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"Isobel and Jim Kimberley are absolutely knocking it out of the park, and the park next to that park, with these videos.

This is gorgeous."

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY

It has always been the routine of Isobel and Jim Kimberley to rehearse on their balcony, any sunny morning when the couple are not on tour you may well catch them rehearsing outside their modest home. When Corona virus hit the UK in March 2020 and the country went into lockdown, life on the balcony remained as it always had been, on sunny days Isobel and Jim would rehearse outside. We hope that you enjoy these videos, and do subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Best Regards, Isobel and Jim

>> Read the interview by 853.London on "Balcony Shows and Online Gigs: How SE London's musicians adapted to lockdown" <<

TIP JAR

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May 6, 2020

SMUGGLERS

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY We haven't been able to find out much about this wonderful, rollicking song. We found The MacCalman version on a charity shop CD. Ian MacCalman apparently found the song, which is traditional, wrote some new verses and possibly the melody too. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #smugglers #maccalman

May 5, 2020

WALTZING MATILDA

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Written in 1895 by Banjo Patterson, Waltzing Matilda is possibly the most famous Bush Ballad. With a smattering of Australian slang obscuring the meaning if you're not in the know so we'll give you a little dictionary. Firstly "Waltzing" is travelling by foot. "Matilda" is a bag which carries your belongings. "Swagman" is an itinerant worker "Jumbuck" sheep. "Squatter" landowner. "Billabong" is a watering hole. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekim

May 4, 2020

MATTY GROVES

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY An exuberant romp through adultery, swordplay and death, this song exists in many textual variants and has several variant names. The song dates to at least 1613, and under the title Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard is one of the Child Ballads collected by 19th-century American scholar Francis James Child. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #mattygroves #littlemusgrave #ladybarnard #childballads

May 2, 2020

MOLLY LOVELY MOLLY

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY This is a very old song dating back to the early Jacobite rebellions in Scotland. Names of birds feature once again, the Mavis (or Thrush) and the Turtledove sometimes appear as the Lark and the Linnet and even James my King appears as George in some versions. We learned this version from Chan Reid in Hastings. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #lovelymolly #mollylovelymolly

May 1, 2020

THE SHEPHERD'S SONG

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY There have been versions of this song collected from all over England, Gloucester, Herts, Shropshire, all over I say. It is also known as "Stormy Winds" and formed part of the rich vein of inspiration drawn by Edward Elgar from the immense folk cannon. No denying it this song paints the dualistic life of a shepherd, sometimes venerated as at the top of rural society, sometimes cast off as a virtual beggar. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberle

Apr 30, 2020

TWA CORBIES

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY (Child 26) Also known as "Three Ravens," the crows sit in a tree discussing what they will eat for breakfast. Enter the tragic corpse of a Knight, betrayed in love and left to be breakfast for carrion crows. In our time we have performed three different variants on this song, this version is the starkest and most desolate. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #child26 #twacorbies #threeravens

Apr 29, 2020

JOCK STEWART

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY (Roud 975) This is an Irish narrative, the local landowner is in the pub buying drinks for all and generally celebrating his good fortune. Top Chap! Though written from a man's point of view there's been a slew of female singers performing this song with some success, you are indeed "A Man You Won't Meet Every Day". #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #roud975 #jockstewart

Apr 28, 2020

THE SHOALS OF HERRING

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY The Shoals of Herring (Roud 13642) is a ballad, written by Ewan MacColl for the third of the BBC Radio ballads Singing the Fishing, which was first broadcast on August 16, 1960. Ewan MacColl writes that the song was based on the life of Sam Larner, a fisherman and traditional singer from Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk, England. In his youth, Jim went on many a family holiday to Winterton-on-Sea which is perhaps why he feels he may re-work the verse order jus

Apr 25, 2020

NOW WESTLIN WINDS

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Or just as correctly "A Song Composed in August" by Robert Burns. Firmly set in an idyll of hunting and lovemaking, classic poetry from the Ayrshire lad. We have loved #DickGaughan's performance of this song of old. Here we are on the Balcony, #JimKimberley singing, accompanied by Isobel and A Bird. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #nowwestlinwinds #robertburns

Apr 24, 2020

HARES ON THE MOUNTAIN

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY We have had this song in our repertoire for so long I cannot remember who passed it on to us, which is a great shame. The lyric and melody are a little different to any version I can put my hands on. Sometimes attributed to Samuel Lover (1797–1865) there are many beautiful versions of this song out there and it has been collected all over the English speaking world. A super chorus song and a bucolic scene of courtship and love. #songsfromthebalcony #ba

Apr 23, 2020

THE LOVELY JOAN

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY In 1907 Ralph Vaughn Williams collected this song from Christopher Jay of Norfolk. It's been found in other areas of Britain but mostly the South. Joan is waylaid by a flash type on a white horse, despite his offering her gold for a roll in the hay (classy) she turns the situation to her advantage and ends the song with the gold, his horse and her dignity in tact. Nice one Joan! Our guest vocalist is a Great Tit. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thek

Apr 21, 2020

NAY NAY IVY

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Obviously a Christmas carol is just the ticket for a sunny April morning and we have chosen an absolute favourite of ours, "Nay Nay Ivy". From the time of Henry VI it's an early lyric which arguably has become the modern day "Holly and the Ivy". We arranged this for our Christmas With The Kimberleys tour 2018. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #naynayivy #christmasinapril #hollyandtheivy

Apr 20, 2020

TAM LIN

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Tam Lin has been around for hundreds of years, stealing the heart / maidenhead of women who live on the Scottish Borders and squandering their honest affection to get himself out of a rather nasty hole he's in with the Queen of Fairies (doubtless after mucking about with her affections too). Not much sympathy for the bounder in this household, Janet's the star of the show, staying true to her heart and her principals right to the moment the ground swall

Apr 20, 2020

ERIN GO BRAGH

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY A three song medley, firstly "Erin-Go-Bragh", the story of a Highlander being mistaken for an Irishman whilst in Edinburgh. A multi-levelled narrative that flags up racism against the Irish as well as the gulf between Highlanders and the southern half of Scotland. "Hal n Tow" is traditionally a part of May celebrations to welcome the turn of the seasons. With roots in superstition the song would accompany a snake like dance through the town. "Painting B

Apr 18, 2020

EDWARD

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Child Ballad 13, this is a "Murder Ballad" or "Incest Ballad". A young man has made love to his sister then kills her when she falls pregnant. Dark stuff but we enjoy this ballad very much. An arrangement that we first devised when working as "Wolfscoat" back in 2015. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #edward #murderballad

Apr 17, 2020

RUFFORD PARK POACHERS

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY In Rufford Park near Mansfield in 1850 there was a fierce clash between gamekeepers and locals. As far as I can tell the lyric is a true rendition of how events went down, with the ringleaders being tried and sentenced to transportation for up to 14 years. We have been singing this arrangement for close to 20 years now, first devised and performed with great friend Gary Southwell as "A Murder of Rooks". #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys

Apr 17, 2020

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Written by Paisley poet Robert Tannahill in the early 1800's. In this courtship song a young man tries to tempt his love to join him in a romanticised highland idyll. It's a beautiful bit of escapism, it has been widely sung in Scotland and Ireland, in fact anywhere the Scots and Irish settle. So all over the world you could expect people to join in. Jim sings the chorus... "Will you go Lassie go? And we'll all go together To pull wild mountain thyme Al

Apr 16, 2020

SAM HALL

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY From the early 18th century originally, this song has spread all over the English speaking world. This version is English and tells the story of a chimney sweep, taken to the gallows at 24 for stealing. Unrepentant he is reported to have said he would do the same again if he was given his time over. I love the spirit of Sam, righting the financial inequality with his actions in a world where a child could be sold for hard labour. (Roud 169) #songsfromth

Apr 14, 2020

DERWENTWATER'S LAMENT

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY James Radclyffe, third Earl of Derwentwater backed James Stuart's cause in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. Unfortunately he was on the losing side and in 1716 he was beheaded for treason in the Tower of London. This song is a favourite of Jim's, the lyrics are a deeply moving tale of loyalty and lost causes and dry eyes are rare. The lyrics are a true to the original but Isobel wrote the melody and The Kimberleys arranged it. #songsfromthebalcony #balconys

Apr 13, 2020

THE WHITSUN DANCE

SONGS FROM THE BALCONY Today we're in the porch (still on the balcony) as it's windy out and we were being buffeted about. Singing AJ Marshall's "The Whitsun Dance", a moving song which paints a beautiful and heartbreakingly accurate picture of women who lost their menfolk to the first world war. It's taken me years to not weep a little when singing this song, what a combination of sorrow and beauty. #songsfromthebalcony #balconysongs #thekimberleys #whitsun #whitsundance #aj