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This is our past repertoire.

For current repertoire items listed click here.

Click on the image to the left of the song title for an audio extract. All extracts come from our CD.

Note that all links below - other than the audio extract and the lyric - are external links and open in a new window.

Agnus Dei

Amazing Grace

Blue Bayou/Under The Boardwalk/Key Largo

Ave Maria

Music: Franz Biebl

Bring Out The Banners

California Dreaming

Music: John Phillips

Lyric: John and Michelle Phillips (The Mamas and the Papas)

Arrangement: Gary Smith

Deep River

Music and Lyrics: Old Negro Melody

Arrangement: Henry (Harry) Thacker Burleigh

"Respectfully dedicated to Miss Mary Jordan"

Dido and Aeneas

Music: An opera in 3 acts by: Henry Purcell

Click here for details of our 2004 performance

Ding Dong Daddy

Music and Lyrics: Wynona Carr

Arrangement: Gary Smith

Down to the River to Pray

Music and Lyrics: Anon

Arrangement: Gary Smith

El Pueblo Unido

Music and Lyric: Sergio Ortega

El pueblo unido jamás será vencido (The people united will never be defeated) was written in about 1970. It rose in popularity after Pinochet's 1973 coup. The song has been universally adopted as a protest song

Emabhaceni

Music and Lyric: Anon

Arrangement: Miriam Makeba

image of a painting of michael praetorius

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

Music: Michael Praetorius

Lyric: Traditional

This appears to be a 16th Century German Carol first published in Cologne in 1600. Michael Praetorius published his harmonization in 1609. The English translation is sometimes stated as "Lo how a rose e’er blooming" or "A spotless rose is growing".

German and English versions of the lyric.

Often sung to the popular English lyrics "A Great and Mighty Wonder".

Every Day I Write The Book

Factory

Music and Lyric: Bruce Springsteen

Arrangement: Flying Pickets (transcribed by Stephen Taberner)

Bruce Springsteen grew up in working class Freehold New Jersey. It may be no surprise to anyone who has heard or read the lyric to this song that his father (Douglas) had a number of jobs including prison guard, bus driver and factory labourer.

(Thanks to ex-Cleffie Jacqui K for the arrangement memory jogging.)

Gaudate!

Music: Piae Cantiones (1582)

As sung by Steeleye Span

Hawaii Aloha

Music: Rev. Lorenzo Lyons (known as Makua Laiana)

Arrangement: Gary Smith

Hush

I'll Fly Away

Music and Lyric: Alfred E Brumley

This arrangement was passed on to The Cleftomaniacs in one furious Monday night session by the Amazing Grace Bros

I'm A Believer

Kyrie

Music: William Byrd, Edited Henry Washington

La Peregrinacion

Music: Ariel Ramirez

Locus Iste

Music: Anton Bruckner

Mary Lou

Music: Ronnie Hawkins

Arrangement: Gary Smith

Matona, Mia Cara

Music and Lyric: Orlando di Lasso

Written in the mid 16th century, this could be described as a baudy love song. Coming from somewhere vaguely in Southern Europe, scholars have debated an accurate English translation but it is something like the following:

"My dear Lady,
I'd love to sing a song below your window.
I'm a lancer,
and a good lad.

"Please listen to me,
for I sing well,
and I love you greatly,
as a Greek does his capon.

"When I go hunting,
hunting with a falcon,
I'll bring you woodcocks as fat as a kidney.

"Though I do not know so many elegant phases,
and know nothing of Petrarch,
or the fountain of Helicon.

"If you'll have me,
I'm no laggard,
I'll make love to you all night long,
thrusting like a ram."