‘Dives and Lazarus’ may seem like an odd song to look at in early April, given that it’s commonly thought of as a carol. But that’s the nature of The Old Songs Podcast. If the guest wants to discuss Christmas carols in April, then who am I to question their motives?

It’s another unusual episode, recorded in the confines of coronavirus lockdown. My guest today is one of my favourite natterers – a man who could talk the folkie legs off Martin Carthy’s donkey, and also one of the chaps who helped me come up with the concept for this podcast. You heard him on the very first episode, in fact. It’s Nick Hart, broadcasting to you from what sounds like the rather rapid descent into utter madness. We’ll get on to that shortly. 

What’s lovely about ‘Dives and Lazarus’, or Roud 477 to give it its official number, is that it also gives us the chance to explore how these old traditional songs influenced a generation of classical composers, not least Ralph Vaughan Williams. And that’s not somewhere I think we’ve been before. 

So, without further ado, let’s get stuck in by opening a window onto the technical difficulties involved in recording a podcast in two different regions while under lockdown, not to mention the subtle art of synchronised clapping. You’ll see what I mean.