Oh my god! i can't believe i've found this! I'm the kid who pokes his head up at 0:18 :D! Its really weird looking at myself four years ago but what i remember to this day was how brilliant Chris was on that stage and how he inspired me to become a musician. hopefully i'll one day be on that stage myself :)
What a song. It takes proper talent to use such simple words to say such complicated things. "She kissed him once and walked away, her tears were on his lips".
I don't understand why this guy isn't huge. Don't know the answer to this question but I'll ask it anyway, Why is English folk music not more prevelent in English culture? I'm Irish and you can hear Irish folk music in the main stream media farily easily don't get that on the bbc channel 4 or itv unless it's a specalised show. by the way this is an amazing song
Superlatives are not enough for this, the folk singer at his finest. Taking an everyday occurrence and raising it up to an epic event. The pure power of the folk song to inform and bring something fabulous to life.
i heard this amazing song on a late night irish radio show while driving home...i feel in love with it instantly..chris woods is a true artist...he has a natural gift to tell a story..hell of a guitarist as well,,,so glad i discovered his songs..
Bren Kelly Wow, I must've been listening to the same show. It was 1130 and I was on the way from Newmarket On Fergus on the way back to Spiddal on a Wednesday night. I couldn't believe it. I was transfixed from the top to the end.
Curtisunit Me too. I was staying in Dowra with some friends of mine. We were driving back from Enniskillen. I thought it must have been a tape, but obviously not. Tony turned on the radio, right at the beginning of the song. Imagine the chances of that. It would probably be about one in a million. My favourite is when I first came to Caledonia though
the nuanced depth of the feeling in Billy's sentiment is so wonderfully expressed when, despite his love for her, the bigger aspect of his affection attends to what she wants in life (that, he believes, doesn't include him) once she has the chance to sell the ring that's been found. Ordinary and everyday circumstance with a rare and special theme! Fantastic contrast.
I never fail to well up when hearing this.Fortunately he has never played on the occasions that I have seen him in concert .thanks for the posting I can happily blab in the privacy of home with only my boys mocking me!
Don't know if Chris will ever see this but whatever. You are a genius, finding the beauty in the ordinary and such an extraordinary way of reflecting love, loss and hope, in both your own songs and more traditional pieces. This is so very beautiful and anyone who isn't moved to tears has no real understanding or heart.
This was my 'gig of 2009' and this song is in my all time top ten. Chris Wood is a storyteller of great genius. One man and a guitar can generate powerful stuff.
this has got to be the most beautiful song i have ever heard. it is truly amazing and i could listen to it all day and it would never fail to make me well up. a work of true genius
I really like this form of narrative.... the happy ending warms your heart...has that feeling of familiarity from the fist hearing... a re-working of a traditional tale? lovely, real, performance.
Beautiful, beautiful song. Reduced me to tears at Sidmouth and I'm not sure why it affected me so much. Thank you Chris for creating this from Hugh's lyrics
Quite simply stunning. Sublime lyrical story telling (who ever wrote them), combined with wonderful melodic counterpoints on the guitar. Any lover of music could't ask for more.
i know everyone ses 'best love song ever' but i've been listining to this song ,maybe 10 yrs or there abouts ,seems like ,for me it's the best love song ever.Cheers Chris Wood and the person who put on here x
such a cool fella, magnificent purveyor of a story. Reminds me of John Spillane in his ability to bring a story alive. Thats surely the mark of a great folk singer, no matter what he sings it reminds me of home - oh to be back in the mutton lane for a session
Bluebuthappy182.you could certainly say the same about many english singers. Have a listen to Martyn Wyndham -Read for instance, absolute magic, also the great Nic Jones.. [ Re your comment on Chris Wood]. this is a lovely song.
I knew Chris in Amsterdam in the very early '80 a gent then and great folk singer. I've a great LP from then I treasure. I'd love to introduce you all to "He said he was a freeman" but I can't find any video of it. Shame. Great relevance to Ireland BTW
@Bluebuthappy182 I wouldn't consider Christy Moore to be huge in the conventional sense - was thinking more of arena tours and global fame - but would you go up to him and shake his hand, nonetheless? It's a fine line between awe and fear; Jon Boden or Simon Nicol, for instance are on the "awe" side, deffo, but I would have second thoughts about going up to Richard Thompson and saying "hi" :-s
@farnishk As i said I'm from Ireland I mention that becasue i kind of see Chris Woods as analogous to Christy Moore but literally everyone in Ireland knows Christy. It doesn't mean that people can't approach him, or that he is alienated from them if anything i'd say people feel they know him personnaly as he's sung to them for so long and in an Irish music context he has real gravitas. That's what i mean. Don't know that Chris 'want's to be more popular than he is i dont 'know him
@Bluebuthappy182 Chris wouldn't want to be "huge" - he stands for the ordinary person; fame is alienation from the ordinary. When you no longer feel comfortable shaking someone's hand then they are not one of you - that's what being "huge" means.
Ol’ Bateman kept a chip shop And his daughter Peggy-Sue She cleaned the fish and took the orders She chopped the taties too And the fryer there was Billy Smith He sweated and he sang As the orders sizzled in the oil And bubbled in the pan Ol’ Bateman took the money And his daughter Peggy Sue She'd look up from her labours And she'd smile along the queue Oh and was it Bateman's prices Or was it Billy's song Or was it Peggy's smile That kept the queue so long It was one in a million One in a million That chipper was One in a million No it wasn't Bateman's prices Nor it wasn't Billy's song But it was Peggy Bateman Who kept the queue so long She was shapely as a mermaid And her lips were red and wet Her eyes as bright as herrings Flashing in the net And to carry home a portion And unwrap its fishy charms Was to dream of nights of passion In lovely Peggy's arms Oh and Billy'd sing “Delilah” He'd sing “Oh What A Night” And every song that Billy sang Had Peggy in its sights She was one in a million One in a million That girl was one in a million Now Billy he's loved Peggy With a love both shy and true Since first ol’ Bateman took him on On the day that he left school And he tells her how he loves her In every song he sings But as the batter bubbles Oh he never says a thing But every week a fiver into a drawer he drops Every week for eight long years now Then it’s off to the jeweller's shop “Give me that ring there in the window On the purple velvet stand With the diamonds and bright sapphires The one that costs two grand” It was one in a million One in a million That ring was one in a million After closing time that evening He walks her down beside the quay And as the sun was sinking he says “Peggy marry me” And he pulls it from his pocket he says “I bought this ring for you” She said “Billy, this is sudden I never had a clue” She said “Billy, I hardly know you So stop before you start Never fool around with plastic In matters of the heart You tried to win me with this thing here You probably won in some arcade!” She tore it from his fingers And she flung it in the waves it was one in a million One in a million His love for her was one in a million Billy turned away then And she took him by the arm She said “Billy love, I'm sorry I never meant no harm Oh you're kindly and you're comforting And I love it when you sing But in all the years I've known you You never said a thing But I've got a dream that’s solid gold None of your gilded tin: Five pounds a week on the lottery One day soon I'll win Oh and I'll be shot of this old town And greasy fish and chips” She kissed him once and walked away His tears were on her lips Dream on, Peggy Bateman Dream on Peggy-Sue Of sunsets and of sports cars As you smile along the queue Dream days to months and months to years In reveries of luck... But never for her dreaming Did her numbers once come up As she was cleaning fish one day With a slit from tail to jaw Something slithered through her fingers And fell onto the floor She took it over to the sink then And she washed the shining thing Bright diamonds and bright sapphires Set in a golden ring It was one in a million one in a million The chances were one in a million “Oh Billy love your rings come back And underneath this light I can see it’s made of purest gold The stones are shining bright” And Billy stood beside her With a smile like the sun He put it on her finger, he said “Peggy-Sue you've won! Sell the ring and taste the freedom You dreamt of all these years” He kissed her then and as they kissed They could taste each other’s tears “Billy go back to your frying And sing me ‘Love Is Blue’ You’re kindly and your comforting Id rather stay with you It was one in a million When the chips were down It was one in a million
@farnishk Christy's not huge in the global sense but i'd think you'd be surpreised how popular he is abroad. I was never really thinking about areana tours anyway. Just more recognition amoung the general population and particularly with young indi/pop musicians. As to wheather or not I'd shake Christy Moore's hand. Yea of course i would. Not saying I'd have a 10 minute conversation with him just a nod a smile and nice to meet you. As for Richard Thompson I'd love to say the same to him too
I still come back to this video after 10 years. Thanks
Almost 15 years after finding this and it still brings me to tears
So beautiful a ballad
Oh my god! i can't believe i've found this! I'm the kid who pokes his head up at 0:18 :D! Its really weird looking at myself four years ago but what i remember to this day was how brilliant Chris was on that stage and how he inspired me to become a musician. hopefully i'll one day be on that stage myself :)
What a lovely thing! He’s inspired me to learn guitar at 44!
tears rolling down my face to this song. beautiful.
Every time I hear it this is the same effect on me.
Made me tear up too, first time I’ve ever heard it. What a performance
What a song. It takes proper talent to use such simple words to say such complicated things. "She kissed him once and walked away, her tears were on his lips".
Hugh Lupton was the lyricist
"His tears were on her lips......"
I don't understand why this guy isn't huge.
Don't know the answer to this question but I'll ask it anyway, Why is English folk music not more prevelent in English culture? I'm Irish and you can hear Irish folk music in the main stream media farily easily don't get that on the bbc channel 4 or itv unless it's a specalised show. by the way this is an amazing song
Because English identity is suppressed or has been hijacked by the far right unfortunately
we've all been Billy Smith at some time in our lives. Beautiful song and a tremendous performance!
Superlatives are not enough for this, the folk singer at his finest. Taking an everyday occurrence and raising it up to an epic event. The pure power of the folk song to inform and bring something fabulous to life.
i heard this amazing song on a late night irish radio show while driving home...i feel in love with it instantly..chris woods is a true artist...he has a natural gift to tell a story..hell of a guitarist as well,,,so glad i discovered his songs..
Bren Kelly Wow, I must've been listening to the same show. It was 1130 and I was on the way from Newmarket On Fergus on the way back to Spiddal on a Wednesday night. I couldn't believe it. I was transfixed from the top to the end.
Curtisunit
Me too. I was staying in Dowra with some friends of mine. We were driving back from Enniskillen. I thought it must have been a tape, but obviously not. Tony turned on the radio, right at the beginning of the song. Imagine the chances of that. It would probably be about one in a million. My favourite is when I first came to Caledonia though
Iam living ,but whey so long to find this now iam going leaving so glad it was all worth it now xxx
Chris is such a fine storyteller. A troubador of the highest caliber. Thanks for sharing...
the nuanced depth of the feeling in Billy's sentiment is so wonderfully expressed when, despite his love for her, the bigger aspect of his affection attends to what she wants in life (that, he believes, doesn't include him) once she has the chance to sell the ring that's been found. Ordinary and everyday circumstance with a rare and special theme! Fantastic contrast.
Take a bow Chris
I never fail to well up when hearing this.Fortunately he has never played on the occasions that I have seen him in concert .thanks for the posting I can happily blab in the privacy of home with only my boys mocking me!
This song is like a gripping novel that you can't put down.
Goosebumps at the end. Great stuff.
Don't know if Chris will ever see this but whatever. You are a genius, finding the beauty in the ordinary and such an extraordinary way of reflecting love, loss and hope, in both your own songs and more traditional pieces. This is so very beautiful and anyone who isn't moved to tears has no real understanding or heart.
I hope everyone finds their Peggy or Billy, amazing song.
This was my 'gig of 2009' and this song is in my all time top ten. Chris Wood is a storyteller of great genius. One man and a guitar can generate powerful stuff.
Fitting song Chris you are one in a billion!
Great lyrics . Thanks Mr Difford for the introduction to this.
“And walked away” and then that chord! Wow!
this has got to be the most beautiful song i have ever heard. it is truly amazing and i could listen to it all day and it would never fail to make me well up. a work of true genius
I really like this form of narrative.... the happy ending warms your heart...has that feeling of familiarity from the fist hearing... a re-working of a traditional tale? lovely, real, performance.
Wow!!! Superb song and ultimate performance.
I loved it and look forward to hearing other of Chris' numbers
Beautiful, beautiful song. Reduced me to tears at Sidmouth and I'm not sure why it affected me so much. Thank you Chris for creating this from Hugh's lyrics
Wonderful, great song, great performance, thanks for posting....very special...!!!
Quite simply stunning. Sublime lyrical story telling (who ever wrote them), combined with wonderful melodic counterpoints on the guitar. Any lover of music could't ask for more.
i know everyone ses 'best love song ever' but i've been listining to this song ,maybe 10 yrs or there abouts ,seems like ,for me it's the best love song ever.Cheers Chris Wood and the person who put on here x
Wonderful,my eyes are damp. Should have released as a single.
this is perfect. Nothing else to say. I'm sobbing my heart out. What an astonishing man
adorable ! one of the best songwriters ever.
I love this song so much, but everyone should probably know the Hugh Lupton wrote the words
I,d never heard him till he did ( hollow point ) that got me hooked.
that had me hooked from start to finish x
i cry everytime i hear this, i would love to see him.
I love this song. Watching this clip last year made me buy Albion. Thank you :)
awww, this always make me cry :P
such a cool fella, magnificent purveyor of a story. Reminds me of John Spillane in his ability to bring a story alive. Thats surely the mark of a great folk singer, no matter what he sings it reminds me of home - oh to be back in the mutton lane for a session
Beautiful 💖
So beautiful
Bluebuthappy182.you could certainly say the same about many english singers. Have a listen to Martyn Wyndham -Read for instance, absolute magic, also the great Nic Jones.. [ Re your comment on Chris Wood]. this is a lovely song.
Now that's how to write a song
I knew Chris in Amsterdam in the very early '80 a gent then and great folk singer. I've a great LP from then I treasure.
I'd love to introduce you all to "He said he was a freeman" but I can't find any video of it. Shame. Great relevance to Ireland BTW
@Peter O Connor, that was Tim Wood, not Chris Wood, who sang "Free Man". He's another great singer who deserves more recognition.
Wow!
@Bluebuthappy182 I wouldn't consider Christy Moore to be huge in the conventional sense - was thinking more of arena tours and global fame - but would you go up to him and shake his hand, nonetheless? It's a fine line between awe and fear; Jon Boden or Simon Nicol, for instance are on the "awe" side, deffo, but I would have second thoughts about going up to Richard Thompson and saying "hi" :-s
Sublime. Can't really add much more
he didn't write the lyrics but this song blows me away, truely
see you at the Kitchen Garden Cafe tomorrow ...
@farnishk As i said I'm from Ireland I mention that becasue i kind of see Chris Woods as analogous to Christy Moore but literally everyone in Ireland knows Christy. It doesn't mean that people can't approach him, or that he is alienated from them if anything i'd say people feel they know him personnaly as he's sung to them for so long and in an Irish music context he has real gravitas. That's what i mean. Don't know that Chris 'want's to be more popular than he is i dont 'know him
@Bluebuthappy182 Chris wouldn't want to be "huge" - he stands for the ordinary person; fame is alienation from the ordinary. When you no longer feel comfortable shaking someone's hand then they are not one of you - that's what being "huge" means.
Ol’ Bateman kept a chip shop
And his daughter Peggy-Sue
She cleaned the fish and took the orders
She chopped the taties too
And the fryer there was Billy Smith
He sweated and he sang
As the orders sizzled in the oil
And bubbled in the pan
Ol’ Bateman took the money
And his daughter Peggy Sue
She'd look up from her labours
And she'd smile along the queue
Oh and was it Bateman's prices
Or was it Billy's song
Or was it Peggy's smile
That kept the queue so long
It was one in a million
One in a million
That chipper was
One in a million
No it wasn't Bateman's prices
Nor it wasn't Billy's song
But it was Peggy Bateman
Who kept the queue so long
She was shapely as a mermaid
And her lips were red and wet
Her eyes as bright as herrings Flashing in the net
And to carry home a portion
And unwrap its fishy charms
Was to dream of nights of passion
In lovely Peggy's arms
Oh and Billy'd sing “Delilah”
He'd sing “Oh What A Night”
And every song that Billy sang
Had Peggy in its sights
She was one in a million
One in a million
That girl was one in a million
Now Billy he's loved Peggy
With a love both shy and true
Since first ol’ Bateman took him on
On the day that he left school
And he tells her how he loves her In every song he sings
But as the batter bubbles
Oh he never says a thing
But every week a fiver into a drawer he drops
Every week for eight long years now Then it’s off to the jeweller's shop
“Give me that ring there in the window On the purple velvet stand
With the diamonds and bright sapphires
The one that costs two grand”
It was one in a million
One in a million
That ring was one in a million
After closing time that evening
He walks her down beside the quay And as the sun was sinking he says “Peggy marry me”
And he pulls it from his pocket he says “I bought this ring for you”
She said “Billy, this is sudden I never had a clue”
She said “Billy, I hardly know you
So stop before you start
Never fool around with plastic In matters of the heart
You tried to win me with this thing here You probably won in some arcade!” She tore it from his fingers
And she flung it in the waves
it was one in a million
One in a million
His love for her was one in a million
Billy turned away then
And she took him by the arm
She said “Billy love, I'm sorry I never meant no harm
Oh you're kindly and you're comforting And I love it when you sing
But in all the years I've known you
You never said a thing
But I've got a dream that’s solid gold None of your gilded tin: Five pounds a week on the lottery
One day soon I'll win
Oh and I'll be shot of this old town
And greasy fish and chips”
She kissed him once and walked away His tears were on her lips
Dream on, Peggy Bateman
Dream on Peggy-Sue
Of sunsets and of sports cars
As you smile along the queue
Dream days to months and months to years In reveries of luck...
But never for her dreaming
Did her numbers once come up
As she was cleaning fish one day
With a slit from tail to jaw
Something slithered through her fingers
And fell onto the floor
She took it over to the sink then
And she washed the shining thing Bright diamonds and bright sapphires Set in a golden ring
It was one in a million
one in a million
The chances were one in a million
“Oh Billy love your rings come back And underneath this light
I can see it’s made of purest gold
The stones are shining bright”
And Billy stood beside her
With a smile like the sun
He put it on her finger, he said “Peggy-Sue you've won!
Sell the ring and taste the freedom You dreamt of all these years”
He kissed her then and as they kissed They could taste each other’s tears “Billy go back to your frying
And sing me ‘Love Is Blue’
You’re kindly and your comforting
Id rather stay with you
It was one in a million
When the chips were down
It was one in a million
Mmmmm
Anyone know where I can get the lyrics for this song?
@farnishk Christy's not huge in the global sense but i'd think you'd be surpreised how popular he is abroad. I was never really thinking about areana tours anyway. Just more recognition amoung the general population and particularly with young indi/pop musicians. As to wheather or not I'd shake Christy Moore's hand. Yea of course i would. Not saying I'd have a 10 minute conversation with him just a nod a smile and nice to meet you. As for Richard Thompson I'd love to say the same to him too
@whitehorsetom I actually think his version of Lord Bateman is actually better than this. It's a classic done to perfection on the same album.
Does anybody know what make guitar he's playing?
he had a David Oddy but I don't think it's this one
Fish & chips with a big dollop of mushy peas
good for you Gregory with the posh name
Just missed him at Malvern..sad as hell..don’t expect I will have the chance again…deus vult
hey Greg you must be all of 9 now
Simon Cowell looks more vapid and shallow with every unfolding verse...
Love this song!!!!