“Singing In My Soul” is a song that has been influenced by travel, the act of writing songs, and a simple sense of connection. It was first recorded for Hamish’s 1999 debut album, Picture In My Bag, and both the writing and performance of the track took place while he was touring in New Zealand, where it achieved popularity on the folk charts. Ever since, it has been a frequent selection at weddings and other events, which has ensured that the song maintains a lasting presence beyond its initial release.
The recording was carried out at Hatfield Court, a partially ruined mansion in Herefordshire, and there Hamish worked with producer Les Penning as well as a number of local musicians. The guitar and the vocals were recorded directly, after which Feliks Tobis added the bass, violin and saxophone. The sessions were held in an old drawing room lined with oak panels and containing an old wood-fired Aga. This unusual setting was part of the recording experience and contributed to the characteristic sound of the original album.
The song ‘Singing In My Soul’ also shows Hamish’s admiration for the songwriting and melodies that were popular in the late 1960s and the 1970s; his influences are Bob Dylan, David Bowie, James Taylor, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, together with others. This appreciation is reflected in his own work, the guitar and vocals providing the basis for the song while the extra instrumentation contributes to the depth of the recording; the final product still stays closely linked to the private circumstances under which it was recorded.
The song has an uncommon history since it started out as a recording made during the Picture In My Bag sessions and then went on to achieve a position on New Zealand’s folk charts as well as securing a television sync. The fact that it is still used at weddings and at other events shows the link which has developed between the song and its audience. More than twenty years since its first release, “Singing In My Soul” is still a good illustration of Hamish’s emphasis on melody and storytelling, a focus that is maintained in the recording which keeps the directness of when it was originally made.
