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Sleeve Notes
The Scene: A Dingy Little Pub somewhere in Wales.
Characters: Frank 'Fingers' Hennessy and Dave 'The Rave' Burns.
My name is Hywel Gwynfryn and my job was to try and find out something about the Hennessys new E.P. So I crawled under the table and had the following conversation (conversation! what am I saying?)
Me: Excuse me.
Frank: Why, what have you done?
Me: I'm trying to find out something about your new record.
Frank: Our new record, like?
Me: Yes.
Frank: I'll tell you then. It'll be a round black disc with a hole in the middle.
Me: That's a change. What will be on it?
Frank: Depends on who buys it. I suppose.
Me: What do you mean?
Frank: Well, three navvies bought our last one. And in no time at all there was draught Guinness all over it.
Me: I see. What I really meant was. What songs will be on it?
Frank: I don't know. Ask Dave.
Me: He knows does he?
Frank: No. But he says it better than I do.
Me: Excuse me. Dave.
Dave: Who are you?
Me: Hywel Gwynfryn.
Dave: Well, we've all got our problems.
Me: Talking about problems! Can you tell me something about your new record?
Dave: Sure. There are four songs. The title song is an adaptation of an Irish song by Thomas Davis called "A Nation once Again". The Welsh version is "Cymru Rydd'". There's also a translation of a song written by Frank called "Twm Sion Cati".
Me: Very nice. Who did the Welsh words?
Dave: Someone called Owerd Gwimper.
Me: I see. And the other two songs?
Dave: One is a song about the narrow gauge railway that runs from Talyllyn to Abergynolwyn, and the other is one of our favourite traditional songs called "Hiraeth". Which means "Longing" I think.
Me: Yes, nostalgia.
Frank: My aunt had that once.
Me: What?
Frank: Neuralgia. She had it very bad.
Me: (Realizing I've lost) yes…well…er…Thanks very much and all the best with the record.
Dave: Hey, Frank!
Frank: Yeh.
Dave: Who was that?
Frank: I don't know. I thought he was with you. Has he gone?
Dave: Yeh.
Frank: Charming. It was his round too.