We Laughed,
the song Billy Bragg wrote with Maxine Edgington as part of the Rosetta Requiem project in hospices, is available as a paid-for download on iTunes Music Store (UK) today.
The song's lyrics were written by Maxine, who is suffering from breast cancer, for her teenage daughter. Billy wrote the music during a series of workshops with Maxine and other women at the Trimar Hospice in Weymouth, Dorset, earlier this year.
We Laughed generated a huge response from listeners when it was played on Jeremy Vine's BBC Radio 2 programme last month, during an interview with Billy and Maxine.
The song will be released on CD on 31 October, by Cooking Vinyl (catalogue no. FRYCD 252) in the UK. It should be available in most major high street and retail outlets.
We Laughed is sung by Helena. The full line-up on the recording is:
Billy Bragg: acoustic rhythm guitar
Robbie McIntosh: guitars and percussion
Chris Lonergan: bass guitar
Julie Lewis: piano
Ady Milward: drums.
Two other songs written with women using the Trimar also feature on the CD version:
The Light Within - lyrics Lisa Payne; music Billy Bragg.
My Guiding Star - lyrics Veronica Barfoot; music Billy Bragg.
This is a terrific song, check out the website to find a 30 second clip, sadly about 27 seconds is taken with the intro, but there is a bit of the song to get a flavour. You may want to download it.
I have absolutely nothing to do with this project. I am just a very impressed outsider.
http://www.billybragg.co.uk/
