more from
Whippet Records
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

A Description Of Jonathan Martin

from Mad Martins by Gary Miller with Keith Armstrong, Iain Petrie & Friends

/
  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a gorgeous deluxe book-format packaging, including approximately 100 pages featuring lyrics to all 50 tracks, additional interlinking text, a host of beautiful pictures and illustrations throughout, as well as a comprehensive list of credits and acknowledgements. This wonderful and unique presentation, designed by Helen Temperley at helentemperley.myportfolio.com has been a true 'labour of love' and is a fascinating and real work of art in its own right.

    Includes FREE Bonus CD 'Fair Flowers Among Them All (The Mad Martins instrumentals)' while stocks last.

    IMPORTANT MESSAGE for non-UK buyers:
    Please be aware that if you are ordering from outside the UK, due to reasons beyond our control, you may be liable for additional charges, e.g. customs tax. Please note: we will NOT refund payment for any items refused or returned to us due to non-payment of these charges at point of delivery.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Mad Martins via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ... more
    ships out within 7 days

      £24.99 GBP

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £0.99 GBP  or more

     

about

William Bell Scott, poet, artist and master of the School of Design in Newcastle, described a chance meeting with William Martin, on the streets of Newcastle in the 1840's. William, at the time in his 70's, was nearing the end of an extraordinary career which had seen him budding as a philosopher, a poet and an inventor. As Bell Scott testifies, William was wearing on his head a tortoise shell and the breast of his overcoat was festooned with a great many 'military' medals, most of them apparently presented to him as a joke by Newcastle's Quayside clerks and regarded by William as genuine. In fact, William had become the subject of great ridicule. Who indeed would have believed that a quiet and innocent place such as Tow-house, near Bardon Mill, Northumberland, could have spawned one of Tyneside's greatest characters?

lyrics

A DESCRIPTION OF WILLIAM MARTIN


We encountered the well-known figure
in his extraordinary skull-cap,
decorated with military greatcoat
closely buttoned to the throat.

Martin, with exaggerated politeness,
drew his feet together,
bent forward,
lifted his tortoise-shell hat high in the air,
and answered
"Gratified to meet you, sir!
I am the philosophical conquerer of all nations,
this is what I am!
and this is my badge”;

at the same time unbuttoning his greatcoat
he showed a medal as large as a saucer,
which was hung round his neck by a ribbon.
It was not a medal at all,
and he was manifestly crazed,
yet he had that about him
that made one treat him with respect.

A noble presence even was his,
although he was poor enough
to sell his pamphlets thus on the street,
which pamphlets were of course
only evidence of his craze.

(Words: William Bell Scott / Tune: ‘Bobby Shaftoe’ - Trad. arr. Richard Doran & Mick Tyas)

credits

from Mad Martins, released April 3, 2017
Keith Armstrong - Spoken Word
Mick Tyas - Mandolin
Richard Doran - Dulcimer

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

The Whisky Priests Durham, UK

The Whisky Priests (1985-2002) was founded by twin brothers, Gary & Glenn Miller (“the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music”). The band was internationally renowned for its energetic live shows, released a number of critically acclaimed albums, toured extensively and developed a worldwide cult following. The band reunited to tour in 2018 and release a 12-disc Complete Discography CD Box-set. ... more

contact / help

Contact The Whisky Priests

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

The Whisky Priests recommends:

If you like The Whisky Priests, you may also like: