An album of songs by award-winning songwriters – including Nick Heyward, Graham Gouldman, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Mark Nevin and more – that celebrate frontline nurses is released today. Curated by Squeeze co-founder Chris Difford, the Song Club album is inspired by photographs taken by Hannah Grace Deller, a nurse on the front line.
The album is available to purchase from https://slinky.to/SongClub, with proceeds to (Royal College of Nursing) RCN Foundation COVID-19 Support Fund www.rcnfoundation.org.uk.
In addition to being a paediatric matron Hannah is a talented photographer who, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, has been documenting her and her colleagues’ experiences. When Hannah’s photographic work was featured on the Channel 4 programme ‘Grayson’s Art Club’, it grabbed the attention of the Squeeze co-founder and Grammy nominated and double Ivor Novello Award winning lyricist.
“I first saw Hannah’s photography on Grayson Perry’s Channel Four program ‘Art Club’. Lockdown provided some great TV moments and this was one of them. Inspired by her work I asked all of my co-writing chums to use her photographs as inspiration for songwriting. Together we have created a body of work to raise funds for the frontline workers, it has been so inspiring to hear the results” says Difford.
Difford’s co-writing chums are a host of world-class, award-winning songwriters – including Nick Heyward, Graham Gouldman, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Mark Nevin, Julia Fordham, Robert Vincent, Judie Tzuke, Kimmie Rhodes, Judith Owen and Kathryn Williams – who have used their time in lockdown to document a poignant moment in time.
The album includes single ‘Working on the Frontline’ performed by the BAFTA nominated actor and singer Jessie Buckley and her band ‘Jessie and The Leonards,’ written by Kate St John and Neill MacColl and featuring Hannah, the song is a powerful representation of life on the NHS frontline. Listen here. Watch the video below:
The album also features single ‘For Us’, performed by Judie Tzuke. Remotely co-written by Judie Tzuke and Gregor Philp, ‘For Us’ is the second single released from ‘Chris Difford’s Song Club’. Written with songwriter and Deacon Blue Guitarist Gregor Philp, with whom Judie had wanted to work for a while, the track came together via Zoom sessions and over email in what Judie described as, “a greatly received opportunity.” Listen here.
“I hope that the voices of all the unsung heroes, their efforts and sacrifices are heard in this music. For me this record is a thank you to all my colleagues on the frontline, from the porters & domestics, to the doctors and nurses, I’ll never forget how we all stood side-by-side on the frontline fighting this illness together.” Hannah Grace Deller, matron paediatrics, Imperial College NHS Trust
“Songwriters have been in lockdown like everyone else and collectively we have dark stages and an unsure future regarding live performances, so this has been something to focus on by way of embracing the amazing work of the NHS and frontline workers” says Difford. “My aim is to document this strange time we are living in and I hope bring inspiring songs to the ears of many.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Chris, Hannah and everyone involved in the Song Club album project – donations to the RCN Foundation COVID-19 Support Fund will make a huge difference to the many frontline nurses, midwives and health care support workers who are continuing to make an invaluable contribution at the very forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support from the project will not only help those individuals who may be experiencing personal hardship as a result of COVID-19, but will also help to address some of the psychological implications associated with working on the frontline at this difficult time.”
Deepa Korea, RCN Foundation Director, RCN Foundation
Song Club Tracklisting
1 Working On The Frontline – Jessie & The Leonards (featuring Hannah Grace Deller)
2 For Us – Judie Tzuke
3 Find a Way – Sara Douga & Gregor Philp
4 Sunday – Julia Fordham
5 Code Sunshine – Kimmie Rhodes
6 Bittersweet – Komal
7 Sick of the Sight of You – Bill Lloyd (featuring Beth Nielsen Chapman)
8 We Can Breathe – Nick Heyward
9 Invisible Smile – Beth Nielsen Chapman
10 I See You – Graham Gouldman
11 It Has To Be Done – Judith Owen
12 If It Wasn’t For You – William Rees
13 These Times.…Again – Robert Vincent
14 Hope We All Deserve – Roisin Donald & Mairéad Carlin
15 Hannah Takes Pictures – Kathryn Williams
16 Six Degrees – Hannah Grace Deller
17 Save Us All – Jeff Goldford and Jeff Cohen
18 Rehashtag the World – Ruby Dew
19 Still With You – Mairéad Carlin & Ronan Scolard
20 All Ashore – Charlie Wood
