Book Reviews

"Ralph's wit and determination shine through the grime and hardship of post-war south London. While it will appeal to the over-40 age group, nobody can fail to be moved by the love and devotion of his mother in raising two young boys - and dog! Of all the many books I've read in the past year, this is the one I remember with most affection."
Brian Tansley, BBC Radio Nottingham

"It's a vivid and touching evocation of [postwar south London] as viewed by an anxious, insecure little boy - the dark flat, the street outside, the neighbours and the local children. The young McTell seems to have been rather prone to illness and injury and occasional fits of religious fervour - it doesn't sound like a very happy childhood, although there's plenty of humour in the retelling. The harmonica he learned to play seems to have been one of its few redeeming features. The story ends with his ill-fated sojourn in the army.
"It's very anecdotal in style, and hence somewhat formless; but it's a real child's eye view, delivered warts and all in an uncomplicated conversational style... McTell's prose is not as eloquent as Flora Thompson's, but there's something in the vivid, powerful evocation of another time and place of the sort that I get from reading Lark Rise.
"I found it an extremely enjoyable read."
- Maggie Holland, Folk Roots

"What we have here is a beautiful social history of life in post-war south London, with the young Ralph May acting as the still centre of the narrative. Neighbours, friends, relatives, pets and personal fears come and go and shape his early years. In the opening chapters McTell adopts an extremely interesting fragmented approach to his writing. He sadly abandons this as this narrative gathers pace, but this is a minor quibble, as his take on growing up in Croydon is never judgmental and always full of acute insight and gentle humour.
"It's impossible to read it without recognising many of the characters that populate his pages. Some seem from another age, perhaps Dickens'; others are all too familiar as we enter a new century. Above all, McTell proves himself, to borrow the title of one of his songs, to be a First and Last Man. I look forward to further instalments. High time for a reappraisal of the man, isn't it?"
- Bill Bellamy, Taplas magazine

"Bar the title (borrowed from a song) there is nothing in this first volume of autobiography - extraordinarily rich in detail and cathartically honest in tone - to reveal its author's ultimate career. While Ralph may not be the most enigmatic performer among Britain's folk milieu, his booze'n'drugs free life (unless, of course, volume two has something to reveal there) has clearly helped to maintain an exceptional power of recall - not only for the facts, but for the very sights, sounds and smells that accompanied them.
"Given Ralph's already celebrated qualities as a story-teller, it is the dreamlike objectivity - almost as if writing about someone else - that most surprises and impresses. This poignant, compelling tale of post-war poverty through adolescence and ultimately towards a rationalisation of life through music is essentially that of every British troubadour of a certain age. Yet an interest in music from the reader is actually not at all necessary to become wholly involved in a work that should be regarded alongside the social history of Angela's Ashes as much as the cultural history of British music."
Colin Harper, MOJO magazine

"McTell is a natural raconteur and the book is unashamedly anecdotal, recounting the author's childhood and adolescence in postwar Britain in a readable and whimsical style."
Andy Farquarson, Birmingham Post

"I knew from the title I'd love Angel Laughter and I was right. Amongst the glut of me-me-me celebrity autobiographies this is absoutely charming. You don't have to know Ralph's songs to appreciate his book - it stands alone. I can't wait for volume two."
Judi Spiers, BBC Radio & Carlton TV

"Evocative of Laurie Lee, it's an affectionate childhood memoir, from toddler to the bitter experiences of being a bullied army cadet. Full of pain, love and laughter, it recalls such familiar experiences as school bullying, puberty, being caught swearing and (very funny) that first fumbling date in the cinema.
"[An] enriching journey from boy to tentative adulthood..."
- Mike Davies, Birmingham 'What's On' magazine

"[Angel Laughter] will swell waves of nostalgia in any reader of 40 and over, and curiosity in younger readers. His honesty is impressive and he skilfully captures the angst of young adolescence."
Roger Bing, Croydon Advertiser

"Ralph writes well about childhood, particularly on the way that a child perceives the adult world... A moving, often very funny account which will throw light on the lyrics of some of Ralph's songs, though it is an enjoyable read simply as an autobiography of a young man growing up in the post war period. I very much look forward to Volume 2."
Grahame Hood, Traditional Music Maker magazine 

"I read it at one sitting. It's tremendous."
Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2 

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Time's Poems - The Song Lyrics of Ralph McTell


Ralph writes:
"So here they are, all the songs I could find in notebooks, on scraps of paper and old tapes, on records and CDs. Some are not finished; some never will be; some are preludes to lyrics; some are attempts at poems. All of them try to be poetic and I offer them in the hope they will resonate with you."

Publication details:
Title: Time's Poems - The Song Lyrics of Ralph McTell
Author: Ralph McTell
Published by: Leola Publications
ISBN: 0-9549540-0-9
Format: Hardback, Royal, 448pp
Publication date: 2005

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STREETS OF LONDON - The Official Biography of Ralph McTell
BY CHRIS HOCKENHULL

ABOUT THE BOOK
Singer and songwriter Ralph McTell is best known for a single composition, 'Streets Of London', which he recorded in 1969 and was a Number 2 hit five years later. It has gathered many accolades since then, is now the most purchased sheet music title of all time, and has been covered by acts as diverse as calypso king Harry Belafonte, jazz diva Cleo Laine and agit-punks the Anti Nowhere League. Needless to say, despite the efforts of The Big Issue and others, the song's message on society's attitude to the homeless is as relevant as ever in the 1990s.

Yet McTell has done much more than rely on one song, however renowned, for his 30 years as a recording artist. As well as his ongoing muscial career, other roles have included children's TV host of Alphabet Zoo, Radio 2 presenter, and composer of music for Billy Connolly's TV travelogues. Connolly supplies the introduction to the book, giving his own unique perspective on a man he's admired for a long time and often shared a stage with.

The text is an eight-year labour of love by Chris Hockenhull, one of McTell's most knowledgeable followers, and has been edited by legendary music historian John Tobler. Hockenhull has spoken in depth to family members, musicians, managers, critics and associates as well as McTell himself to produce a fascinating picture of a man who may well be the nearest this country has come to Bob Dylan.

It's a book that pulls no punches, chronicling the disappointments alongside the successes. It also highlights his stylistic links with black blues music: born Ralph May, he adopted his name from the legendary Blind Willie McTell, has recorded two tribute albums to his early influences and is a renowned finger-style guitarist.

Through his three decades in music, McTell has survived showbiz with his credibility and compassion intact. His forthright views on life, plus the mark he's made on fans and contemporaries like Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Donovan and more, runs through every page. This first ever book on McTell is illustrated by a fascinating selection of photographic material and memorabilia from the author and the subject's archives, including over 120 pictures (most previously unseen).