Alan Bell - Bread and Fishes live @ 17th Fylde Folk Festival 1989

[@stephenracklyeft9929]

Heard the Houghton weavers sing this this is as good as that lovely song

[@ClaudiaEngelberger]

Thank you Alan Bell, a million times, for this song. 🙏 Coming to me and my family on an audio casette of the Medley Folk Band, it was my favourite song as a child. I fell asleep to in on many night drives on Camping trips with my family. I just loved that so much, and these memories will last forever. ❤

[@daweshorizon]

Total genius, this Alan Bell song will live forever. Love and peace.

[@Berniegraph]

An English folk classic from Alan Bell. What a legacy he left! And featuring the inimitable Kevin Whelan on fiddle, a very talented musician I was privileged to play with.

[@shaunjones6621]

this song brings back some good old memories we would sing it in junior school assembly sometimes thank you very much sir for this song being part of my childhood

[@chrismartin6427]

Me to back in 1995ish manor hall middle school

[@ribblelad1]

wonderful man alan.Met him many times over 25 years at the fylde folk festival

[@garybrindle6715]

Part of my wonderful introduction to the folk scene in Blackpool and Fleetwood during the sixties and seventies , Alan and his fello Taverners folk group were always friendly . So much energy and help was given by volunteers at the festival which could not have happened without them all.

[@Carlton235]

Great song, and good to see Kevin playing his fiddle too!

[@alexmorris452]

The man’s a master of his trade ,,,,,,,

[@theresalee9143]

Beautiful song lovely words.🙏🙏

[@swvacollings290]

In some ways, isn't the greatest compliment a Traditional Musician can receive is when people think a song you've created is actually an "old folk song?" Of course, Mr. Bell deserves any copyright royalties do duly earned ;) !!! Learned this from Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy, but so lovely to hear the composer's own take on his own work. Thank you Mr. Bell, and, the kind person who posted this gem. PS fans may want to read a Sci-Fi story by Arthur C Clarke written shortly before his death called, I think, “The Light of Other Days.” In an accidental discovery of a type of televiewing of the past, Scientists decide to watch the life of Christ to discover what really happened. They find out that, among other things, the old legend is true and he actually traveled with his father Joseph on a long trading and buying journey. Joseph, in the story, was not a mere humble carpenter, but a successful builder and tradesman who traveled the Roman world.

[@TheAdvancedMusic]

+swvacollings290 I just one of Alan Bell's songs (windmills) sung at my local session in Inverness, Scotland. Good to know his songs are still reaching out.

[@ytrossjcampbell]

Nice to hear the old Alan Bell Band - Stuart Robinson (Robbo) on a guitar he may have made himself under the guidance of Roger Bucknall, Alan himself on English concertina, Kevin Whelan on an as-yet unadulterated fiddle and Bernie Brewin on electric bass.

[@kisskari]

BREAD AND FISHES -- Words & music by Alan Bell of the (Blackpool) Taverners - 1968 (from their '74 LP Times of old England) (See lyrics with (? orig.) chords below.) 1 (As) I was a-walking one morning in spring, D G A D I met with some travellers in an old country lane. '' One was an old man, the second a maid, '' The third was a young boy who smiled as he said, '' Chorus: "With the wind in the willows and the birds in the sky, G D G D As a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie, G D Em A We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine D G A D To share on our journey with all of mankind". D Em A D 2 So I sat down beside them with the gay flowers around, We ate from a mantle spread out on the ground. They told me of peoples (and), prophets and kings And all of the one God who knew everything. Chorus... 3 So I asked them to tell me their names and their race That I may remember their kindness and grace. "My name it is Joseph, this is Mary, my wife, And this is our young son, who is our dear life." Chorus... 4 "We're travelling to Glaston through England's green lanes To hear of men's troubles, to hear of men's pains. We travel the wide world over lands and the sea To tell all the people how they can be free." Chorus... 5 So sadly I left them in that old country lane, I know that I never shall see them again. One was an old man, the second a maid, The third was a young boy who smiled as he said, Chorus: "With the wind in the willows and the birds in the sky, As a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie, We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine To share on our journey with all of mankind".

[@philannie9]

💕

[@ClaudiaEngelberger]

Can anyone tell me more about the old storiy Alan is referring to in the interview? Thanks! 🙏

[@TheAdvancedMusic]

Joseph of Arimathea, said to have buried Jesus and had custody of the Holy Grail, possibly deposited while he supposedly visited Britain. Not much is known for certain about the man, which has given rise to all manner of legends (arguably cynically devised, if you're sceptical about such things, to confer undue prestige upon various places and people).

[@ClaudiaEngelberger]

@@TheAdvancedMusic Thank you! :)

[@kisskari]

And here is the original studio recording by the Taverners (from their last, '74 LP): kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3_ChGuBpMmIqtU