Jeremy Harmer is a trainer teacher and writer, especially of methodology title such as The practice of English Language Teaching and How to Teach English (Pearson) and 50 Communicative activities (Cambridge). But even before he entered the language teaching profession he was a singer-songwriter in clubs in London and elsewhere. He continues to sing and write and narrate and runs a folk club and an annual folk festival as well as playing (viola) in two symphony orchestras. Jeremy’s songs are on his 2024 album “We carry on” (www.otherloves.co.uk) and can also be found on Spotify and Apple Music  

 

Code red

In 2021 a 2500-year-old olive tree, still fertile, in the Rovia olive grove was consumed by fire when blazes hit the Greek island of Evia. The UN secretary general Guterres said The climate crisis is a code red for humanity.

 

In the sweet olive grove of Rovia

an old olive tree stood wide and proud.

Fertile and venerable its ancient trunk

was at least ten adult people round.

It harboured the myths of the island clan

The history flowing up through the soil;

Where the giants and the Titans had battled for power

before peace and tranquillity told hold

 

CHORUS

Code red is the warning you can hear.

Code red is the warning we should fear.

Code red is plain for all to see.

Code red sealed the fate of the old olive tree.

 

As the sun rose higher and the temperature soared.

The air was so hot you could hardly breathe.

Then wisps of smoke from the forests and hills

rose gently from the earth just like a wreath.

And the old tree shuddered, it was dying of thirst.

In in its long life this had never come to pass.

As its wood dried up and smoke turned into flame

and the old olive tree turned into ash

 

CHORUS

So we build our roads, and we drive through tracks for trains

but a woodland lost will never come again,

And we burn down the jungles for our soya and our meat

and the gasses float to air, a human stain.

On the island of Evia land stands sad and empty.

a wilderness of ashes and bare stone.

Poseidon sheaths his trident and weeps dry tears of rage

at Hera’s land’s forever lost and gone

 

CHORUS

Jeremy Harmer – voice & guitar

Joshua Lynch – cello

 

Audio available at https://hea-r.me/product/we-carry-on-jeremy-harmer/

 

Calling your name (the world is on fire)

 

A love song

 

I sit on this hillside, the valley beneath me

Wondering how we managed so far how we got to be here

The storms and the heatwaves, the folly the carelessness

This beautiful country. Its forests and meadows its streams and its rivers

The love and the fear

Now the fear

 

CHORUS

The world is on fire and all I can think of 

Is having you here by my side

The world is in flames the forests are burning

And all I can think of is calling your name

Again and again

over hedgerow over drystone, over loch over glen

Again and again

Calling your name

 

From up here the dark clouds are coming on over

The paths of the rain the sudden flash floodings, the sheets of the storm

I may be quite safe here but way below me

The water is rising they’re all going under

Life as we knew it once is jagged and torn

Is torn

 

CHORUS

I sit on this hillside and pray for a miracle

A change of direction, a future for all that we know and believe

For the ones that we love, the ones that come after

For this earth that has nurtured us, fed us and watered us

Inspired us and kept us

Or am I naïve?

Am I naïve?

Jeremy Harmer – guitar & vocals

Bryan Causton – mandolin

Joshua Lynch – cello

Pauline Vallance clasárch & backing vocals

Penni McLaren Walker – backing vocals

 

Audio available at https://hea-r.me/product/we-carry-on-jeremy-harmer/

 

Judy’s song (He dreams of flowers in the meadow)

How would you feel if a climate activist interrupted your event with orange dye? Supportive? Angry?

 

She takes the tube from Turnham Green her rucksack contents all unseen

She thinks of who she’s letting down as she goes on her way

But she is sure that she is right taking part in their great fight

If they don’t act now how will she ever have her say

And she’ll stand up there before the crowd

All orange, nervous, head unbowed

She’ll hear the jeers, beat down her fear

Her thinking absolute and clear.

She’ll tell them what she’s come to say

We have to act right now today

Ain’t no time to stop and pray

The time is now, cause…

 

CHORUS

It’s getting hotter in the desert 

It’s getting hotter in the town

It’s getting hotter in the great big friendly ocean

It’s getting hotter, hotter all around

It’s getting hotter than it’s ever been before

It’s getting hotter everywhere

It’s getting hotter in the wetlands and the forests

It’s getting hotter, and no one seems to care

 

There used to be some water here, not barren earth and dried up ears

A life time on a farm he’s worked now the corn is baked and gone 

Looks around the dusty ground hears only silence what a sound

His tears fall down cause they can’t stay they’ll be gone before the dawn

But where they’ll go he doesn’t know

Who’ll let them live what will they sow

How can he feed the kids at home

He dreams of flowers in the meadow

He thinks ‘the whole world’s on the move

Just trying to live nothing to prove’

Th only thing they’ve got is love

but love is not enough…’snot enough when..

 

CHORUS

Water’s come right to their door, they can’t live here anymore

Soon they’ll all be moving on with memories, tears and songs

We watch them go but we’re ok, life seems good in its own way

But when the fire’s comes to our door then nothing’s right anymore

‘cept love she thinks as she stands tall before the crowd to give her all (X2)

‘Cept love, ‘cept love,’cept love… And she says 

 

CHORUS

It’s getting hotter and no one seems to care

Hotter, hotter, hotter 

She’ll say ‘Please care’

 

Jeremy Harmer – voice & guitar

Pauline Vallance – backing vocals

 

Audio available at https://hea-r.me/product/we-carry-on-jeremy-harmer/
 

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