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‘The legend of Joe Brown’

Vocals: Dennis Gray. Guitar: Neil Whitworth

Dennis Gray has prepared a CD of four climbing songs.

The Legend of Joe Brown, The last of the Grand Old Masters, both written by Tom Patey, The Climbing Clemantine by Showell Styles and The Climbers’ Rap. The original version of which was written by Rosie Smith and Dennis Gray for the 1988 BMC Buxton Conference, but has now been re-written by the latter for this record.

For over a hundred years (commencing with the Victorian mountaineers) there was a tradition of climbers writing parodies, mostly humorous but some which romantically extolled the beauty of the mountains, such as those written by Geoffrey Winthrop Young at his pre-Great War Pen y Pas parties. John Hirst of the Rucksack Club wrote around 200 such lyrics between 1918 and 1960 and Tom Patey was another master of such writing.

This tradition remained strong with groups like the Craig Dhu, The Bradford Lads,The Rock and Ice,The Mynedd and The Sandstone Club all making substantial additions to the canon. In recent years however this tradition has faltered somewhat, but hopefully the issuing of this CD may fire some enthusiast to pick up the pen and write a parody which celebrates our sport and or its leading personalities once more?

E.g   ‘Sir Chris look down, from your pillar of fame

         Old Almscliff tiger is my name! (Itchy koo, itchy koo!)'

Dennis would like to thank Tom Patey’s family and Jean Styles for allowing him to use their copyright material.

A copy of the CD is now available from Dennis Gray,16 Royal Park Avenue,Leeds LS6 1EY @ £7.50 inc p & p.