A Singsong and a Scrap

Infobox Album |
Name = A Singsong and a Scrap
Type = Album
Artist = Chumbawamba


Released = October 11 2005
Recorded = 2005
Genre = Anarcho-punk
Length = 42:40
Label = No Masters
Reviews = Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hpfwxq9dldte link]
Last album = "Un"
(2004)
This album = "A Singsong and a Scrap"
(2005)
Next album = "Get On With It"
(2006)

"A Singsong and a Scrap" is a Chumbawamba album released in 2005. It shows more folk influence than their previous album Un and features guest appearances from Coope Boyes and Simpson, Andy Cutting and John Jones and Ian Telfer of Oysterband. The first single to be taken from the album is "Fade Away".

Track listing and references

All songs written, arranged and produced by Chumbawamba, except 8 & 11
# "Laughter in a Time of War"
# "William Francis"
# "By and By" (a tribute to Joe Hill)
# "You Can (Mass Trespass, 1932)" refers to the Mass trespass of Kinder Scout
# "Walking into Battle With the Lord"
# "When Alexander Met Emma" is about Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman
# "Fade Away (I Don't Want to)"
# "Bankrobber" (Strummer/Jones) is a cover of a song by The Clash
# "Learning to Love"
# "The Land of Do What You're Told"
# "Bella Ciao" (trad. arr. Chumbawamba) recorded in the wake of the assassination of Carlo Giuliani in Genoa
# "Smith and Taylor"
# "The Untraditional" ("hidden track")

There is no mention of the thirteenth track, "The Untraditional", on the CD or its case notes. The track is in fact a love song in the English folk tradition but with the added twist of being about love between two men. The group set out to write a song about forbidden love, something with which the folk tradition is very rich. They however found no precedent for a gay love song in the body of traditional English song. Any mention of the track on the CD package was omitted to reinforce the once taboo nature of the song's subject matter and, according to the band, "because it tries to make its point in a very quiet way".

Personnel

Jude Abbott, Lou Watts, Boff Whalley, Neil Ferguson - All instruments and voices, except

* Winkie Thin - Accordion on 1, 4, 7, 10, 12; Whistling on 6; Cello on 9
* Richard Ormrod - Accordion on 3; Mellophone on 12
* Andy Cutting - Melodeon on 2,9
* John Jones - Voice on 1, 3, 5
* James O'Grady - Uillean pipes on 3, 13; Whistle on 2
* Barry Coope, Jim Boyes & Lester Simpson - Voices on 5, 8, 10
* Ian Telfer - Fiddle on 7, 10

Further reading/references

* Chumbawamba news [http://www.chumba.com/Chumbawambanewsthings1.html]