A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
About "FRED DIBNAH (Did You Like That?)"
A song inspired by, and dedicated to the legendary Bolton Steeplejack and Industrial Heritage savior Fred Dibnah. A track from Simon Atkinson & The Foundryman's Apprentice album 'A Different Kind Of Love'
"Someone like my famous late husband FRED DIBNAH MBE will always inspire us with his enthusiasm for our industrial past and the rich legacy he left behind through his television programmes and books. Simon was inspired to write this song as a tribute and in doing so, has captured the essence of 'OUR FRED'. I've listened over the months as the project developed, hearing Simon's attention to detail and the perfection he sought to produce a fitting tribute to a great man. Well, you've done it Simon! 'Our Fred' would have called it a 'reet belter'. Thank you so much, and I know everyone will love this song as much as I do."
Sheila Dibnah ( Widow of Fred)
Lead Guitar/Vocal : Simon Atkinson
Bouzouki: John Duffy
Mandolin/Backing Vocals: Hugh Clinton
Bass: Keir Highet
Cello: Becky Crichton
Fiddle: Cat Atkinson
Drums/Percussion: Richard Hamilton
Words & Music Copyright Simon Atkinson 2015 All Rights Reserved.
Special thanks to Mrs Sheila Dibnah for all of her support and encouragement for this project dedicated to her late husband and to The View From The North Productions who gave permission for Fred Dibnah's voice and other sounds from their Fred Dibnah film collection to be used in this recording.
Recorded at Next Window Studio, Crosshill, Ayrshire
Additional recording/mixing & Mastering at The Washoose Studio, CrawfordJohn, Lanarkshire.
FRED DIBNAH (Did You Like That?)
Words & Music © Copyright Simon Atkinson 2013
High over Bolton Fred Dibnah looks down over chimney won
Laddering up on the Monday and scaffolding Tuesday done
Balanced on planking on ciggie he draws
Surveys the scene with his casual awe
Folks in the street passing by unawares
A steeplejack plying his trade where nobody dares
With chimneys for mending and pointing
now coming down brick by brick
As industries' marks on the landscape
are vanishing twice as quick
Yearning for ways of the times gone before
Knocking down chimneys regrets to his core
A glimpse of the end sees the crowds gather round
A funeral pyre brings a chimney crashing to ground
Did you like that, did it give you a thrill?
Did you like what you saw as that old chimney fell?
Did you like that? - then remember this day
As you cheered at the sight of our industry crashing away.
A steamroller rises from ashes when seemingly certain dead
Fred Dibnah restores her to glories when found in a crumbling shed
rusting forgotten for years sealed away
For fifteen long years he rebuilds her to stay
Now smoke from her chimney is rising again
And over the hillside from Bolton she's steaming again
Did you like that - did it give you a thrill?
When you first heard that steam engine climbing the hill
Did you like that? then remember this day
As you cheered at the sight of our heritage rescued this way
"Someone like my famous late husband FRED DIBNAH MBE will always inspire us with his enthusiasm for our industrial past and the rich legacy he left behind through his television programmes and books. Simon was inspired to write this song as a tribute and in doing so, has captured the essence of 'OUR FRED'. I've listened over the months as the project developed, hearing Simon's attention to detail and the perfection he sought to produce a fitting tribute to a great man. Well, you've done it Simon! 'Our Fred' would have called it a 'reet belter'. Thank you so much, and I know everyone will love this song as much as I do."
Sheila Dibnah ( Widow of Fred)
Lead Guitar/Vocal : Simon Atkinson
Bouzouki: John Duffy
Mandolin/Backing Vocals: Hugh Clinton
Bass: Keir Highet
Cello: Becky Crichton
Fiddle: Cat Atkinson
Drums/Percussion: Richard Hamilton
Words & Music Copyright Simon Atkinson 2015 All Rights Reserved.
Special thanks to Mrs Sheila Dibnah for all of her support and encouragement for this project dedicated to her late husband and to The View From The North Productions who gave permission for Fred Dibnah's voice and other sounds from their Fred Dibnah film collection to be used in this recording.
Recorded at Next Window Studio, Crosshill, Ayrshire
Additional recording/mixing & Mastering at The Washoose Studio, CrawfordJohn, Lanarkshire.
FRED DIBNAH (Did You Like That?)
Words & Music © Copyright Simon Atkinson 2013
High over Bolton Fred Dibnah looks down over chimney won
Laddering up on the Monday and scaffolding Tuesday done
Balanced on planking on ciggie he draws
Surveys the scene with his casual awe
Folks in the street passing by unawares
A steeplejack plying his trade where nobody dares
With chimneys for mending and pointing
now coming down brick by brick
As industries' marks on the landscape
are vanishing twice as quick
Yearning for ways of the times gone before
Knocking down chimneys regrets to his core
A glimpse of the end sees the crowds gather round
A funeral pyre brings a chimney crashing to ground
Did you like that, did it give you a thrill?
Did you like what you saw as that old chimney fell?
Did you like that? - then remember this day
As you cheered at the sight of our industry crashing away.
A steamroller rises from ashes when seemingly certain dead
Fred Dibnah restores her to glories when found in a crumbling shed
rusting forgotten for years sealed away
For fifteen long years he rebuilds her to stay
Now smoke from her chimney is rising again
And over the hillside from Bolton she's steaming again
Did you like that - did it give you a thrill?
When you first heard that steam engine climbing the hill
Did you like that? then remember this day
As you cheered at the sight of our heritage rescued this way
