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Newcastle is a Blues Town Now

by Martin Craig

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about

A collection of personal memories from 1964; the year when raw Blues/R&B music and subculture arrived on Tyneside, hard on the heels of 1963’s Beatlemania and the classic 1950s rock’n’roll and skiffle that had come before it.

lyrics

1)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
Riding on the Coast Train
The old electric line
Walking out the Central's like
Chicago on the Tyne
Where the Juncos and the Animals
Always pull a crowd...
Newcastle is a blues town now

(chorus)
Newcastle is a blues town now
In my head it's 1964
Newcastle is a blues town now
And it doesn't rain up here, it pours

2)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
Rain in the gutters
Streetlamps in the gloom
Bus queues in Worswick Street
Breathing diesel fumes
But uptown at the Go-Go
They dance to 'The In-Crowd'
Newcastle is a blues town now

3)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
To Henry's for a haircut
"Hey Son, ye've changed your style!
You lads you grow it longer now
Haven't seen you in a while
Something for the weekend, sir?"
He brushes off the towel...
Newcastle is a blues town now

4)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
Down at the Paletta
Push a plastic tray
Egg'n'chips for half a crown
"It's going up," they say
Outside at the Monument
A kid sings 'Gospel Plow'...
Newcastle is a blues town now

(chorus)
Newcastle is a blues town now
In my head it's 1964
Newcastle is a blues town now
And it doesn't rain up here, it pours

5)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
Down at the New Orleans
Band gets up to play
The River City Jazzmen
On Fridays, Vieux Carré
They play 'St James' Infirmary'
The trumpet moans aloud...
Newcastle is a blues town now

(6)
Newcastle is a blues town now
Newcastle is a blues town now
Down to Bowers cafe
Open day and night
Coffee and good company
Always sets you right
Take the morning Milk Train
Get home to catch a row...

(chorus)
Newcastle is a blues town now
In my head it's 1964
Newcastle is a blues town now
And it doesn't rain up here, it pours

It doesn't rain up here, it pours...
Newcastle is a blues town now...
Newcastle is a blues town now...

©️Martin Craig
August 2022.

credits

released August 26, 2022
Words & Music ©️Martin Craig, 2022.

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about

Martin Craig Scotland, UK

Martin Craig has been playing music live for over 60 years, since he and his pals formed a skiffle group in his parents' garden, aged 10. His songwriting explores current themes; often humorously, sometimes satirically, always musically.

Martin lives 'two-thirds off-grid' in a former shepherds' bothy in a remote part of rural Scotland.
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