Tags: Don Read

What could be more gratifying than to hear a song you wrote 30 years ago spring up on a music website?

In 1978 Don Read, our Neighbourhood Watch man , and very active in the music business for most of his working life, knocked out a lyric to a famous piece of classical music-the French composer Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie No1. It is an ethereal melody often used as background music when lovers “race” to each other in slow motion in a wooded glade, arms outstretched towards a warm embrace. Six publishers ignored the manuscript Don sent them. A seventh replied that although it was a nice idea getting a record would be hopeless.

Recently a new revolutionary Swedish website called, strangely, Spotify, came on stream. There are thousand of songs from six decades and many genres. You can listen free  of charge. Browsing  through the website Don encountered just two songs by Cleo Laine neither of which was his but both were from the album in question, “Sometimes When We Touch”.  It took six weeks to track down the current licensees of the album  and  eventually one E mail from Don to an executive of Sony Records did the trick. Within 24 hours the entire album became available to listen to via Spotify. Just type Cleo Laine/James Galway into the 'Spotify' search box Don’s song is fourth down the list should you wish to hear  some “holme” grown music. Don wrote the lyric at home on Holme Rd Lady Bay in 1978. Google Cleo Laine & Drifting, Dreaming and get several pages of references to the song.