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Ram's Eye

from Winter Pick by Justin Bernasconi

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about

Since the Romans invaded England, many have tried to drain the peaty marshland that is called the “Fenlands’ of East Anglia. It’s valuable arable land, but below sea level and so prone to flooding. Villages or towns ending with – eye, ey, y were built on high ground, or a hill, for example, there’s Warboys, Ramsey, Ely, Whittlesey, etc.

This song is about my old school town Ramsey. It was supposedly named after a fight that had happened between a Ram and Bull on the hill. The Ram won, so the town was named Ram’s Eye. The Ramsey Abbey School - was built in the grounds of the Abbey, founded by Benedictine Monks in 969AD. The Abbey had survived the Black Death, rebellions, famine, and boasted one of the largest ancient Hebrew Libraries in Europe, before finally being ‘laid to rest’ by Dissolution of The Monasteries, courtesy of Henry VIII. The gates still stand, and have been entrance to the school since it was founded.

When I played this song to Jeff, he thought something was missing, and prompted me for more details. My gentle old history teacher - Mr Dyson - sprang to mind. The poor old guy suffered severe shell shock from WWII and of course, children being children, we gave him hell by shouting and banging things. I rang the school to say to him after all these years, but he had died the week I finished the song…

lyrics

Ram and bull fighting
Under the Eastland sky,
Ram won, bull lost,
Town’s called ‘Ram’s Eye’.

School bus pumping
Fumes out in the rain.
Watch my breath misting up
The windowpane.

The rubble of the Abbey,
Built in 1000 AD,
Survived 500 years til
Henry took it away.

School kids laughing,
Passing through its Gate.
Don’t you know, Cromwell family
Stole its stone and clay?

Swans from Welney flying in the
Sky, they don’t have to go to
School or watch my lessons die.
I’m the crazy old digger, who sings out:
Watch out ‘Ram’s Eye’!
The story of ‘Ram’s Eye’.

Ram and bull fighting,
Dyson is my name.
Teacher of history, pupils
Stake their claim.

Market town’s an island,
Gatehouse has a wall.
Disease, war and famine,
Kids we’ve had it all.

Can you see me shaking?
Shell shocked from war.
Kids yell out ‘Bomb!’ to
Watch me hit the floor.

How will you see me
Now I’m just a ghost?
Like the Abbey Hebrew library
That we once could boast.

Swans from Welney flying in the
Sky, they don’t have to go to
School or watch my lessons die.
I’m the gentle old digger, that shouts out
Watch out ‘Ram’s Eye’!
The story of ‘Ram’s Eye’…

credits

from Winter Pick, released May 2, 2014
Justin Bernasconi - guitar and vocal
Ben Franz - double bass
Pete Fidler - dobro
Corey Romeo - mandolin
Jeff Lang - harmony vocal

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Justin Bernasconi Melbourne, Australia

Justin Bernasconi considered a rarity among guitarists and songwriters.

Straddling styles and sounds from the Delta Blues, Appalachian Bluegrass, English Folk and all stops in between, his highly original tunes, are infused with exciting and soulful guitar playing. ... more

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