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Ben's latest single The Derby Ram is a traditional English song given a completely fresh twist. With his Noel Coward-esque, delightfully phrased gentle warbling voice, Ben is accompanied by woodwind as well as electric guitars.
The amazing story of a giant ram is similar to our own local giant the Ketton Ox - you may know the pub that bears the name in Yarm. The Derby Ram, originally from around 1867, must contain one of the earliest football references as children were said to be kicking the poor beast's eyes: "To kick about the streets, sir, As any good football flies."
On the flip side, the self-penned number I Would Love To has a real '20s feel to it. A chirpy cheeky number, I could just picture the "skinny man" Benjamin serenading a lady at her table of an evening, playing his uke, looking longingly into her eyes, breaking her heart before moving on to the next table. Leading the hearts and minds astray, the cad, the bounder, the out and out tease.
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