We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Songs About Devon

by The Legendary Ten Seconds

/
1.
Birmingham to the Shore of Teignmouth 03:23
lyrics
buy track
Devon is so full of history From granite tors to the sea A place of legends and mystery Past Spirits lead you so easily Birmingham he left behind A new life beckoned tantalisingly Not knowing what he might find Perhaps a new home The high moor, wild water and cold stone On Dartmoor to be on his own Also Teignmouth he was kindly shown And he grew to love this place he now calls home Birmingham he left behind A new life beckoned tantalisingly Not knowing what he might find Perhaps a new home The seashore and the summer haze Shows a different face on winter days With solitude to get away Exploring cliffs and a hidden bay Devon is so full of myth and mystery From granite tors to the sea A place of legends and history Past spirits lead you so easily
2.
King Richard's Visit 02:48
lyrics
buy track
After leaving Salisbury he headed west He stayed at Bridport for a brief rest Then to Exeter he was bound For a warm greeting there to be found Remarkable Antiquities Of Exeter such a fine city Richard Izacke wrote those words About the visit of Richard the Third At the East gate he was greeted With respect he was treeted The recorder wore a scarlet gown The mayor presented the keys to the town Remarkable Antiquities Of Exeter such a fine city Richard Izacke wrote those words About the visit of Richard the Third To the Bishop's Palace he then went A letter to the Earl of Surrey was sent Of traitors he should arrest For a rebellion had been suppressed Remarkable Antiquities Of Exeter such a fine city Richard Izacke wrote those words About the visit of Richard the Third From Exeter he then departed Another journey was then started Of this visit of Richard the Third Perhaps you may not have heard
3.
Gates of Exeter 02:11
lyrics
buy track
A young pretender to the throne His real name is still not known Came to the West country with intent A warning to the Tudor king was sent He raised his standard at Penzance On to Exeter he would advance Gathering supporters along the way He was Richard of York some do say At the gates of Exeter he arrived And to force an entrance he duly tried Attacks on the North and East gates failed The defence of Exeter prevailed A young pretender to the throne His real name is still not known Came to the West country with intent A warning to the Tudor king was sent At the gates of Exeter he arrived And to force an entrance he duly tried Attacks on the North and East gates failed The defence of Exeter prevailed
4.
Last Invasion 03:18
lyrics
buy track
During the reign of King Billy The French won at Beachey Head Not pursuing the British fleet They sailed west instead The French fleet reached Devon And anchored in Torbay Then attacked Teignmouth In late July one day Teignmouth town destroyed during the French raid Eleven thousand pounds was raised to Teignmouth it was paid Two hundred cannon shots From the French ships that day People fled in terror From their homes they ran away Their houses were destroyed The French ransacked the town Two churches ruined In which their pulpits were pulled down Teignmouth town destroyed during the French raid Eleven thousand pounds was raised to Teignmouth it was paid To Devon's Lord Lieutenant they pleaded for some aid Eleven thousand pounds was raised to Teignmouth it was paid During the reign of King Billy The French won at Beachey Head Not pursuing the British fleet They sailed west instead The French fleet reached Devon And anchored in Torbay Then attacked Teignmouth In late July one day
5.
The Parson and the Clerk 02:50
lyrics
buy track
Come said the Parson to his clerk Let’s leave and return before dark The Bishop's palace is so fine When he dies it will be mine To Exeter they were bound The dying Bishop they then found My Lord it saddens me so To see you ill and laid out low After paying respects to the dying man The Parson and clerk's return began On Haldon Hill their way was slow In fog which way should they go The Parson to the clerk he did say You've taken us the wrong way I'd have the devil not my clerk Then a voice called out from the dark The clerk has placed you in danger Come with me said the stranger To a house oh so fine They entered in to drink and dine That night a whisper went around The dead Bishop in his bed found The Parson felt it would be good To return to Exeter if he could He said let us be away Despite foul weather without delay The Parson turned to bid farewell To the host now a sight from hell Their host was the Devil so real Any joy of life he would steal On their horses off they did race Without control at such a pace On towards Dawlish town At a cliff they tumbled down Into the sea never seen again The Parson's life had been in vain Where they died two rocks stand A sign of the vanity of man The Devil's work made this mark Known as the Parson and the Clerk
6.
Postcards of Torquay 02:35
lyrics
buy track
John's postcards that he sent to me Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea Postcards of Torquay that he sent to me Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea Quaint little Anstey's cove A tranquil treasure trove With picnics and hot tea A little house there by the sea John's postcards that he sent to me Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea Postcards of Torquay that he sent to me Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea The gardens in Torquay Such a lovely sight to see With picnics and hot tea Beneath a fine palm tree There's no time to write letters So postcards must do Oh no time to write letters Oh which one should I send to you Pleasure boats for hire If you so desire Then picnics and hot tea In Torbay by the sea In Torbay by the sea
7.
The Sawdust Fusiliers 06:18
lyrics
buy track
They left their homes in Canada bound for a foreign land Their skills lay in felling trees with saw and axe in hand They crossed the North Atlantic to far off Devonshire To assist dear old Blighty, those Sawdust Fusiliers They came in nineteen sixteen, the darkest days of war To fell the trees in Stover park as never seen before With sweat of their brow and hearts that knew no fear Felling trees for the common good, those Sawdust Fusiliers Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted Come and help the motherland defeat the common foe Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted So the posters told us so off we must go By the time they had finished, seven hundred acres gone They'd played their part in a war that still was raging on Working hard. felling trees, their commitment didn't veer For King and country, those Sawdust Fusiliers Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted Come and help the motherland defeat the common foe Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted So the posters told us so off we must go The wood was shipped from Stover via Teignmouth to the front Used for a barricade, an emplacment for a gun Trench floors, ammo boxes, and countless railway sleepers The result of hard labour for the fight against the hun Once the war was over many stayed and settled down The park was then replanted with saplings in the ground The memory of those foresters is oh so dear There now stands a memorial to those Sawdust Fusiliers Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted Come and help the motherland defeat the common foe Bushmen and sawmill hands wanted So the posters told us so off we must go In a quiet glade wooden sculptures so very very fine Of a horse and two young foresters frozen now in time Never to be forgotten let's raise a glass and cheer To immortalise those fine bold boys, those Sawdust Fusiliers The Sawdust Fusiliers
8.
Christopher and Olive 02:13
lyrics
buy track
Banns of marriage witnessed Dated in May On three Sundays Before he sailed away But for Christopher there would be no wedding day At the station in Exeter He said farewell It was the last time she saw him Such a sad tale to tell Shells from the Von Der Tann Screaming across the sea Death and destruction Created so terribly And for Olive Reynolds bad news she would receive At the station in Exeter He said farewell It was the last time she saw him Such a sad tale to tell She never forgot him And her memories live on Told to Stephanie Now written in this song The photographs and postcards treasured for so long
9.
The Daily Exodus 03:58
lyrics
buy track
They left their battered city every single day Returning in the morning from March and into May At night the German bombers would then arrive To try to ensure that no buildings might survive The spirit of the people would still prevail To break their resolve Herman Goering would fail Make do and mend until the war's end Despite all the anguish that's so hard to comprehend The flames in city lighting up the night sky From France to Devon the Luftwaffe would fly The people would trek out to avoid another raid All the Plymouth citizens feeling so afraid The spirit of the people would still prevail To break their resolve Hermann Goering would fail Make do and mend until the war's end Despite all the anguish that's so hard to comprehend Every afternoon leaving for the countryside The city air raid shelters were not a safe place to hide For so many nights their blitzed city would burn The next day to the devastation they would return The spirit of the people would still prevail To break their resolve Hermann Goering would fail Make do and mend until the war's end Despite all the anguish that's so hard to comprehend Despite all the anguish that's so hard to comprehend
10.
The Flooding of Lynmouth 02:22
lyrics
buy track
One night in August There was an awful storm A tidal wave of water To Lynmouth it was borne Trees, boulders and debris Thrown violently The worst flood in England That we've ever seen The bridges collapsed The houses were destroyed The deadly flood water They could not avoid Trees, boulders and debris Thrown violently The worst flood in England That we've ever seen
11.
The Brixham Mayflower 03:08
lyrics
buy track
The Brixham Mayflower had arrived And a warm welcome was not denied Lining the docks was a cheering crowd And I heard that their cheers were very loud Such a triumph for Upham's shipyard The ship sailing on when a storm hit her hard With English oak and canvas sail Mr Charlton's vision would prevail The Brixham Mayflower had arrived And a warm welcome was not denied Lining the docks was a cheering crowd And I heard that their cheers were very loud She'd been launched in the pouring rain Beautifully crafted with axe and plane Christened with a gold loving cup In the harbour to bring her good luck The Brixham Mayflower had arrived And a warm welcome was not denied Lining the docks was a cheering crowd And I heard that their cheers were very loud With thousands of applicants to join her crew The captain could only chose a few Such a triumph for Upham's shipyard The ship sailing on when a storm hit her hard With English oak and canvas sail Mr Charlton's vision would prevail Mr Charlton's vision would prevail
12.
Smokey Joe 02:10
lyrics
buy track
Smokey Joe on Telegraph hill Watching the cars go by I wonder if he'd still be there If he was still alive His face was brown from wood smoke His beard thick with grime Next to the Torquay bound carriageway He would while away the time Smokey Joe on Telegraph hill With his fire and lack of soap His features looked so dirty From the continuous wood smoke I read that he came from Cornwall Where he'd lived in a cave On the journey home from Exter When we saw him we would wave He is a childhood memory One that I cannot forget I still look out for him But time cannot be reset Smokey Joe on Telegraph hill Watching the cars go by I wonder if he'd still be there If he was still alive
13.
Tar Barrels 04:02
lyrics
buy track
Come you good people, come gather around And I’ll tell you a tale of an old Devon town A story of barrels and tar burning bright The strangest of times every Bonfire Night You’re here at your own risk so the signs say Why do they do it, why on this day? A sense of tradition or a strange sense of fun? Or just glad to be part of the Tar Barrel run? It starts with the cannons, how loud they all sound What happens next is sure to astound Then up step the children how proud they all are Of their age-old tradition of barrels and tar A burning barrel tied to your back Your only protection a bit of old sack Friends and family look on in awe As the famous tar barrels are run once more They come In their thousands from far and near To witness the fun and have the odd beer Of the flaming barrels you need to be wary On the fifth of November in Ottery St Mary There’s a fair, and a bonfire for you to admire But most are here for the barrels and fire As the night goes on the barrels get larger And the crowd swells and cheers grow louder Now midnight has passed and the last barrel’s run It’s finished this year and the crowd’s now gone We’ll be counting the days until we return To witness again the tar barrels burn Come you good people, come gather around And I’ll tell you a tale of an old Devon town A story of barrels and tar burning bright The strangest of times every Bonfire Night The strangest of times every Bonfire Night
14.
The Teignmouth Wassail 03:27
lyrics
buy track
Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail We won't detain you too long Let us drink to your health May long you survive Let us drink to your wealth May you prosper and thrive The Teignmouth Wassail, the Teignmouth wassail Lift up your voices in song Second chorus Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail We won't detain you too long Second verse Let your apple trees grow All through the year So the cider can flow With boundless good cheer The Teignmouth Wassail, the Teignmouth wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail We won't detain you too long Our ale is good and our cider is gold Let's merrily toast your fine household As the wassail bowl is passed around And happy voices this day resound Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail We won't detain you too long Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail Lift up your voices in song Wassail, wassail here's to the wassail We won't detain you too long

about

A concept album of songs about Devon

credits

released March 1, 2024

Ian Churchward vocals, guitars, mandola, mandolin and Mellotron keyboard sounds
Lord Zarquon bass guitar, drums and Mellotron keyboard sounds
Martyn Hillstead drums and percussion
Phil Swann guitars, mandolin and bouzouki
Ashley Dyer trumpet
Bridgit England vocals and violin
Elaine Churchward backing vocals
Violet Sheer backing vocals
Peter Cartwright introductions
Album artwork Graham Moores

Recorded in Torquay, Marldon, Teignmouth, Kingsteignton and Madron

Richard the Third Records 2021 R303

license

tags

about

The Legendary Ten Seconds image

The Legendary Ten Seconds Torquay, UK

The Legendary Ten Seconds started off as the solo music project of Ian Churchward during the time when he was the lead guitar player of The Morrisons who were featured on John Peel's radio one show back in 1987. In 2013 Lord Zarquon joined Ian's music project and since then the line up has gradually expanded and various guest musician's and vocalists have helped out in the recording studio. ... more

contact / help

Contact The Legendary Ten Seconds

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Report this album or account

The Legendary Ten Seconds recommends:

If you like The Legendary Ten Seconds, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now