Settle is an ancient market town which is now a centre for tourism and famous for the Settle to Carlisle railway. Choir member, Sue Mackay has written new words to the tune of The Waterwheel by Paul Wilson to highlight this aspect of life in Settle. 'A Picture of Settle' is designed to be sung as a round.

The building of the Settle-Carlisle railway has inspired many songwriters to record the heroic feat of engineering a railway line over wild and difficult terrain in 1869. We have selected Mike Donald's song 'Settle-Carlisle Railway' which tells the navvies' story and Janet Russell, the group's singing coach, has written some harmonies to adapt the song for performance by a choir rather than solo voice.

Agriculture has been the mainstay in this rural area so we have chosen as our focus three songs which chronicle aspects of farming life. The first two are based on poems written by Dr Margaret Buckle who lived in Giggleswick, the neighbouring community to Settle, until her death. 'Craven Farms' celebrates the places name of the farms around the Dales. The poem has been set to music written by Pat Smith of Settle Voices who is also a long time resident of Giggleswick. 'The Shepherd' also by Dr Buckle has been set to the hymn tune St Alkelda, which is very apt as this is the name of the parish church in Giggleswick. The hymn tune was arranged in 1904 by R Barrett Watson. The Yorkshire Horsedealers is a traditional song which tells of two Yorkshire men trying to outwit each other over a trade. The song has been arranged for the choir with harmonies written by Janet Russell.

The textile industry has its roots in the Dales from the beginnings of water-powered mills. We remember the lives of the mill workers in the song 'Little Piecer' which is based on a poem by Gordon Allen North. It is also familiar to singers on the folk scene as 'Buzzer's Blowin'.

Yorkshire is famous for its field boundaries made from dry stone walls. Choir member Pip Grimes has written a song 'The Dry Stone Wallers' to give voice to the men who over centuries have toiled to create these walls. The tune has been notated by Janet Russell, arranged by another choir member Betty O'Malley.

Other songs we sing are: 'A Song of The Yorkshire Dales' which tells of the many charms of Yorkshire. 'Lord George' which tells of the introduction of the old age pension and the difference it made to ordinary people's lives. 'Shooting a Fox at Christmas 1915 ' a poem by Jill Gill about a fox that defied death. 'Tarry Wool' an old Dale's song about the wool, the sheep and the shepherds which used to be sung at sheep shearings and the feasts which followed. 'The Old Miner' Song based on a traditional arrangement by Barry Coope.