Looking Out To Sea

For her birthday in October I bought Helen the Sharpe box set that was available at the time. Sean Bean as the soldier in Wellington’s army fighting through Spain to Napoleonic France, from the books by Bernard Cornwell. The films (because that is what they are: each episode is 90 minutes long) are excellent fun, but that’s not why I’m here.

I wanted to bring to light the man who plays Dan Hagman in the series, John Tams. He sings the theme song, Over The Hills and Far Away, and incidental songs at regular intervals while the regiment are marching, waiting, sitting by the campfire or burying one of their friends. His aching voice really holds the stories together and makes the viewer feel like they’re there.

John Tams is also, as it turns out, an award-winning folk singer. I stumbled across a compilation of his songs while shopping on Christmas Eve, and it’s been one of the delightful musical discoveries of the season. Have a look for him.