The song ‘Singing In My Soul’ has the atmosphere of a piece shaped by real experience, spontaneous creativity, and a strong sense of place. It first appeared on Hamish’s debut album Picture In My Bag from 1999 and was recorded at Hatfield Court, a large and partly ruined mansion in Herefordshire, where local musicians met with producer Les Penning to make the recording. The fact that it was recorded in that environment is what gives the song its raw and authentic character and accounts for its unpolished nature, something which makes it feel closely linked to the circumstances of its creation.
The song’s popularity comes from its songwriting and melody, both of which Hamish considers essential to his method. The musicians who have influenced him are Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Al Stewart, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and others from the late 1960s and 1970s, and this respect for good songwriting helps to explain the track. Instead of depending on a detailed account of the production, ‘Singing In My Soul’ is a simple recording that was put together with Hamish playing guitar and singing, after which local musician Feliks Tobis made his contributions by adding bass, violin and saxophone.
The song also has a historical association which goes beyond the time of its first recording. Hamish composed and performed ‘Singing In My Soul’ while he was in New Zealand, after which it became a hit on the folk charts. The song was furthermore linked with a major television programme, thus exposing it to a broader audience. Its frequent use at weddings and at other events shows how naturally it has become connected with listeners over the years, and its recent release now offers a new audience the chance to become familiar with it.
More than twenty years since it first came out, “Singing In My Soul” is still an important part of Hamish’s songwriting history. The song has a lasting quality due to the blend of melody, straightforward songwriting and the unprocessed recording style. Although the circumstances of its production may be odd, it is the song itself that is responsible for its continued appeal. “Singing In My Soul” shows that a recording doesn’t always have to have a complicated presentation in order to make a lasting impact on its listeners.
