Rhaglen 11 Cofio

-888

-888

-

-888

-888

-# Remember

-# Remember #

-Good evening and welcome to Cofio...

-..where history comes alive

-through archive footage.

-Tonight, we immerse ourselves

-in the world of music...

-..as we listen to a unique voice who

-was a member of a famous folk group.

-She's a singer

-who put mid Wales on the map.

-Linda Griffiths.

-As I said,

-you come from mid Wales...

-..but you've lived in Ceredigion

-since you were 18 years old.

-Do your roots still lie

-in the soil of Montgomeryshire?

-Yes, most definitely.

-I went to Aberystwyth University

-in 1976...

-..and I haven't lived

-in Montgomeryshire since then.

-People still think of me

-as a Montgomeryshire lass.

-Few people realize

-I live in Ceredigion.

-My accent is still strong too.

-I'm still a Montgomeryshire lass

-at heart.

-It was during the period

-you lived in Montgomeryshire...

-..that Plethyn was formed.

-Yes, Plethyn is a folk group

-which was formed by accident.

-A group of brothers, sisters,

-cousins and neighbours...

-..would get together and sing.

-Everyone gradually drifted away.

-Some got married

-and others lost interest.

-It ended up with four of us

-performing at Pontrobert Hall...

-..me, my brother - Roy,

-Jac from a neighbouring farm...

-..and Kath Penrhos, or as we now

-know her, Kathy Gittins the artist.

-There were four of us

-but we had no plans to form a group.

-We performed locally

-and it just developed from there.

-We have a clip of Plethyn as a trio.

-You, your brother, Roy

-and Jac from the neighbouring farm.

-# Ifan went

-through the back kitchen

-# And quickly grabbed his hat

-# Chased by Toss the sheepdog,

-in his corduroy trousers

-# The dear lads of Wales

-# Wherever you may be

-# Never go courting

-straight from the pigsty

-# Oh, happy now we are all, my boys!

-# Happy now we are all!

-# Here's hoping we all meet again

-back in dear old Wales

-# Happy now we are all, my boys!

-# Happy now we are all!

-# Here's hoping we all meet again

-back in dear old Wales #

-Was it exciting at the time

-to be a member of a folk group?

-It was an exciting time,

-in some respects.

-It wasn't our intention

-to form a group...

-..and even heading in the folk music

-direction happened accidentally.

-It happened at an exciting time

-for Welsh folk music, in the 1980s.

-Something sparked

-a folk music revival.

-There were folk clubs and

-folk evenings up and down Wales.

-Several folk groups

-formed during that time.

-There was something quite cool

-about being in a folk group.

-I wanted to do something

-even more cool.

-I was never satisfied

-to be labelled Linda Plethyn.

-I felt it was too old-fashioned

-and nicey-nice for a young girl.

-You have a strong musical background

-especially in Plygain singing.

-Yes, I was raised

-in the Plygain carolling tradition.

-It was an integral part

-of every Christmas.

-It was as much a part of Christmas

-as the turkey and the trimmings.

-I was certainly raised in the sound

-of Plygain carol singing.

-We weren't aware of it but Plethyn

-was influenced by Plygain singing.

-For us, there was

-only one way to harmonize...

-..and that was simple,

-three-part Plygain harmonization.

-That tradition has gained popularity

-in recent times.

-We now have a clip which takes

-us back to a Plygain in 1966.

-# Let us sing

-songs of praise for Jesus

-# For his birth from the Virgin Mary

-# God and man in Holy union

-# In the manger lies today

-# Oh, how lowly are his surroundings

-# Our celebrated prince is he

-# In swaddling He is wrapped today

-# God as man and man as God

-# Behold, angels and seraphs

-# And Heaven's sacred cherubs

-# All unite in harmony

-# They sing a glorious song for Him

-# Until the sound

-of their sweet lauding

-# Shakes the foundations of Hell

-# The power of darkness did dissolve

-# When Jesus Christ was born #

-The unique sound of Parti'r Gad.

-The harmonies of Plygain carolling

-create a unique sound.

-Yes, it's very simple harmonization.

-Seeing that clip

-made me feel quite emotional.

-Parti'r Gad formed at the chapel

-I attended as a child.

-Only one of those great characters

-is still with us.

-George Waunllys, Davy Ellis Pentre,

-Wat Penparc and Thomas Llaithfwlch.

-I was familiar with all

-those people as a child.

-As you saw there,

-they sang in a relaxed manner.

-They were quite casual.

-Plygain is a religious service.

-It isn't a form of entertainment.

-Plygain is seeing a revival.

-Some areas are seeing a revival.

-We now have Plygain carolling

-in Penrhyncoch, Ceredigion.

-Plygain is spreading

-beyond its traditional areas...

-..thanks to Plygain carol books

-published in recent times.

-Carols preserved within families

-are now widely available.

-There hasn't been a revival

-in Montgomeryshire...

-..because Plygain carolling

-was never in decline.

-The tradition is, in fact,

-as strong as ever.

-Parti'r Gad

-has been resurrected in a way.

-Yes, that's right.

-Roy and Barry - my brothers,

-Jac who was in Plethyn...

-..and my cousin, Huw...

-..joined forces with Meirion, whose

-father was in the original party.

-Gwyn Gwalchmai, who is the grandson

-of Davy Ellis Pentre...

-..is also a member

-of the reformed Parti'r Gad.

-The tradition is strong

-and it's thriving.

-You made your name with Plethyn then

-you forged a solo singing career.

-You were a part of that

-musical phenomenon Dwylo Dros Y Mor.

-Yes, it was wonderful

-to be a part of that.

-I was given a solo line to sing

-which was a terrific honour.

-I was excited about it.

-Here's the Dwylo Dros Y Mor video.

-# The rain beat down on the roof

-# People on the street

-scatter and fuss

-# Staring at the sky,

-everyone frowns

-# We curse

-and wish for sunny weather

-# And in the sun we see a land... #

-On Thursday night?

-On Thursday night?

-

-Yes.

-Maybe have a few drinks.

-# Daybreak again

-in the land of sun #

-Shall I do those two lines?

-Yes - the two final lines.

-# Withered plants

-and dust for soil #

-Everything which can be said

-has been said.

-The B almost an octave

-above middle C.

-I'm meant to be

-teaching the children.

-# Living for a day

-is living for an age

-# Just existing gets tougher

-each day

-# Sing to the heavens

-with all your soul

-# Whoa-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

-# Sing with passion in our cry

-# Whoa-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

-# Sing and shout as one choir

-# And reach your hands

-across the sea

-# And reach your hands

-across the sea

-# And reach your hands

-across the sea #

-That brought memories flooding back.

-It was a better song than

-the English version, Feed The World.

-Yes, I thought so and I was chuffed

-to be a part of it.

-Don't we all look young?

-Everyone had big hair!

-Well, everyone had hair

-and there I was, in my tie!

-How did it feel to be one

-of many famous people involved?

-Did being part of something so unique

-give you a bond of togetherness?

-It's always wonderful

-when artists in Wales join forces.

-Seeing people

-you haven't seen for ages...

-..means that a community

-is formed instantly.

-It's also a lot of fun.

-Welsh artists have come together

-on a few occasions since then...

-..but Dwylo Dros Y Mor

-was the largest gathering.

-We met in a snowy south Wales and

-it was an unforgettable experience.

-They filmed behind the scenes too.

-It must have been

-an innovative concept at the time.

-Yes, and I felt like a superstar

-being filmed leaving my car!

-It was as though

-Whitney Houston had arrived!

-I wasn't aware of the cameras,

-most of the time.

-After the break...

-..we'll hear about a remarkable man

-who influenced your musical career.

-Join us again in two minutes.

-# Remember #

-.

-888

-888

-

-888

-# Remember #

-Welcome back.

-I'm joined by singer,

-Linda Griffiths.

-Linda, let's talk about people who

-influenced and shaped your career.

-Elfed Lewys was important to you.

-Elfed Lewys was important to you.

-

-Yes, that's certainly true.

-I wouldn't be sitting here talking

-to you if it wasn't for Elfed.

-He heard me sing at a YFC eisteddfod

-when I was 14 years old.

-He decided I could be a folk singer

-and he became my singing teacher.

-He took a real interest in me

-and that gave me great confidence.

-He told me I had a good voice

-and I should sing solos.

-That wasn't something

-I had previously done.

-Here is Elfed Lewys

-talking to Gwyn Erfyl...

-..in a documentary filmed in 1970.

-We return to Penllys,

-past the gate which leads to Dolwar.

-Llanfyllin is the nearest town.

-The secondary school

-for the rural children is here.

-Such towns are all quite similar -

-anglicized and without character...

-..but including

-a nucleus of staunch Welsh speakers.

-This is the area

-in which we find Aelwyd Penllys.

-Its founder will tell us about it.

-His name is Elfed Lewys

-and he's a rather unusual minister.

-I asked him

-how Aelwyd Penllys was established.

-A nucleus of people

-in Penllys and Gad...

-..had a tradition

-of holding small eisteddfodau.

-Traditionally, the people of this

-part of Wales are rather shy...

-.. but they seem to flourish when

-they step onto a stage to entertain.

-Yes, a group of people joined us

-about three years ago.

-Many of them had never even

-taken part in local eisteddfodau.

-We then organized a noson lawen,

-or an evening of entertainment.

-That grew and grew until we put on

-a noson lawen in Carmarthen.

-# Siani and me in the covered wagon

-# Fun at the May Day fair #

-From where do they all come?

-They come from Pontllogail,

-Dolanog, Pontrobert...

-..Llanfihangel, Penllys and Gad.

-Have you reached

-your full potential?

-It depends

-what is meant by full potential.

-Every rural area sees

-an ebb and flow of young people.

-A group of people

-will reach a peak together...

-..and then,

-another group will replace them.

-# And the enduring love #

-Elfed

-was highly influential in your life.

-Yes, hearing Elfed's voice

-brings back many memories for me.

-I have so many happy memories

-of my time with Penllys.

-Elfed died far too young

-and very suddenly.

-Like many other people...

-..I feel I never had

-the opportunity to thank him.

-My debt to him is enormous.

-He filled me with confidence

-and he told me I could do it.

-He did that for the youngsters

-of the Penllys area.

-As we saw in that clip,

-he was a unique character.

-He had long hair.

-Ministers simply didn't have

-long hair, in those days!

-There was nobody like Elfed.

-He wore bright shirts.

-He was a one-off.

-In Montgomeryshire,

-there's a marked difference...

-..between the pre-Elfed period

-and post-Elfed period.

-He had a huge influence in Penllys

-and Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa.

-Just seeing him there

-brought it all back to me.

-I feel very emotional.

-Next, we'll hear Elfed Lewys's lyrics

-in the song Does Dim Dwr.

-# The village of Llanfihangel

-has no water

-# Has no water

-# The farm, the shop and the school

-# Have no water

-# Should the children of the village

-# Take a tumble at playtime

-# They must wait until they get home

-# To get some water

-# To get some water

-# To wash their dirty knees

-# There is no water

-# The people

-of the city of Liverpool

-# Must have water

-# Must have water

-# If they ran out,

-there would be trouble

-# If they had no water

-# And so the village of Llanwddyn

-was drowned

-# Ten farms and eighteen crofts

-# And the Welsh

-were so grateful to them

-# For taking their water

-# For taking their water

-# Although the village

-of Llanfihangel

-# Has no water #

-Those words

-were dripping with irony!

-Yes.

-The village of Llanfihangel is

-around ten miles from Lake Vyrnwy...

-..but the water went to Liverpool.

-Llanfihangel was very late

-getting a water supply.

-Elfed saw the irony

-in the situation...

-..and he took his chance to write

-those tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

-He wrote them for Aelwyd Penllys

-to a traditional Plygain tune.

-Plethyn recorded the song later.

-When Elfed moved to Pembrokeshire

-from Montgomeryshire...

-..the people of Pembrokeshire

-sang the same Plygain music...

-..with lyrics

-written in the local dialect.

-Wherever Elfed went,

-he liked to have fun...

-..and wrote about local events.

-You've now passed on the singing

-tradition to your three daughters.

-Yes, I have three girls.

-Mari is only 14

-and too young to sing with us...

-..but Lisa is 21 and Gwenno is 18.

-They've been singing harmony

-with me recently.

-They sang on my latest CD

-and it was a lot of fun.

-I hope it's something

-we'll continue to enjoy together.

-Do you cast aside the

-mother and daughter relationship...

-..and turn it

-into something more professional?

-No, they tend

-to point out my mistakes to me!

-They're far more musical than me,

-they know the theory but I don't.

-They tell me how it should be done.

-Teaching one's grandmother

-to suck eggs, maybe!

-We have a great relationship

-so I'm very lucky in that sense.

-You requested the next clip.

-There are certain events

-so memorable...

-..that a person remembers

-where at that time.

-This is Edward H Dafis's

-final farewell concert in Corwen.

-You know exactly where you were

-because you were there!

-# Cutie, cutie,

-where are you going?

-# Cutie, cutie,

-can I be your friend?

-# Happy, shapely, pretty baby!

-You're game for anything

-# Cutie, cutie,

-what about me?

-# Bap-bap! Shoobedo whap-whap!

-# Cutie, cutie,

-may I love you?

-# Bap-bap! Shoobedo whap-whap!

-# Happy, shapely, cute baby!

-You're game for anything

-# We can lie on my comfy sofa

-# And make love all over the house

-# Make love all over the house.

-Yes, you and me #

-Come on, cutie!

-# We can lie on my comfy sofa

-# And make love all over the house

-# Make love all over the house.

-Yes - you and me

-# Cutie, cutie,

-where are you going?

-# Bap-bap! Shoobedo whap-whap!

-# Cutie, cutie,

-can I be your friend?

-# Bap-bap! Shoobedo whap-whap!

-# Happy, shapely, cute baby!

-You're sweeter than honey #

-You left Linda Plethyn at the door

-and became Linda the teeny bopper!

-I was worried you'd have footage

-of me on someone's shoulders!

-That brought back

-some fantastic memories.

-They were my heroes

-when I was a teenager.

-We followed them

-all over the country.

-Edward H Dafis's gigs

-were very special events.

-No-one can beat them.

-They were the Welsh supergroup.

-As you saw there,

-everyone went wild when they played.

-What's great for me...

-..is that I got to know the lads

-who were in the band...

-..and got a chance

-to sing with them.

-It's been fantastic.

-I never imagined

-I'd have the chance to do that.

-Linda, thank you for your company.

-That's all, until next time.

-Goodnight.

-# Remember

-# Remember #

-S4C subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf