Nik Newark

Vocals by Eva, Words and Music by Nik

Once native to this fine land, the beaver roamed the rivers and streams of Great England until the 16th century, when it was hunted to extinction for fur, meat, and secretory castoreum. Over the course of the current century a few brave souls have sought to resurrect the beaver to its former glory and restore Great England's natural heritage. This is their story...

Theme : Look Out World!

Days of November - by Niki Shepherd and the Song A Week 2020 Choir www.songaweek2020.com

Theme : Favourite One

Theme : The Good Book

Theme : Near & Far

Theme : Ship to the Shore

Theme : One Guess

A Gorilla with a PhD

Theme : Looking Back

Theme : Bazinga!

Theme : Edit That Out

Theme : Simple and Sweet

Theme : Ooga Looga Wyma Ryma. (Yes, really)

Theme : Ifs and Thens

Theme : Nobody ever knew

Theme : User Error

Theme : Give my best

Theme : AOK

Theme : Out of Context

Theme : Tale of Two Tacos It's a story worth telling. Many years ago, I worked for a big software company based in South Florida. The company was successful, and we were constantly recruiting. The interviews would last the best part of a day, and as is the norm, we wouldn't let the interview candidate know whether we liked them or not on the day, because, well, it would be awkward for everyone involved. But, we usually knew by lunchtime whether they were potentially a good hire, or whether they were a duffer. If they were good, we'd take them somewhere upmarket and impressive. Otherwise, we'd take them to the local Taco Bell. Subtle. So, to anyone who interviewed for Citrix in the late 90s, and we took you to Taco Bell, this one's for you. And, I'm really sorry.

Theme : Gecko Love

Theme : Pinky Swear

Theme : I can't believe it's not

Theme : Don't Threaten Me

Theme : With a Sigh

Saturday Night Panda

Theme : Forget I Said Anything

Theme : Hit The Lights

Theme : The words you heard

Theme : The words you heard

The Merman Tentacle Choir were Adelina Chalmers, Alake Lore, Annie Newark, Brian Harris, Colin MacFarlane, Cristhopper Armenta, Dan Raza, Deborah Kelly, Emma Gale, Erin Wolf, Fiona Hannon, Julia Bloom, Martin New, Matt Trzebiatowski, Neil Connor, Nik Newark, Niki Shepherd, Pete Kirkbride, Rohan Leach, Gabriela & Foxy, Squidwidget Trzebiatowski, Tamara Wilson, Tim Harford-Cross with Paul Richards : Drums & Percussion Colin MacFarlane : Guitars, Bass, Organ & Percussion Pete Kirkbride : Resonator Guitar & Didgeridoo George Moorey : Glockenspiel, Neil Connor : Harmonica Nathan Bloom : Fuzz Bass, Nik Newark : Bits & Pieces Brian Harris : Harmonica & Theremin Octopus Artwork : Kelly van der Toorn The Cape Town Octopus : Kassie Paschke Words and Music by Nik Newark, 2001 Recording (c) 2020 Www.NikNewarkMusic.Com/Octopus

Theme : Zombies Photography by Lee Jeffries (lee-jeffries.co.uk) Based on a title suggestion from Paddy McAloon

Theme : Zombies

Theme : Did You Get That Memo?

For my dear Granny Prague xxx Written and recorded on 5th June 2020. My grandmother, Bridget Thompson passed away yesterday. She was 97 (and a half), and was quite an extraordinary woman. She spent many years working for the British Embassy, overseas in China and in she spent a good part of the 1970s working in Czechoslowakia. It was for this reason that she was always known to me as Granny Prague. I accompanied her on one of her travels when I was 6 years old, and my uncle David was getting married in Poland. She never tired of telling an anecdote about the return train journey. The railway had been built long before the Berlin Wall, and consequently weaved in and out of East Germany every 20 minutes or so, and each time soviet-era border guards would jump onto the train to check everyone’s passports. Being 6 years old, and being woken up at some ungodly hour of the morning, I wasn’t best pleased, and could be heard to cry “oh, no, not another passport”. Of course, I’ve largely forgotten the details, but this favourite story was told and retold to me each time I saw her. Anyway, the spirit of that anecdote has made its way into this song, as she leaves on her final journey. RIP Granny Prague. Love you lots x.

Theme : Music in the distance

Theme : Frenemies

Theme : Peel Me A Grape

Theme : Better Off

I was always amazed that Edelweiss was an original composition for The Sound of Music, and not a traditional folk lullaby at all. It's timeless classic melody seems to have been around forever, and yet seems totally original. That was the starting point for this lullaby, whose angular chromatic melody (and copious modulations) I find very satisfying. I'm not sure how lyrically I got from Edelweiss to Eiderdown, but there you go. Eiderdown cover courtesy of William Morris. Waddler the panda did his own stunts.

Theme : The Funny Thing Is...

Theme : Olive Branch

Theme : A New Gravity

Featuring Waddler the Panda

Possibly the first popular song in the world whose lyric structure follows the Fibonacci sequence up to 89! If anyone wants to have a shot at verse 144, please be my guest...

What's the Point?

Performed by Rubella Jab and the Vaccinations

A traditional folk song from Wales, with a twist. Fiddles by Sally Merson. Singing by Eve Toothbrushes and other noises by Nik www.niknewarkmusic.com