Category: Randall Stephen Hall

Yes it’s that time of year again when everyone vows to go on a diet, give up the fags and take more exercise. I wish them well. The wee attached image is one of many I have drawn while sitting at our stall in St. George’s Market, Belfast on a Sunday, 10.00 am. – 4.00 pm.
You meet a lot of people and there is always the potential for a good conversation. I met a guy running a stall around Christmas called Boneyard Brian. Brian Anderson. He makes Cigar Box Guitars and very good they are too.
Our stall is called “Ruftyroohah” and we sell all our own work. A mixture of T-Shirts, books, cards, postcards, Buff Books and Canvases and more besides.
If you get a chance why not call down and see us. Hopefully more to follow about RUFTY-ROO-HAH. In case you are looking, we are over on the Markets side of the actual market.
Good Luck for now. Stephen

REWIRED. A song from “Rewired & Random”
A new album/CD from Randall Stephen Hall.
Available either at gigs or as a download. www.i-tunes.com/Randall Stephen Hall

I suppose that what I am trying to say in this song is that I have reached a point in my life where my early conditioning, my label or initial branding, no longer have the same hold on me.

I see things in a different way, because my life experience has provided me with information and insight which contradicts much of what I see around me in Northern Ireland.

“Re-Wired” was mainly shaped by being born and growing up in Belfast.
It’s not meant to offend people’s views of themselves as either Catholic or Protestant, Irish or British, but merely suggest that the struggle for Peace is in the mind, now that the physical war is over. (Though there is still a lot of sectarian violence on our streets).

For a new “front” has opened up. It is, in a sense, the original front, as we struggle to come to terms with our own demons, our own personal sectarianism, bigotry, and continued inner hatred. (Yes, even for the middle classes, who are in some ways the worst offenders as they attempt to hide their hatred so well, but not so completely that it cannot be seen).

Horrible stuff. I should know. For I harbour it inside myself too. “Ah, well met now, auld friend . . .”

These inner thoughts lie in wait, to trip us up and make us react, as we always have, to the people we think we have nothing in common with either socially or politically.

Hope you find this one positive and challenging.

Re-Wired. 2013 �Lyrics by Randall Stephen Hall.

We’re all makin’ babies.�Some are even Prods.�Some are bloody Catholics.�Some are silly sods.�Some will grow up beautiful
Or look like a potato.�I don’t care just what you are�You big soft red tomato.

Across all this community
There’s lots of things to share.�Like Cancer, Death and S.T.Ds.�So watch it, just take care.�But catchin’ Love is like the cold�It makes you hot and tired.�Go see the Electrician�And get your bloody head re-wired.

Chorus.

Re-wired, re-wired, I got my head re-wired.�My enemy’s my friend now �My hatred’s all expired.�Re-wired, re-wired, I got it done for free.�I love everybody�So come and sit on my knee.

The next time anybody�Takes a look at you.�Asks you what your name is
Where you live and what you do.�Take your left or right foot�And kick them up the ass.�They need their head examined.�So give them a free pass.

Chorus.
You don’t have to listen�To what I’m singin’ then.�Go switch off your wee radio�Your heart, your mind, your friend’s.�I haven’t gone away you know
I’m waitin’ here for you.�He is the Electrician�He’s gonna throw his switch for you.

Chorus.

IRISH AMERICAN NEWS, CHICAGO SHOWS INTEREST IN A NEW CIVIC FLAG FOR BELFAST.

Plus a new song “The Green and Blue” by Randall Stephen Hall.

The Green and Blue.
A song by Randall Stephen Hall. ©

http://www.irishamericannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4627:new-flag-for-belfast&catid=163:iblogs&Itemid=192

Oh I hear your words
Rising like the sun.
Far across the fields
For they move as one.
Lining up like men
With their horses strong.
They will gather up
All their strength for song.

Oh these words I take
From this magic bag.
My sword and shield
They are all I have.
But they’ll fight for me
Just like Finn MacCool.
They are like a spear
I will throw for you.

Chorus.

Oh Ireland, oh Ireland.
Oh Cath-a-leen na Hoolihan.
Oh Ireland and Scotland too.
When will I see
Your green and blue?

But there’s more to this
Not just words you see.
Not just Ireland
For it’s you and me.
I am here you know
Like I’ve always been.
My two wee legs
Standing with the green.

Chorus.

Oh let me in
I am here so long.
Oh add my tunes
All to your song.
Oh harmony, oh harmony
Oh let your love
Just encircle me.

Chorus.

Oh Ireland
When will I see you?
Oh Ireland
When will I see you.

The Gap in the Hedge. Poems, Songs and Stories. EBAF. The East Belfast Festival August 2013.

The Giant’s Causeway Story in Irish, released into the wild.

The Giant’s Causeway animated story, the Irish version,
is now available on You Tube. Hopefully there will be other language versions too.

Other useful links: www.randallstephenhall.com/shop
To purchase the Giant’s DVD, related books, The Duck
Or “The Wee Wee Man/Songs from the Moon Shed” CD.

http://www.earthnativeart.co.uk/dvd.htm
For a detailed guide of what is on the Giant’s Causeway DVD.

Contact: randall.stephen.hall@gmail.com

The main idea for the DVD was to bring English, Irish, Ulster Scots and Scots Gaelic together within the one area. I worked on this project between 1999 and 2002, when it was launched at the Linenhall Library.

For a link to my article in The Irish American News, Chicago on there being no evidence of the Irish Language, Ulster Scots or Scots Gaelic at the Giant’s Causeway, at present.
http://www.irishamericannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4078:the-giants-causeway-&catid=128:letters-to-the-editor&Itemid=382

The music that you hear at the beginning and end of the animation was sung by Catherine-Ann MacFee. Two songs from her classic album, “Canan Nan Gaidheal”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine-Ann_MacPhee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greentrax_Records

My drawings were animated by Peter Cooper, Michael Lee and Paul McKnight.

Various people helped me with translations and voice over work. Seán Ó Muiregáin/Irish version. Scots Gaelic translation/Ian MacDonald/The Gaelic Books Council/Voice over by Anne Sinclair. The Ulster Scots version was translated by Ian Parsley with help from Gavin Falconer. They both did a great voice over too. A Scots version was also written by the Scots poet, Dave Purdie.

Some extra useful links.

Baile

http://www.investni.com/

http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/

http://www.gaelicbooks.org/

The Giant’s Causeway Animation. Originally created in 2002.
Here’s a wee October present. In English, Irish and Ulster Scots.

Now, released into the wild. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOCjt6uxF6s

The English and Ulster Scots versions are on You Tube too.
Please share, if you wish.

Thanks.

Stephen.
www.randallstephenhall.com

Hugh Midden Speaks.
By Randall Stephen Hall.

Here’s a wee collection of poems
including one song and some musical elements
called “Hugh Midden Speaks”

A link to ten audio files. There may be more.

Background.

Although I work as an illustrator, I’m also involved
with writing, music, poetry and storytelling.

Part of this work has evolved into “Hugh Midden”,
A character of my own invention. Hugh expresses
ideas and thoughts that, to me, sound better
in his voice, than my own.

Hugh describes himself as a North Antrim Tribesman.
Of Scottish and Irish descent. A hybrid. A small holding
farmer. A wearer of the plaid/tartan blanket, overalls, boots, patched jeans, cap, ancient Harris tweed “jecket”, dark glasses and a smoker of the rolled cigarette.

He has worked at many things. Above his fire rests an ancient spear he calls “Ye Boy Ye”. His pen is also his spear.

He has his own opinions and thoughts. So here they are.

Good Luck.

www.randallstephenhall.com
randall.stephen.hall@gmail.com

Colour Theory. (Flag Song).
A song by Randall Stephen Hall ©

Chorus.

Red white and blue now.
Green white and gold.
All of these colours
They’re so very old.
You can’t own a colour
No woman or man.
For if you do now
You don’t understand.

Verse.

The red of the sunset.
The white of the moon.
The blue of the night now.
The May flowers in bloom.
You can’t make some colours
Line up like a gate.
To shut off your thinking.
What a terrible fate.

The green of the grass now.
The waves on the sea.
The gold of the harvest.
For you and for me.
You can’t make some colours
Just march like a drum.
Go die every Easter.
Come home, won’t you son.

Chorus.

Green, white, and gold now.
Red white and blue.
What do these colours.
Just mean to you?
Go look at your colours
Before you can find.
First, open your heart.
Then go change your mind.

Chorus.

But what of the white now
The colour we share?
The waves on the sea shore
The moon way up there.
The Dove, he was shot down.
His angels wings fly.
Feathers are colours.
For feathers we die.

The Fair Ground.
A song by Randall Stephen Hall.
2007-2010 ©

Come with me to the fairgound
Come with me today.
Come with me to the fairground
It is a special day.
Come with me amongst the lights.
Come with me, we’ll be all right.
Come along, oh take my hand
This can’t be wrong
You understand?

Let’s go and get some food now.
Let’s spend some time alone.
To walk amongst the crowds now
And find our own way home.
No one’s there to worry us.
No one’s there to hurry us.
No one’s there to spoil our fun.
Oh you and me, we are as one

Chorus.

At the fairground
At the fairground.
This is our special field.
At the fairground
At the fairground.
Where love will never yield.
Come and be my girl tonight.
You don’t have to fear me now.
I can’t make all these things right.
But love will conquer us somehow.
At the fairground.
At the fairgound.

I know your face and friends now.
You live across the bridge.
I’ve often seen your beauty
Since we were just wee kids.
Our freckles and the way we laughed.
Two speckled birds.
The way we danced.
Come let us go, let’s take a chance.
Oh here’s our love, a new romance
At the fairground
At the fairground.

Some new romances begin amongst people from different parts of the community. They find the fertile ground (the fair ground) of markets, fairgrounds and city centres, pubs, clubs and dances, to grow and blossom. Other areas like mixed youth clubs, integrated education and further education inspire a new kind of love in Northern Ireland.