Story behind the song

Greetings Folks ! We hope the New Year brings you peace and happiness, wherever you are.

For us, 2025 promises to be busy. We traditionally write a list of things we’d individually like to achieve and then have a look at that list again a year later and see how we’ve travelled.

One big thing on my list is developing our music and I thought a blog could be useful for people who are interested in our original songs but would like more context about what they’re about, what inspired them and how they were made.

Seems appropriate to start with our latest release out on January 9th.

It’s a folk duet called “Don’t Want To Get Used to Being Without You” which could be the longest title for a song ever created!  😊

For us, the making of this song has been an extraordinary journey.

It started in Scotland where I spend a lot of time.  Bill usually joins me – from our home in Fremantle, Australia – when he can but we’ve spent long periods apart.

So, this is a song I wrote whilst missing Bill, inspired by the beautiful west coast of Scotland – through the seasons from the tail end of summer when the nights go on and on… through the brilliant colours of Autumn and onto the stunning frosty winter.

It’s a song about missing someone, but also recognising that the more time you spend apart, the more independent you (have to) become to survive.  The ‘self’ becomes a bit dormant when you have each other to lean on and share life with, but has to be woken up again when you are apart.

After writing the song, we realised it could really apply to any loving relationship. Although “hand” (in verse 2) may have to be changed to “paw” for some special bonds. 😊

When Bill and I were reunited, we did a rough recording of the song and decided soon afterwards that it would be really interesting to collaborate with a couple we’d been talking to online – based in Prague – called &Tilly - whose work we really admire. Tilly has a unique, beautiful voice and together with her partner, Vii, they produce some truly inspiring, creative music and videos.

And so this special collaboration started and continued over a period of months.  We recorded Claire’s vocals, and snare drum in Scotland and Australia. Bill put down the guitars. Tilly and Vii recorded Tilly’s vocals and other instrumentation and produced the song.

There’s been a lot of back and forth over the months and we’ve finally landed on a great song (we think) with a video to go with it.  The footage was shot mainly in Prague and Fremantle…with a one snippet filmed in Scotland and all edited together by &Tilly.

We are pretty blown away by both the song and video. It’s not our usual sound.  Something very different. It’s exciting what happens when you take a chance and share the creative journey with others and become inspired by them.

The lyrics are below, folks.

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Hope to catch you soon.

Claire & Bill xx

 v1

Velvet Green

On the bough of a tree

A flowing burn

A leaf set free

Untethered now

carried along

don’t get caught on the edges

Stay strong, stay strong

v2

In my mind

Talking to you

Leaves turn red

A golden hue

over the hills

But, where’s the hand

That fits in mine

Walking along the old train line.

Chorus

Don’t Want To Get Used to Being without you

Don’t Want to Get Used to Being Without you

v3

A castle on a stony shore

So beautiful you say it makes your eyes sore

Telling the time by the light on the braes

Frosty dawns, lonely days

v4

The mountains soothe a troubled mind

Snow floats down, bird entwined

But, now I’m done, I’m following the sun

Need your touch

My one, my one

(& repeat the chorus)