Trenches is a concept CD by Russell Catchpole's Timepeace comprising seven moving songs about an imaginary World War 1 soldier, his loves, his fears and his experiences. Please download the free MP3 medley or listen to the music clips.
LEAVING
Close your eyes and
imagine while you
listen to this. Its one of those perfect summer mornings with the sun
bursting in and a wonderful dawn chorus. The curtains are wafting
gently in the breeze as our soldier spends his last few moments with
his young wife before he goes into the unknown. He comforts her saying,
he will not go to war until her eyes are dry and her face is smiling.
The song gently progresses with him whispering sweet nothings to
reassure her that he will return... before their daughter Nellie cuts
her first tooth. The song concludes with a passionate sax solo fading
once again back to the dawn chorus.
AWAY MATCH!
Our
passionate lover is now a
fully fired up war-lord with his mates, ready to 'Stuff 'Ole Tinhat!'.
Four heavy rock verses of how they are 'Gonna do the business' ending
with a lightening guitar solo.
The harsh reality of life in the trenches was a miserable mix of earsplitting noise, freezing muddy water, and all too often death or injury. This gritty blues song describes the scene with explosive keyboards from Neil Palmer, percussion recorded by Chris Catchpole
TRENCHES
Opening with a gentle
acoustic
guitar and our soldier's tiny daughter giggling, our man is upto his
waste in mud but daydreaming of home. Suddenly a shell explodes in the
trench causing tragedy around him. A long haunting guitar solo over
driving rhythm captures the mix of adrenaline and terror fading to the
sound of distant guns and shells. The song concludes that people will honour and remember, but only the mud knows
the truth.
FOR
WHAT?
Moody
piano and distant acoustic guitar
fills introduce moving song. Torn and freezing our WW1 hero is lying
outside the field hospital along with many others, waiting for a piece
of floor. Confused and frightened he cries in anguish to be taken home.
So we lay and wait...
HOME AGAIN
Finally,
now the war
is over, our
man is home. Unfortunately, he, like many of those not killed outright
by the great war, is a broken man. Shell-shocked, confused and
frightened he does not understand what is happening. However the jolly
general that sings this song over his field telephone is thrilled that
the best team won. He gushes that "...such bravery We've never seen, so
many died, they were so keen..". Within the choruses its a different
story, with a sinister tone, he orders the soldier to pull himself
together.
SET A PLACE FOR ME
The
final song turns out to be nothing to do with WWI but a personal look
at the meaning of life and how it amounts to nothing without the love
of God.
Please read how this project was originally born
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