HTGCD606

Bernard Miles

I was born into a non-conformist family and as a child loved hearing my Grandfather telling me Bible Stories in the language of our native heath – David and Goliath, Noah Cramming the last animals into the all ready full Ark, Jesus walking on the water, the star leading the Wise Men to Bethlehem and Mary and Joseph escaping from Herod’s fury by the long trek into Egypt and so on.
I knew that the stories were mostly about working – class people and their occupations. Adam, a gardener, a group of shepherds minding their sheep, a baby born in a stable amongst farm animals, growing up to become a carpenter and choosing for his followers a group of likely lads, mostly fisherman.
So I set out to retell the story Jesus as I remembered my Grandfather telling it to me in his Hertfordshire speech, the language of his peasant birthplace.
And here it is
Bernard Miles October 1986

1. God’s Brainwave
2. A Baby Boy
3. Herod Tries to Knock Him Off
4. The Devil Has a Go
5. A Few Likely Lads
6. Money Grabbers
7. The Sermon on the Mountain
8. Brush My Coat and Give My Shoes a Rub
9. Quieting a Storm
10. Don’t Leave Any Litter
11. Guv’nor I’m Going Under
12. Don’t Kick the Bucket
13. As Right as Ninepence
14. A Blind Man Sees
15. A Kindly Gypsy
16. Trying His Luck in the Big City
17. Wakey Wakey Lazarus Boy
18. Good Old Jesus
19. You Better Come Quietly, Mate
20. Peter Tries to Brazen it Out
21. Dirty Money
22. Mate, Save Yourself
23. Don’t be Scared, Girls
24. Boys, It’s Only Me
25. Only a Few Sprats

Copyright Bernard Miles

Produced & mixed by Mark Owers and Robin Black

Cover illustration taken from an original painting ‘Pandora’ 1989 by Steve Webb

All songs words & music Mark Owers & Steve Owers