More than two years after ‘Unfinished Business’ and ‘Between the Covers’, we released ‘Getting There’. It represented a major step forward for us in that we experimented with new styles and with a much ‘bigger’ digitally-created sound. It was great to perform with either a group, a brass section or an orchestra behind – or all three.
All the songs on ‘Getting There’ are our own material, written either by Chris or Bernie or together. These recordings bring the Whinchat story up to late 2007 – with all the material written, arranged and recorded and during 2006/7.
We’ve also taken advantage of getting an input from two friends. There’s extra lead and rhythm guitar on some tracks from Dave Phillips (who used to have Chris as a music teacher in a former life!) and additional drum tracks from our old mate Laurence ”Faz” Faragher (who we’ve known since College). Many thanks to both of them for their invaluable inputs.
Unfortunately, the release of the CD has also coincided with our saddest event. Fairlie’s husband Mick sadly died in August '07, just as we went to print. Mick had been ill for some time so it’s been a very hard time for Fairlie.
We dedicate this set of Whinchat songs to Mick’s memory. Sorely missed.
Whinchat are Chris Kemp, Bernie Catterall, Fairlie Ryan and Mary Kemp.
To listen to the songs, just press the play button. To download the tracks, right click the 'download' button, select 'save link as.......' and save to wherever you want (it defaults to your 'downloads' folder). Note that if you're listening on an iPod or iPad this is a Flash-driven music player so you won't see the 'Play' buttons. But if you press the download button you'll then see a player and you can listen from there - it won't download but you can do that once you're back at you main Mac, then do the usual things via iTunes.
- Download the entire Getting There album on the link below in one click. That way you get the songs in the order we intended them to be listened to
- It's a big file - more than 80Mb - so be patient.
Download Name Play Size Length 
Getting There
82.8 MB 60:19 min Joomla! web design...
- Listen (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
This just had to be the opener with its long, dreamy, choral intro, used as a lead into one of Chris’s signature-tune guitar pieces.
Download Name Play Size Length
Listen
Whinchat
5 MB 3:40 min Joomla! web design... - This Night (Catterall) - Click here for lyrics
Definitely a new sound for Whinchat – and the one that drove us to decide to get an input from Dave and Faz to add the extra depth that this one called for. Many thanks to both for allowing us to realise the idea.
Download Name Play Size Length
This Night
Whinchat
6.3 MB 4:33 min Joomla! web design... - Every Once in a While (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
The classic four part Whinchat harmony sound throughout – doubling up at the end into a rolling 2 x 4-voice fade-out, and it does belt along.
Download Name Play Size Length
Every once in a While
Whinchat
5 MB 3:40 min Joomla! web design... - The Nearness of You (Catterall) - Click here for lyrics
A straightforward love song using a soft electric-piano background as the core. The ‘flanged’ instrumental section was fun to do. Another ‘typical Whinchat sound’.
Download Name Play Size Length
Nearness of you
Whinchat
5.2 MB 3:48 min Joomla! web design... - How Will I Know (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
Classic Kemp. The slower verse leads into a much faster chorus with a ‘walking bass’ backing. Lots of tricky 'whole-tone-scale' stuff in this one.
Download Name Play Size Length
How will I know
Whinchat
4.9 MB 3:33 min Joomla! web design... - Something’s Right (Catterall) - Click here for lyrics
After a short intro section, Fairlie takes the lead vocal with a chamber-orchestra backing. Mary adds the harmony towards the end and it all celebrates that comfortable time when it all feels right.
Download Name Play Size Length
Something's Right
Whinchat
5.2 MB 3:46 min Joomla! web design... - Away I Go (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
Bernie takes (nicked!) lead vocal on one of Chris’s songs with Mary providing the main backing. Then Chris and Fairlie take the choruses, and all four of us provide even more backing vocals.
Download Name Play Size Length
Away I Go
Whinchat
5.3 MB 3:53 min Joomla! web design... - The Way It Is (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
You can’t change things if it's just ‘the way it is’, but you have to do what you can. Allegedly, this one came to Chris in the middle of the night and was completed the following morning. Chris leads and adds a synth middle section - the rest provide the backing.
Download Name Play Size Length
The Way it is
Whinchat
6.6 MB 4:49 min Joomla! web design... - Give It A Light (Catterall/Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
Chris had the idea for this one in the 70s but the old words and arrangement weren’t right for now. We all care about inequality, so it was the perfect opportunity to take a song and make a point. Music Chris, new lyrics Bernie.
Download Name Play Size Length
Give it a Light
Whinchat
5.4 MB 3:54 min Joomla! web design... - Given The Chance (Catterall/Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
Fairlie starts off with a plaintive intro that leads into a much heavier bass and drum-driven celebration. Bernie had the original idea then Chris added the melody and words . Faz had a field day on this one. We love it.
Download Name Play Size Length
Given the Chance
Whinchat
6.5 MB 4:42 min Joomla! web design... - That’s Fine (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
Chris nearly always writes songs with Mary in mind – she must have had more songs written about her than any other woman! Talking about you and me is fine. This is another one - to celebrate their three hundredth anniversary. Honest.
Download Name Play Size Length
That's Fine
Whinchat
5.1 MB 3:42 min Joomla! web design... - Different Ways (Catterall) - Click here for lyrics
When Bernie wrote this his last two had been ‘Now’ and ‘Nearness of You’ – both love songs. This was a quite deliberate go at writing a song aimed at the opposite of the spectrum in a relationship – but he still couldn’t resist the twist at the end.
Download Name Play Size Length
Different Ways
Whinchat
5 MB 3:39 min Joomla! web design... - Very Nice (Catterall/Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
A song that Chris had written where the chorus originally didn’t feel right – Bernie eventually had an idea for a replacement in the car on the way home from a recording session. It all gelled into a nice little song.
Download Name Play Size Length
Very Nice
Whinchat
4.7 MB 3:24 min Joomla! web design... - Now (Catterall) - Click here for lyrics
A love song about how it is to have lost touch then maybe to have regained it. Chris was in his element putting the brass section to the faster piano instrumental section.
Download Name Play Size Length
Now
Whinchat
6.9 MB 5:00 min Joomla! web design... - Getting There (Kemp) - Click here for lyrics
The brass band sound sits behind Chris’s lead vocal in this one until the ‘full choir’ backing vocals also hit in. This one’s a joy to sing and so it’s a fitting final track.
Download Name Play Size Length
Getting There
Whinchat
6 MB 4:24 min Joomla! web design...
Thanks – enjoy it.
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All songs © Whinchat Ltd 2006/7
