If you have a theme or a project to develop and if it involves the west country then Jim Causley is your man. Jim has spent much of his career enthusiastically and successfully exploring the songs, stories, folklore and language of his native Devon. The Georgic grew out of a project originated by Simon Pope which set to produce a new wassail ceremony. The first song Jim wrote was ‘Halstow Wassail’ which appears in three versions recorded in three different locations. The first Halstow wassail ceremony was held in 2020. Now read on….
All the compositions here are Causley originals but some contain elements of traditional tunes and songs and several are field recordings. So the opener, ‘Old Cider’ features a live recording of ‘The Whimple Wassail Processional Tune’ with Jim’s words sung by Mariners Away from South Zeal.
The songs not directly concerned with cider making are Jim’s further exploration of rural Devon life, so ‘Devon ‘87’ is his story of being raised in a thatched cottage and about his family and neighbours. ‘Denkend Aan Stenen’ begins with the solemn drone of Paul James’ English bagpipes and is co-written with Tim Verbeek from The Netherlands (in both Dutch and English) sharing a common love of landscape and, in particular, standing stones.
The first version of ‘The Halstow Wassail’ comes next, recorded live at Halstow Farm with Mariners Away and local wassailers. Simon’s intention was to highlight the hidden elements of cider making so the song is actually in praise of yeast and respect to Jim for getting the word “mycorrhizal” into the lyrics. Recordings of the song appearing later expand on the lyrics so the versions are not all the same.
‘Rise Sidwella’ is an ode to Jim’s birthplace, now known as Exeter, while ‘All O’er This Darkened Land’ captures the peace of the countryside at night. ‘The Voice Of The People’ came as a commission by The Devon Voice Group and features them on the chorus and various vox pops. Jim claims a borrow from Kate Rusby but I can’t substantiate that. In so many of these songs Jim’s accordion echoes the rhythms of processional and dance tunes. ‘Elegy For Geraint’ is adapted from a poem believed to be about the last king of Dumnonia, and is the most modern sounding track featuring James on saxophone, Thomas Hose on hurdy gurdy and the ever present George Arnold playing electric guitar.
In 2021 lockdown prevented the usual January wassailing so instead they wassailed or blossailed) the apple blossom in May. This is another live recording made at Halstead and you may recognise bits of the tune. ‘Oh Cuckoo’, featuring Miranda Sykes, borrows from Baring Gould and a mediæval dance tune called ‘Robin Hood’. ‘The Imagined Village’ is a bitter song about the loss of rural life in the cause of more house-building. Jim compares it to the clearances and enclosures of the past – this just may be his best song, ever. ‘Rogation Day’ and the beating of the bounds is a tradition now largely forgotten – it’s so good to know that it is still in existence and without the interference of the church, something Jim alludes to in ‘The Hidden Source’.
‘Poor Old Man’ translates the old shanty to the land and the plight of family farms – back to the scourge of developers. ‘Annie Appleseed’ is the cider-makers’ equivalent of ‘John Barleycorn’ and nicely weird. Finally, ‘Volks Roun’ Yur’ seems Jim adopt his native accent as he laments the relentless inflow of visitors and newcomers to Devon. Another live recording and the audience really appreciate the points he is making.
You may think I’ve written too much about The Geordic but it’s a long album – eighteen tracks in all – with a lot to say. The only reference to the Geordic I can find is of a British warship sunk in 1941 so I’m still not sure what the title actually refers to. Jim will be on tour soon singing just his own songs so you can ask him yourselves.
Dai Jeffries
Artist’s website: www.jimcausley.co.uk
‘The Geordic’ trailer:
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