Swings and Roundabouts

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Monday 20th March 2006 

Swings & Roundabouts

"It's inspiring - you listen to these people talk and they have their own language ..."
 - Julie Matthews

The travelling people who run Britain's fairgrounds.

The travelling showmen and women who run Britain's fairgrounds live within their own self-contained community, with their own seasons, rhythm of life, codes of behaviour and language. The fourth in the series of 2006 Radio Ballads, Swings and Roundabouts paints a musical and anecdotal portrait of the people who travel the country building and re-building their rides, always looking to attract customers to their machines

Tradition Never Dies

I follow the line
The line that spans the generations
From the minstrel to the circus
The circus ring to ride
We keep it alive, tradition never dies.

I follow the code
The code that’s passed through generations
From the father to the son
The way of the travellers' life
We keep it alive, tradition never dies.

I’m looking ahead
Into the next generation
My daughter and my son
The fun of the fair in their eyes
We keep it alive, tradition never dies.

[Julie Matthews]
 
Publishing: Circuit Music Ltd
 

fairground [click for larger image]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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