| Three Hundred Words | |
|---|---|
| by Roy Harper | |
| First published in | Born in Captivity II |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Cricket |
| Genre(s) | Cricket poetry |
| Publisher | Science Friction |
| Publication date | 1992 |
| Media type | Compact Cassette |
"Three Hundred Words" is a poem that showcases a number of Roy Harper's literary techniques and characteristics.
According to Harper's spoken introduction on his 1992 Live album, Born in Captivity II , (re-released in 1993 as Unhinged ) "Three Hundred Words" was written for a benefit concert for Lancashire batsman, Graeme Fowler. It not only concerns one of Harper's most oft-cited loves, cricket (see "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease", on the album HQ), it also picks up the themes of England, combining historical reminiscences with current events, using minor observations to make major (political) statements, breaking rhymes across lines, and using clever mixed metaphors. It is, therefore, quintessentially Harper.
I remember Pat Tetley,
and romping in grass
- that was tall -
at the back of the cricket field,
trying to catch glimpses
of knickers and ass,
whilst over the fence
the crowd yelled, ooh-ed and roared,
as Ramadhin, Weekes and Frank Worrell all scored...
(partial)
Roy Harper is an English folk rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has released 22 studio albums across a career that stretches back to 1966. As a musician, Harper is known for his distinctive fingerstyle playing and lengthy, lyrical, complex compositions, reflecting his love of jazz and the poet John Keats. He was also the lead vocalist on Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar.”
Herbert Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s as an acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter. He recorded more than 28 albums and toured extensively from the 1960s to the 21st century.
About Face is the second solo studio album by English singer and musician David Gilmour, released on 5 March 1984 by Harvest in the UK and Columbia in the United States, a day before Gilmour's 38th birthday. Co-produced by Bob Ezrin and Gilmour, the album was recorded in 1983 at Pathé Marconi Studio, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. The lyrics of two tracks, "All Lovers Are Deranged" and "Love on the Air", were written by Pete Townshend of the Who. Townshend's version of "All Lovers Are Deranged" appears on his solo album Scoop 3.
"Have a Cigar" is the third track on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It follows "Welcome to the Machine" and on the original LP opened side two. In some markets, the song was issued as a single. English folk-rock singer Roy Harper provided lead vocals on the song. It is one of only three Pink Floyd recordings with a guest singer on lead vocals, the others being "The Great Gig in the Sky" (1973) with Clare Torry and "Hey Hey Rise Up" (2022) with Andriy Khlyvnyuk. The song, written by Waters, is his critique of the rampant greed and cynicism so prevalent in the management of rock groups of that era.
Zoot Allures is the 22nd album by the American rock musician Frank Zappa, released in October 1976 and his only release on the Warner Bros. Records label. Due to a lawsuit with his former manager, Herb Cohen, Zappa's recording contract was temporarily reassigned from DiscReet Records to Warner Bros.
The game of cricket has inspired much poetry, most of which romanticises the sport and its culture.
Graeme "Foxy" Fowler is an English former professional cricketer and cricket coach, who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England, and later for Durham. He appeared in 21 Test matches and 26 One Day International (ODIs) for England, averaging 35.32 in his Test batting career. After his playing career he founded the centre of excellence scheme at Durham MCCU based at Durham University in 1996, the success of which led the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to establish five more centres; Fowler stepped down as head coach in 2015, after changes in the scheme.
Whatever Happened to Jugula? is the thirteenth studio album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released on March 4, 1985, through Beggars Banquet Records. Jimmy Page contributes.
HQ is the eighth studio album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1975 by Harvest Records. In the United States the album was released under the title When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease, which is also the name of the LP's most popularly known track.
Anthony James Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, John Sykes' Blue Murder, David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Lou Gramm and most recently with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
The Unknown Soldier is the tenth studio album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1980 by Harvest Records and was his last release on the label. Half of the tracks were co-written with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, who also plays guitar on the album. Kate Bush duets with Harper on one of those tracks.
Commercial Breaks, provisionally entitled 'Commercial Breaks' , is the eighteenth studio album by Roy Harper. It was recorded in 1977, intended for release in 1978/79, but not officially released in its entirety until 1994.
Unhinged is a 1993 live album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper.
"When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease" is a track on the Roy Harper album HQ, a prominent example of cricket poetry. Released as a single twice, in 1975 and 1978, it is possibly Harper's best-known song. The song captures the atmosphere of a village cricket match and is an elegy to the game as played during Harper's youth. It features Harper's 12-string acoustic guitar, and is backed by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Born in Captivity II is a 1992 live album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper.
Flat Baroque and Berserk is the fourth album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper, and was first released in 1970 by Harvest Records.
Valentine is the seventh album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1974 by Harvest Records.
Once is the sixteenth studio album by English rock/folk singer-songwriter Roy Harper, released in 1990.
In Between Every Line is a 1986 live double album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper.
The England cricket team toured the Netherlands in June 2022 to play three One Day International (ODI) matches, which formed part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League. Originally, the tour was scheduled to take place in May 2021, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the matches took place at the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen, and was the first bilateral series between the two sides.
