll be missed). “I’m puttin out my left foot…”
Mink DeVille – Spanish Stroll – Fintan28: A stroll through Spanish Harlem and it must have been a glorious day. The band is floating on air and the folks are out looking their best. (Gosh, haven’t heard that for years – good shout. Ed.)
Siegel-Schwall Band – I Like It Where We Walked – Fintan28: Some little spot along the Ohio River – lots of things to miss about her but that walk is what he’s longing for.
Ondara – An Alien In Minneapolis- tincanman and
Ondara – A Witch And A Saint – tincanman: J.S. Ondara, now just Ondara, is a self-taught young musician from Kenya who followed his muse to America to live in the home state of his idol and oracle, Bob Dylan. His songs range from frank autobiographical ‘reporting’ to subconscious writing that doesn’t explain itself to him until he’s out on the road singing them to people.
Squire – Walking Down the King’s Road – severin: Something that London punks used to do every Saturday for no apparent reason other than making an appearance. From Sloane Square to Worlds End, cross the Road and then back again. I’m not saying I did it myself and I’m not saying I didn’t. Squire were one of the early punk>mod revival bands and released this in 1979.
Goldfrapp – Road To Somewhere – severin: Alison (not that one) certainly starts off walking down Mercer Street. Probably the one in Manhattan. Later on she has the radio on so she’s either got home, got in the car or is doing her radio listening in the street. The song’s mainly about wanting a defunct relationship to start up again.
Ultimate Painting – Central Park Blues – Uncleben: Wandering across Central Park in a haze of snow and smog (followed by some stuff in cabs that rather undermines the theme, but we’ll ignore that).
Heather Fyson – Scented Ground – DebbyM: One for the folk lovers.
Lilly Among Clouds – Look at the Earth – DebbyM: A bit of a shoehorn, but it’s about appreciating our surroundings (while we still can) as we stumble and fall.
Jackie Leven – Walking in Argyll – glassarfemptee: Jackie Leven wants to walk with you down to the harbour in Oban town on a May morning, watch the fishing boats coming home…
Ray Davies – One More Time – glassarfemptee: A bit tangenital, but Ray starts “I was walking on the coast road, when the harbour came in view”.
Ludovico Einaudi – The Path of the Fossils – glassarfemptee: Einaudi did a series of seven albums based on his walks in the Italian Alps. Here’s the fossil path.
Ivor Cutler – Life in a Scotch Sitting Room – shoegazer: Storytime.
Dr. Feelgood – Walking on the Edge – MaggieB: I can relate to this, having also stood at pedestrian crossings choking on traffic fumes impatient for the lights to change.
Led Zeppelin – Ramble On (remaster) – LongTallSilly: It had to be. I’m sure Jimmy was a founder member of the Ramblers🤔
Seasick Steve – Walkin’ Man – LongTallSilly: And what could be more romantic than stashing my sleeping roll under your bed for when I get back from the end of the line?
James Taylor – Walking Man – LongTallSilly: Another walking man of an older vintage. I wonder if he’s stopped yet?
Procul Harum – Pilgrim’s Progress – LongTallSilly: Not quite Bunyan, but I’m sure there is merit in this voyage.
Ivan Drever – The Road and the Miles – AliM: Innocent companionship walking the road to Dundee. Cauld winter was howlin’ o’er moor and o’er mountain / Wild was the surge on the dark rolling sea / When I met about daybreak a bonnie young lassie /Wha asked me the road and the miles to Dundee / Says I, “My young lassie, I canna’ weel tell ye / The road and the distance I canna’ weel gie / But if you’ll permit me tae gang a wee bittie / I’ll show ye the road and the miles to Dundee”…
Marc Cohn – Walking In Memphis – AliM: Love this song.