The Summer Of 21

from Band & Crew Benefit Single by Tom Robinson Band

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about

An updated version of "The Winter of 79" performed by members of the current Tom Robinson Band. We recorded this remotely during June 2020 for our backline tech Mark Dyde who had been hospitalised following a sudden illnes. Since this is Mark's favourite TRB song we made this version as a personalised message of love and moral support.

Lee Forsyth Griffiths (who sings verse two ) came up with thie idea, then Jim Simmons helped update the lyrics and co-ordinated the remote sessions. Andy Treacey did the final mix. It features me and Lee on vocals, Adam Phillips (guitar), Andy (drums), Jim (keys) and myself on bass. I assembled the video from still photos shot by Mark at The 100 Club, London (in 2017).

Adam, Lee, Andy and Mark are all full-time music professionals who have been badly hit by the Covid-19 crisis amd all income from this track will be split between the four of them. (Jim and I are still getting paid for our BBC work at present.)

The asking price is £1 but if you would like to add an additional amount to help our musicians and crew in this time of crisis, it will be warmly appreciated.

Meanwhile get well soon Mark - we look forward to going back out on the road with you - and seeing all our regular friends and followers again - in the Summer of 2021.

Tom Robinson

lyrics

TOM: All you kids staring at your screens
You should have been there back in 2019
The ERG were laying plots and schemes...
Theresa May had to resign

World leaders failed to act their age
When Greta Thunberg took the stage
And Donald Trump choked up with rage
As temperatures steadily climbed

As Boris romped to victory
The lockdowns started overseas
But that was nothing - just ask Lee
About the winter of '79

LEE: I'd been working on and off
A pint of beer was still ten bob
My brand new Bonneville got ripped off
I more or less gave up trying

They stopped the Social in the spring
And quite a few communists got run in
And National Service come back in
In the winter of '79

When Marco's caff went up in flames
The Vambo boys took the blame
The SAS come and took our names
In the winter of '79

(GUITAR SOLO)

TOM: When Dominic C was forced to flee
And Boris lapsed into insanity...
Mark and Lee and the TRB
got together in 2021
For a tour or three including Glastonbury
in the summer of '21
We'll be glad to be back with Markie D
In the Summer of '21.

credits

from Band & Crew Benefit Single, released August 3, 2020
Tom Robinson (vocals, bass)
Jim Simmons (organ)
Andy Treacey (drums)
Adam Phillips (guitar)
Lee Forsyth Griffiths (vocals, verse 2)

Mixed by Andy Treacey
Additional lyrics by Jim Simmons & Tom Robinson
Original idea for this version by Lee Forsyth Griffiths
Photography by Mark Dyde

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about

Tom Robinson London, UK

Tom Robinson (b.1950) is a UK songwriter & broadcaster first known in the 70s as an anti-racist and LGBT campaigner. He released 19 albums between 1975-2001 with various bands and has co-written songs with Elton John, Peter Gabriel, Dan Hartman and Manu Katché. He's an award-winning presenter at BBC Radio 6 Music, and released Only The Now (his first album in 19 years) in October 2015. ... more

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