Product Description
Comments by Ray Steadman-Allen
This work is a collection of 'sound pictures' inspired by the War Cry sketch of Whitechapel Band marching through the notorious Thameside thoroughfare in the 1880's. Now desolate, it was a crowded, dissolute and degraded dockside slum with gin palaces and sailor's lodging houses. Snatches of old-time songs like 'Champagne Charlie', 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor?' and 'Genevieve' help to evoke the atmosphere of river fogs, steam trains, horse carriages and dockside life; up-river there is the sound of the Westminster chimes. The original themes are bitter, coarse, vivacious and mournful with the emotions of human wreckage. A street fight occurs. Over all broods a recurring, passionate song of divine yearning. The band is represented by 'Hold the fort', which is historically authenticated. Its clash with the roughs is perhaps not history, but Christian Missioners were often beaten up in this road. In the collision of tunes, we are reminded of the courage of the early-day warriors and honor their example in the epic song 'We'll be heroes'.
(sample music)
(view series guide)
Produced by The Salvation Army, SP&S, UK
