UKC

Climbers tend to be good singers - all that time on belays or staying warm in the cold..

How many songs do you know actually about climbing?

How's this for a new take on a classic rock route from a rising start of the Warrington folk scene - Chris Manasseh

youtube.com/watch?v=n0bLh-qxOkY&

In reply to jvarmstrong:

This guy has a few

http://odubmusic.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

In reply to jvarmstrong:

The mystery of why we climb explained to music in 2 and half minutes.

youtube.com/watch?v=HU2ftCitvyQ&

In reply to jvarmstrong:

I've got one.

Eddy Grant

"We're gonna ROCK down to Electric Avenue...
And then we'll take it HIGHER"

Do I win £5?

In reply to jvarmstrong:


I'd like to pull you up right there......

In reply to jvarmstrong:

'Head, and Shoulders Knees and Toes',

sums it all up for me.

In reply to GrahamD:

Ok agreed maybe keen rather than good would be a better generalisation.

In reply to Dell:

no but maybe Bob Marley's Jamming might have ..

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Well not about climbing, but on a superficial basis we adopted Coldplay's 'Up and Up' as our Dolomite trip 'track of the week', back in June this year. Each morning started with it playing over breakfast (usually 06:00).
The bonus is that every time I hear it I'm reminded of a great week of climbing and a lovely place.

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Outdoor type - by Tom Morgan (Smudge), then the Lemonheads and latterly Frank Turner. Popular amongst musicians anyway.

In reply to jvarmstrong:
Graham Parker's "I can't get no protection"
More seriously, Big Country's "In a Big Country" captures the feel of being in the mountains for me. The Runrig song "Nightfall on Marsco" fits too.(Rory MacDonald is a keen hill runner and knows the Cuillin well)

In reply to jvarmstrong:

"Ali in the Jungle" by The Hours pays lyrical homage to Joe Simpson's Siula Grande epic - among other acts of heroism/defying the odds.

In reply to Iain Thow:

I was beaten to it with Bob Marley, but here's a few more:

Rocket From The Crypt: Hanging on a Rope
Massive Attack: Protection
Peatbog Faeries: Ascent of Conival

And I believe the Mighty Boosh referred to their improvised tunes as "Crimps" ...!

In reply to jvarmstrong:

youtube.com/watch?v=7VBex8zbDRs&

thanks all - some great suggestions coming forth

if possible could you add link to your song/lyrics choice ?

In reply to jvarmstrong:

David Crosby did a song called Climber. Actually a good song, though some of the lyrics are a bit cringe-worthy.

In reply to Michael Gordon:

The Ledge by Mary Gauthier

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Came across a similar version to this on UKC a while ago which is exactly how I feel sometimes, a take on a (popular?) song:

I know it's out of fashion
And a trifle uncool
But I can't help it
I'm a romantic fool
It's a habit of mine
To watch the sun go down
On Stanage Edge, I watch the sun go down

From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
My job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps me pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Stanage Edge some day

On a silent summer evening
The sky's alive with light
Building in the distance
Surrealistic sight
On Strange Edge
Ring Ouzels make the only sound
On Stanage
There's not a soul around

From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
My job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps me pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Stanage Edge some day

Stanage Edge
Far away in time
Stanage Edge
Far away in time

REPEAT AND FADE

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Didn't Mylie Cyrus do a song about The Climb as a metaphor for the trials of life..................................I'll get my coat.

In reply to jvarmstrong:

I always liked "Onward Christian Bonnington" from Patey's "One Man's Mountains". Somewhat older, in the '50s, Showell Styles produced "The Mountaineer's Weekend Book" (I have my father's copy) which has a selection of climbing songs towards the back.

In reply to jvarmstrong:

"The limestone climber"........I've climbed on your granite, I've climbed on your grit and I think that your sandstone's a whole load of s***

Or a parody of the "streets of Laveredo".....As I was a walking the black cliffs of Cloggy, I spied a young climber walking towards me, I spied a young climber all dressed in white linen....

In reply to jvarmstrong:
There's loads:

Presley: Can't help falling...

Paul Simon: Slip sliding away

Beatles: With a little help from my friends (about pulling on gear)

Laughing boy Leonard Cohen: Like a bird on a wire (woman climber has a short rest)

Sam Cooke (singing as a tricky eliminate): You send me

Diana Ross: Lady slings the blues

Desmond Decker (himself a climbing term): Ohhhh Ohhh the is rhyolites


Right. Off to think of a few more whist I count the richly earned dislikes....

In reply to jvarmstrong:

The Parnassus MC of Sheffield produced a club songbook in the 60's which was very good, and of course Pateys book stands the test of time. Unfortunately the days of climbers singsongs in the pub after climbing seem to have gone.

In reply to johnjohn:

Good stuff - like from me

Whilst there's probably a huge number of songs with lyrics that have a climbing analogy -"Rock&Roll" returning to the starting question do we know of any singers/climbers who have published song about a specific route aka DOWH?

In reply to jvarmstrong:
You've got to have "Meet on the ledge" with the sublime Sandy Denny

"The way is up.. the air is growing thin"

and the second verse (a paeon to soloing!)

"And now I see, I'm all alone, but that's the only way to be.... "

youtube.com/watch?v=avX5VlU7MXM&

Or Richard Thompson doing slightly more grizzled version youtube.com/watch?v=QF7rq12UCUE&

(Thought I posted this already but apparently not)

In reply to Slarti B:

She also did a song called Solo, after leaving Fairhead I think

The chorus starts "I've just gone solo..."

In reply to jvarmstrong:
The Lemonheads - The Outdoor Type, references rock climbing in the last verse, although he isn't keen.

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Shameless bit of self-promotion but here's a song about escaping to the mountains...

youtube.com/watch?v=pSD_nSoC-g8&

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Not quite but....

I did a new route on wednesday just gone that has the same name as the single of my band released on the same day.

youtube.com/watch?v=lcBQo1XzvkI&

In reply to Long Pinky:

I'm liking this a lot, thank you!

In reply to jvarmstrong: Although not a climbing song per se, this always reminds me of the emotions of being on rock: youtube.com/watch?v=wziJqdq4LcA&

Andy F

In reply to jvarmstrong:

Captain Kirk in Yosemite has this covered:

youtube.com/watch?v=HU2ftCitvyQ&

In reply to jvarmstrong:

This has always been my favourite:

The dirty old highland climber
Came a wandering over the land
With his rucksack on his shoulder
And his ice-axe in his hand
With his great big north wall hammer
And his pitons hanging free
And yard and a half of nylon
Hanging down below his knee

Hanging down, swinging free Oscillating
merrily With a yard and a half of nylon
Hanging down below his knee

The Lady of the Manor
Was dressing for the Ball
When she spied the highland climber
Banging Pegs into the wall (who's Pegs)
She wrote to him a letter
And in it she did say
"I would rather climb with you, sir,
Than my husband any day!"
He rode up the Manor
He rode up to the hall
And he even made the butler
Do a lay back up the wall
The climber he is dead now
And buried in St. Pools
It took four and twenty mountain guides
To carry out his tools