shore fishing game

Side One

Side Two

Shenandoh (arr Jim Madden)

The well known traditional shanty, specially arranged to suit the choirs vocal range and give depth to the beautiful melody.

The Eriskay Love Lilt

A Traditional and beautiful melody, which is sung in four part harmony. The magic and tangle of the Hebridean Isles seem wovan into the delicate theme.

Liverpool Lou

A typical sing along song with a flavour of the great seaport, sung here by Alex Madden, in traditional style.

Any Dream Will Do

A good example of a modern, rock opera style song, demonstrating the versatility of the choir and its reportoire. From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

Lead Kindly Light

A beautiful Sankey hymn sung in simple harmony, it epitomises the sailors need for a guiding light.

Whitby Whaler

Written locally the song is reminiscent of days when Whitby was a promenent whaling port. It concerns another of Whitbys famous men, Captain William Scoresby, the most famous whaling skipper of all time. Sung by Alex Madden the song is often requested at concerts given by the choir.

Shoals of Herring

A nostalgic reminiscence of a young boys introduction to the herring fishing industry, sung here by Bill Porritt to single guitar accompaniment.

Will Your Anchor Hold

A Sankey hymn with the type of rousing chorus that really makes chapel rafters ring.

Hanging Johnny

This traditional shanty which is sung with gusto by john latomer has a gruesome theme, but how rousing to haul the halyards to.

Blood Red Roses

An old shanty telling the bad weather to go down below. This complete story is told with the powerful bass voice of Norman Goddard.

Lord Of the Dance

The choir finds this semi-religious song a real pleasure to sing, wherever they perform it has hands clapping and feet tapping and it is always well received. This exceptional rendering by Gren Stubbley.

Kishmuls Galley (arr by Chris Oliver)

A 6th century Celtic Pirate song which was translated from the Gaelic, sung by the quartet Alex, Bill, gren & Chris in beautiful close harmony.

The Shore Fishing Game

The title track of the record, the words and arrangement are set to the tune of The Patriot Game by Domic Behan. The song describes inshore fishing Marske style and sums up the lads feeling for the sea. Sung by Alex Madden, Bill Porritt, Gren Stubley & Chris Oliver.

Drunken Sailor (arr by Jim Madden)

Probably the most famous of all shanties, this arrangement has a touch of local flavour. It is often used by the choir to "open the show" sung here by Duncan Vickers who is another pillar of the bass line.

Sailing Home

A fine rousing hymn which reflects the joy of all homeward sea-farers, often used by the choir to "close the show".

The Marske Fishermens Choir was formed ten years ago by a group of part-time fishermen who enjoyed a hearty sing-song at the local Ship Inn Bar. Even now the friendly atmosphere and good ale served by landlord Bill prinn makes the Ship Inn a meeting place and starting out point for the choir when going to a show.

The secretary Ted Vickers, has the difficult task of co-ordinating the twenty five members, all of whom have full time jobs, some on shift work. He arranges bookings, travelling and rehearsals very efficiently and he guides the crew through many complications of a non-profit making team.

The singing season between the months of September and March, sees the choir performing regular charity concerts in the coastal strip between the Tees and Scarborough and throughout Cleveland County, on one, two or very occasionally three evenings a week.

The concerts generally relate to Old peoples social activities, Charitable Organisations, Parent Teacher Associations etc, with paricular emphasis on R.N.L.I activities and they usually become involved in the raising of local lifeboat stations.

Choir master/leader Jim Madden who is a founder member, provides much of the accompaniment on piano accordian and spends untiring hours with these men practising over and over, one line at a time for a four part harmony.

The other accompaniment is provided by choir member Chris Oliver on guitar who also wrote the words to the title track.

The feeling "of their own product" runs high with the members, the record being engineered, recorded and produced by choir member Norman Goddard, many of the songs arranged by Jim Madden and Chris Oliver all the advertising literature, write up and sponsorship are very much a Marske effort.

Proceeds from the sale of this recoprd were donated to the Royal national Lifeboat Institution

Sponsored & Promoted by AML EngineersLtd. A Metal Fabricating & Sheet Matel Engineering Company of Marske -by-Sea.