Jack in a Barrel

Stop Press!

We were very proud when Tim's song "Don't" was selected for the finals of the Milkmaid Songwriting Competition 2024. Although we didn't win we had a great evening, and were made to feel very welcome. Many congratulations to the winners, Robin Torbitt and Samantha Penman.
See below for a bit of background and to listen to the song.

New songs from Tim

A sneak preview of a couple of new songs especially appropriate for 2024, a general election year.

Party Line

Combining two well established folk genres, Party Line came out as a protest shanty. Written as the Partygate saga was unfolding, it could have had many more verses and could still be a work in progress. In the event, the party did end, at least for one individual. Sadly for the country the behaviours continued. Good for songwriting, though, as the wackiness which ensued gave rise to Don't.

• Party Line

Don't

Don’t was written in 2023 as we all started to realise how our expectations for ordinary life had been systematically lowered by those in power. Things like clean rivers, dental care and the right to protest were no longer for the likes of us. In sharp contrast, those dishing out the advice had their own ‘rules’. Entitlement, lying and corruption had become normal, and no longer caused any comment, let alone outrage. Regardless of your political persuasion, seeing any elected representatives behave in this way should make you furious. Or terrified. Or both. To lighten the gloom, Don’t is written in the niche “protest-music-hall” genre. But don’t allow that to make you too jolly. Every line in the song is attributable. Yes, our Lords and Masters actually said and did this stuff, and continue to do so.

• Don't

Did we mention it’s a general election year?