Paul Smith: This song was vaguely inspired by the bleak, gnarled landscapes depicted by Paul Nash in his role as an official WW1 artist, such as the mockingly-titled 'We are Making a New World' (1918). In that context, the song speaks for itself. This was the first original song I brought to Rachel, to see if she might be interested in collaborating, and to see if our two musical worlds might have a meeting point.
liner notes of the album
Paul comments: “The Natural Urge is, ultimately, an anti-war song, but I tried to write something more atmospheric and less obvious than that might imply. The guitar riff reminded me of a folk melody, and the theme also seemed to fit with the tradition of protest.”
Rachel adds: “I enjoy the brooding atmosphere that builds through The Natural Urge with layered harmonium and guitar, and how the clarinet blends with our voices, making it sound like a haunting third voice.”
Paul Smith: “Questa canzone si ispira vagamente ai paesaggi desolati e aspri dipinti a Paul Nash nella sua funzione di artista ufficiale durante la I guerra mondiale, come quello intitolato sarcasticamente We are Making a New World (“Stiamo facendo un mondo nuovo”) [1918]. In tale contesto, la canzone parla da sola. Si tratta della prima canzone originale che ho portato a Rachel per vedere se fosse interessata a collaborare e se i nostri due mondi musicali potessero avere un punto d'incontro.”
dalle note presenti nell'album
Paul commenta: “The Natural Urge è, in ultima analisi, una canzone contro la guerra; ma ho cercato di scrivere qualcosa più di atmosfera e di meno banale di quanto ciò possa significare. La mia frase melodica chitarristica ha reminiscenze di melodia popolare, e anche il tema mi sembrava ben azzeccarci con la tradizione di protesta.” ... (Continues)
I was trying to find a folk song from Teesside and this one, with words from rural miner Richard Watson (1833-1891) caught my eye. The theme of so-called economic migration rings true in the modern age even if some of the more alarming details regarding "poisonous serpents" now seem a little far-fetched. We prefer to think of those lines as more metaphorical than originally intended!
Stavo cercando una canzone popolare del Teesside e questa, con le parole del minatore rurale Richard Watson (1833-1891) ha attirato la mia attenzione. Il tema della cosiddetta emigrazione economica suona ancora attuale nell'età moderna anche se alcuni dei dettagli più preoccupanti sui "serpenti velenosi" sembrano oggi un po' inverosimili. Preferiamo pensare a quei versi come più metaforici di quanto era stato pensato originariamente!
Album: Nowhere And Everywhere (2023)
Clarinet: Faye MacCalman
liner notes of the album
Paul comments: “The Natural Urge is, ultimately, an anti-war song, but I tried to write something more atmospheric and less obvious than that might imply. The guitar riff reminded me of a folk melody, and the theme also seemed to fit with the tradition of protest.”
Rachel adds: “I enjoy the brooding atmosphere that builds through The Natural Urge with layered harmonium and guitar, and how the clarinet blends with our voices, making it sound like a haunting third voice.”
The Natural Urge Archives - Folking.com