when we collide · when we collide was commissioned by sky arts as part of art 50 and created with...

When We CollideA British Songbook

About the Songbook

When We Collide is a songbook written by the people of the United Kingdom about our collective

identity in the wake of the EU referendum. This historic moment has forced the British nation to re-

evaluate how we defne ourselves, how we distribute power, our place within the EU and our

relationship with the rest of the world.

This songbook moves away from traditional notions of Britishness and uncovers what is actually

important to this nation; what we care about, what we fear, and what we love. We are no longer a

nation characterised by patriotism and a stif upper lip. The movement of people and ideas around the

UK and the world has signalled an enormous shift in our national character.

In order to start untangling this complex personality, we spoke to people in schools and community

choirs across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. 24 groups and over 600 people took part

in these storytelling workshops including fshermen from Yorkshire, teenagers in Grimsby, a cross

community choir just outside of Belfast, and a police choir in Edinburgh. We talked about the moments

that defned us personally, the moments that defned our communities, and the moments that have

defned our nation. There were tears and laughter – stories that brought us closer together, and stories

that showed us how quickly this nation is changing.

This songbook has been written using the words spoken to us. Every word, every phrase and every

story was told in our workshops. Some of the songs focus on specifc groups or places, others bring

together themes and ideas which resonated across the country. Each song represents a moment, a

pattern or an idea which describes a signifcant facet of modern British identity. Altogether, the

songbook gives a snapshot of the character of Britain at this pivotal moment in our nation’s history.

When We Collide was commissioned by Sky Arts as part of Art 50 and created with support from Arts

Council England.

I Am Waking

Rehearsal Notes

• The parts alternate between sung and spoken text. The spoken text should be delivered clearly

and in a natural speech rhythm. Be sure to balance the volume of the spoken text carefully with

the sung lines to ensure everything can be heard.

• There are a couple of moments where the singers are asked to provide their own text (bars 35-

36 & bars 45-46). Be sure to point these out in advance and make sure that everyone has

prepared something to say.

I am zipping up my leather trousers

I am more than just my language

I am… (state a group you identify with)

I am… (state how others would describe you)

I'm listening for my name as the storm grows louder,

I want to see the sea, I want to feel its power.

I'm approaching the "Coming Home Trees"

I'm walking over Westminster Bridge

I am not from round here

I am a Northerner

I am at sea

I am fnally learning to ride a bike

I'm pouring through the village

I'm churning round the bay

I'm drifting from the shore

I'm fnding my own way



I am, I am, I am, I am

I am the centre of attention

I am hard working

I am not a tourist

I am sitting on a bus as the sun is coming up


I am a grandmother

I am out of time

I am driving across the Humber Bridge

I am in suspension


I Am Waking

Words by all of the choirs

Lyrics by Rebecca Hanbury

Music by Alex Groves

We are a transient nation of individuals. Developments over the last hundred years have allowed us to

travel and spread ideas across the world. This dramatic increase in personal mobility has changed the

face of Britain by mixing people from all corners of the country and the world. Gone are the days of

unique local customs, provincial cultures and isolated communities. With parochial images of

Britishness fading into nostalgia, we instead defne ourselves by the things we have done and the

journeys we embark on.

With the disintegration of geographical community comes the opportunity for us to shape our own

lives and to connect with people from all walks of life, but with this freedom comes a sense of isolation.

The single most common statement across the whole project was in a written part of the workshops:

‘Nobody knows how lonely I am’. Is the breakdown of local community to blame for this pattern? Or is it

an inevitable problem for a quickly evolving society?

This song is a bittersweet celebration of individuals, and our individual freedoms, charting the journey

of many blue dots on many Google maps.

In the lyrics below, the text to be sung is italicised and all other text is to be spoken.

Voice 2

I am waking up the world

I am leading a double life

I am a rough puf gal

I am daft as a brush

I am looking

I am climbing

I am tumbling

I am jumping

I am blossoming

I am getting engaged on the steps of York Minster

I am a war baby

I am at home in South Oval with my mum

I am heading

I am running

I am cycling

I am galloping

I am coming out

I am a spy

I am making things happen

I am a Scouser



I'm looking over the horizon

I'm climbing the highest peak

I'm tumbling down the hillside

I'm jumping into the deep

I am in a marching band

I am sitting in my caravan

I am flming the waves smash over the harbour wall

I am the heart of my family

I'm cycling through Cambridge on dark empty roads

I'm galloping down the beach in West Kirby



I am... (describe a moment you felt happy to be alive)

I am… (describe a moment when you felt alone)

I am standing on the white clifs of Dover

I am a friend

I'm running from my desk in the garrison town

I'm standing in the Wales Millennium Stadium

I am in the dark

I am about to let go

I am lost

I am watching a rocket launch into space



I am a wanderer

I am a rioter

I am making bacon baps

I am a pack animal

I am approaching

I am walking

I am running

I am standing

I am moving on

I am in the dappled sunlight

I am a part of my community

I am standing in my father’s pub

I am pouring

I am churning

I am drifting

I am fnding

I am sitting on the steps of my primary school

I am hidden away

I am living a normal life

I am not who you think I am

{°

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Copyright © 2018

Voice 1

Voice 2

Piano

I

p

am, I am, I am, I am,

Like a great wave, rising, falling and constantly moving (c. q = 65)

p spoken, unhurried and clear

pp

Voice 1

Voice 2

Pno.

spoken, unhurried and clear5

I am look ing,- I am climb ing,- I am tum bling,- I am jump ing,-

Voice 1

Voice 2

Pno.

I

mp


9

mp

p

44

44

4444

&

Rebecca Hanbury

I Am WakingAlex Groves

Words by all of the choirs

& I am waking up the world,

I am leading a double life,

I am a rough puff gal,

I am daft as a brush,

&?

& I am great craic,

I am really good at cracking eggs,

I am Welsh by adoption,

I am not tired until I stop,

&

&?

&

& I am blossoming,

I am getting engagedon the steps of York Minster,

I am a war baby,

I am at home in South Oval with my mum,

&?

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& I am singing atWillie's graveside,

I am proud to be British,

I am resilient,

I am independent,

&

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& I am coming out,

I am a spy,

I am making things happen,

I am a Scouser,

&?

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want to see the sea, I want to feel its po wer,- I'm

23


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Voice 2

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look ing- o ver- the ho ri- zon,- I'm climb ing- the high est- peak, I'm

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tum bling- down the hill side,- I'm jump ing- in to- the deep,

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I am singing on the street in Soho,

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head ing- up the A 1 t'wards Mus sel- burgh,- I'm

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run ning- a cross the Bris tol- Sus pen- sion- Bridge,

31

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Voice 2

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cy cling- through Cam bridge- on dark emp ty- roads, I'm

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& I am in a marching band,

I am sitting in my caravan,

&? & ?

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& I am filming the waves smash over the harbour wall,

I am the heart of my family,

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& I am zipping up my leather trousers,

I am more than just my language,

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gal lop- ing- down the beach in West Kir by,- I'm

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Voice 2

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want to see the sea, I want to feel its po wer,- I'm list' ning- for my name,

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want to see the sea, I want to feel its po wer,- I'm list' ning- for my name,

& I am.. (state a group you identify with),

I am... (state how others would descirbe you),

& 3 3

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as the storm grows loud er,- I want to see the sea, I want to feel its po wer,- I'm

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as the storm grows loud er,- I want to see the sea, I want to feel its po wer,-

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Voice 2

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proach ing- the "Com ing- Home Trees", I'm

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walk ing- o ver- West minster- Bridge,

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& I am... (describe a moment you felt happy to be alive),

I am... (describe a moment when you felt alone),

&? & ?

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& I am standing on the white cliffs of Dover,

I am a friend,

&

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run ing- from my desk in the gar ri- son- town, I'm

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stand ing- in the Wales Mil le- ni- um- Sta di- um,-

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pour ing- through the vil lage,- I'm churn ing- round the bay, I'm

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& I am not from round here,

I am a Northerner,

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I am finally learning to ride a bike,

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& I am in the dark,

I am about to let go,

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drift ing- from the shore, I'm find ing- my own way, I'm

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list' ning- for my name, as the storm gets loud er,- I

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I am watching a rocket launch into space,

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& I am a wanderer,

I am a rioter,

I am making bacon baps,

I am a pack animal,

&?

& I am the centre of attention,

I am hard working,

I am not a tourist,

I am sitting on the busas the sun is coming up,

&

&

? & ?

&

& I am moving on,

I am in the dappled sunlight,

I am part of my community,

I am standingin my father's pub,

&?

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I am pour ing,- I am churn ing,- I am drift ing,- I am find ing,-

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am, I am, I am, I

(no dim. or rit.)

am,

77

p

pp

& I am a grandmother,

I am out of time,

I am driving acrossthe Humber Bridge,

I am in suspension,

&

&?

&

& I am sitting on the steps of my primary school,

I am hidden away,

I am living a normal life,

I am not who you think I am, î

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when we collide · when we collide was commissioned by sky arts as part of art 50 and created with...

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