A Northern Winter Night

This song was inspired after one new years eve, waiting in a car park in Settle for the drinking members of my party to catch up, and get their lift home. I recorded a demo of the first version of the song with the help of my good friend Morgan Visconti - he played a pulsing bassline - the spirit of which Ben took for the bass he plays on the CD. I wanted a big vocal sound to jump out of the speakers when the song gets to the first bridge so Ben and I recorded approximately 60 tracks of vocals - which I put down to studio excess! Richard Durrant plays the mandolins and added 12 string and bouzouki to my nylon strung guitar part in the chorus sections. The whooshing cymbals are played by Matthew Binns.

A clear still night
The stars like jewels in the icy winter sky
Limestone crags imperious on high
Stand revealed in silver moonlight
Vast silence stretches from the blackness of space
To the edge of our town

So bleak and enchanting

The world in frosted thrall

And how beautiful it is:
A northern winter night
And how beautiful it is:
A northern winter night
And how beautiful it is

Behind those crags are high remote hills
Dusted with a scattering of snow
A valley between is filled with trees
That stand around a frozen stream

So bleak and enchanting
The world in frosted thrall

And how beautiful it is:
A northern winter night
And how beautiful it is:
A northern winter night
And how beautiful it is

Music & Lyrics by Paul Cartledge

Artist: The Big Stone

© 2005 Longman Records Ltd/ Big Noise Ltd