I decided some time ago to make the songs that I have written over the years freely available on the Internet to anyone who wants them – and who would like to sing them. Most of them appeared in the song books that I published – The Singing Story Man in 1978 and the upgraded version Jack in the Green and Other Heroes in 1999. I will continue to add other odds and ends as I discover/remember them. I will also include some of the songs from traditional and other sources that I have set to music.

I do, of course, own the rights to these songs (as described in the song book) but I am very happy for anyone to sing them in folk clubs, at festivals or in any live performance without your needing to ask – that’s why I wrote them. If you would like to record one of my songs I would appreciate it if you would contact me – I have never refused permission yet and, like any songwriter, I love to hear my songs performed well.

I hope that you enjoy singing them!

Martin Graebe
June 2020

This is an electronic version of my 1999 songbook, presented as a PDF file. You can read this online or download it. You can then print any pages you wish. The songs include:

A Sailor’s Farewell | Harry The Hawker | A Hunting Song | The Singing Story Man | Stonecracker John | Peter’s Private Army | Jack in the Green | Harriet Lane | Eight Set’s Song | King of the Light-Finger Gentry | November Drinking Song | The Chorus Song | The Shropshire Union | The Lavender Express | Daniel’s Ducks | The Great Galleon of Plymouth | The Knocker-up Woman | Honiton Lace | Newton Fair | From Severn, by the Somme | Laying my Life on the Line.

Sound files for some of these songs can be found on the pages for ‘Parallel Strands’ and ‘Dusty Diamonds’.