SONG FACTS
The early draft was called "The Per Diem Girl": a song about the early morning smile of the girl who handed out the living expenses on tour in the US (or perhaps it was the musicians' smiles as she placed dollars in their greasy palms). But, like most songs, it grew and took on a life of its own.
The arrangement was a leap into the unknown - taking the string quartet from their more customary role in the background of songs, and placing them in the foreground, where a drum or guitar might be. For some, this makes for an uncomfortable listen at first - although thankfully it seems most people grow to like it. Under the circumstances, perhaps an odd choice to open the album. But what can you do? The Vicar was adamant that the start of this song was so obviously the opening of an album.
The exposed string lines needed great players. Who better than the violin and viola of Cathy Stevens (Penguin cafe Orchestra) and the cello of Chaz Dickie (Van der Graaf Generator). They used to live and work as a couple and The Vicar reunited them for this track.
The vocals are, of course, by Lewis Taylor (but that's quite another story)...
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SONGBOOK#1 Special DVD Edition
Deluxe double digipak version of The Vicar’s Songbook#1. Includes a DVDA of the complete album in 5.1 surround sound, as acclaimed by Dolby laboratories, plus 36 video episodes of Vicar Chronicle The First : “The Mysterious Case of Billy’s G String”. Also fourteen track regular CD.
SONGBOOK#1 CD Edition
CD release of The Vicar Songbook#1. Fourteen songs with The Vicar's unique string and chamber arrangements, played by some of the world's outstanding musicians, and sung by invited guest singers
SONGBOOK#1 Digital Download
Digital download of The Vicar Songbook#1 - specially mastered at Hi Res for iTunes.
