Singing Up the Sun is an illustrated celebration of folk music focusing on the strange and magical stories behind over seventy traditional folk songs from the British Isles.
Folk songs dating back as far as early medieval times and from far flung regional communities passed on from generation to generation, ever shifting and evolving along the way. Folk songs about the most human of experiences; love and loves lost, unrequited or doomed. Folk songs about labour and working the land, the songs of the common people. The leaders, the inspirers, the talismanic and conversely the corrupt, the thieves, the bastards… Folk songs that tell the passing of the year – the rituals and customs – about a land rich in folkloric celebrations and Pagan festivities. Boozy sea shanties about salty sea dogs telling tall tales into their tankards of ale. Magical songs of twisted animal metamorphosis, monstrous livestock, ominous birds portents of ill-fate, cunning trickster foxes and cursed sea creatures luring and smiting. Folk songs about Gods, devils, the earth and the stars and everything in between. And of course death. Oh death...
The book started life as a social media prompt #folksongfebruary by Mat Pringle an illustrator, linocut printmaker and self-confessed record obsessive. Combining his love of folklore and music he came up with the idea to create a linocut print every day throughout the month of February inspired by a traditional folk song. With the help of a Morris Dancing team, a tattooist and a folklore obsessed designer* a list of twenty-nine songs was compiled. The list was shared on social media and quickly took on a life of its own, encouraging creatives to make something inspired by the rich storytelling in the songs, whether it was by way of a drawing, a dance, an animation or in Mat’s case a linocut print. Along the way the songs were researched, numerous variations of each were listened to and devoured and the seed of this book was sown. By interpreting the songs through the medium of linocut – and encouraging others to be inspired by them in their own creative endeavours – these wonderful folk songs and stories are passed on again and again.
"Folk music has to live and breathe… this stuff is alive, we must claim it, use it…
That’s what folk music is: the intuitive nature of the whole thing among people who love messing about with stuff and coming up with something else to keep the continuity going; people who aren’t intimidated by how venerable it is. A song cannot survive if it is not being played – it is either played or it perishes". Martin Carthy
Guest writers, singers and performers from the folk music world and beyond will be invited to share their experiences of their favourite songs in the book each accompanied by a linocut illustration. In addition each song will feature a recommended version from the likes of The Watersons, Shirley Collins and Fairport Convention to more contemporary folk artists like Lankum, Richard Dawson and the Goblin Band.
Songs include (TBC) 'Country Life', 'Spencer the Rover', 'The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry', 'Hares on the Mountain', 'Reynardine', 'Tam Lin', 'The Shoals of Herring', 'Molly Bawn', 'The Mermaid', 'Bonny May', 'Little Musgrave', 'John Barleycorn', 'Hunting the Wren', 'John Ball', 'False Knight on the Road', 'Dust to Dust', 'Lyke-Wake Dirge' and lots more.
*Johnny Greenteeth – go support his book Folk Year: An Almanac of Seasonal Folklore
Singing up the Sun
Mat Pringle
Signed Hardback£30.0086 PledgesThe first edition hardback, signed by Mat, plus the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
86 Pledges
Ebook Download£10.003 PledgesThe ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
3 Pledges
Hardback£20.00113 PledgesThe first edition hardback, plus the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
113 Pledges
Art Print Bundle 1£55.000 PledgesThree signed A5 linocut prints plus the first edition signed hardback, the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
0 Pledges
Art Print Bundle 2£80.002 PledgesSix signed A5 linocut prints plus the first edition signed hardback, the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
2 Pledges
Cover Art and Prints£120.007 PledgesA signed linocut print of the artwork from the cover (28cm x 30cm - printed in two colours), plus the six A5 lino cut prints, a first edition signed hardback, the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
7 Pledges- Suggest a Song£100.003 Pledges
Suggest a folk song you would like Mat to write about in the book (subject to approval), an A5 lino cut print of the artwork that goes with the song signed by Mat plus the first edition hardback, signed by Mat, the ebook and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book. Limited to three.
3 Pledges 
Patron£250.001 PledgesBecome one of the book’s biggest supporters and get your name printed on the dedication page at the front of the book, plus the first edition hardback, signed by Mat and the ebook.
1 Pledges
Art Collector£800.000 PledgesA collection of every illustration from the book (a mix of over 70 A4 and A5 prints) printed and signed by Mat plus your name printed on the dedication page at the front of the book, the cover art print, two first edition hardbacks, signed by Mat and the ebook.
0 Pledges
Singing Up the Sun is an illustrated celebration of folk music focusing on the strange and magical stories behind over seventy traditional folk songs from the British Isles.
Folk songs dating back as far as early medieval times and from far flung regional communities passed on from generation to generation, ever shifting and evolving along the way. Folk songs about the most human of experiences; love and loves lost, unrequited or doomed. Folk songs about labour and working the land, the songs of the common people. The leaders, the inspirers, the talismanic and conversely the corrupt, the thieves, the bastards… Folk songs that tell the passing of the year – the rituals and customs – about a land rich in folkloric celebrations and Pagan festivities. Boozy sea shanties about salty sea dogs telling tall tales into their tankards of ale. Magical songs of twisted animal metamorphosis, monstrous livestock, ominous birds portents of ill-fate, cunning trickster foxes and cursed sea creatures luring and smiting. Folk songs about Gods, devils, the earth and the stars and everything in between. And of course death. Oh death...
The book started life as a social media prompt #folksongfebruary by Mat Pringle an illustrator, linocut printmaker and self-confessed record obsessive. Combining his love of folklore and music he came up with the idea to create a linocut print every day throughout the month of February inspired by a traditional folk song. With the help of a Morris Dancing team, a tattooist and a folklore obsessed designer* a list of twenty-nine songs was compiled. The list was shared on social media and quickly took on a life of its own, encouraging creatives to make something inspired by the rich storytelling in the songs, whether it was by way of a drawing, a dance, an animation or in Mat’s case a linocut print. Along the way the songs were researched, numerous variations of each were listened to and devoured and the seed of this book was sown. By interpreting the songs through the medium of linocut – and encouraging others to be inspired by them in their own creative endeavours – these wonderful folk songs and stories are passed on again and again.
"Folk music has to live and breathe… this stuff is alive, we must claim it, use it…
That’s what folk music is: the intuitive nature of the whole thing among people who love messing about with stuff and coming up with something else to keep the continuity going; people who aren’t intimidated by how venerable it is. A song cannot survive if it is not being played – it is either played or it perishes". Martin Carthy
Guest writers, singers and performers from the folk music world and beyond will be invited to share their experiences of their favourite songs in the book each accompanied by a linocut illustration. In addition each song will feature a recommended version from the likes of The Watersons, Shirley Collins and Fairport Convention to more contemporary folk artists like Lankum, Richard Dawson and the Goblin Band.
Songs include (TBC) 'Country Life', 'Spencer the Rover', 'The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry', 'Hares on the Mountain', 'Reynardine', 'Tam Lin', 'The Shoals of Herring', 'Molly Bawn', 'The Mermaid', 'Bonny May', 'Little Musgrave', 'John Barleycorn', 'Hunting the Wren', 'John Ball', 'False Knight on the Road', 'Dust to Dust', 'Lyke-Wake Dirge' and lots more.
*Johnny Greenteeth – go support his book Folk Year: An Almanac of Seasonal Folklore
