Heritage

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Origin: St. John's, Newfoundland
Biography:

Heritage released this fabulous example of Newfandlandia in 1975 on their own private label, Heritage H.T. 0100. It was recorded by Jack Windsor at Echo Recording Studio, St. John's, Newfoundland. The album features nine compositions, all written by Willie Arsenault.

Rub-A-Rub-Dub is an album about Newfoundland with new and original songs about all parts of the island from St. John's to Port aux Basques. The album represents the progress made during the past year by Heritage, a unique combination of three medical students from Memorial University, Newfoundland - Willie Arsenault, Harold Crewe and Phil Simms. They came together by accident in February, 1974 in order to sing "Rub-A-Dub-Dub", Willie's entry in the Confederation Song Contest, held to celebrate Newfoundland's 25th anniversary of Confederation. The song captured the imagination of Newfoundlander's and encouraged the boys to continue singing and developing original Newfoundland music.

Harold Crewe, "sizzling strings from Port aux Basques", with his instrumentation on 6 and 12 string Gibson, and his close off harmony vocals, provides a unique background for many of the songs on the album, especially "Twillingate Island". Harold is another of the many Port-aux Basques musicians brought up on "good ole rock and roll" and brings a wealth of talent to the Group.

Phil Simms, tall and steady on electric base, resides in St. John's and has been playing with local groups for a number of years. Using his varied background and experience in amplification systems, his talents include the adjustment and quality of the sound control used by the Group.

Willie Arsenault is the dynamic driving force and lead singer of the Group. He has written and composed all of the songs on the album with the exception of "Goin' Down the Road" - which is an alteration of a song by Bruce Cockburn. Willie resides in Kelligres, Conception Bay and if you ask him where he's from he'll probably reply - "I'm from my mother - and she's from St. Jacques, Newfoundland.

Willie began singing in school and church choirs back in the days when his voice was changing, and then graduated to clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone. In early University he learned to play guitar and began writing and singing his own music. He has fond memories of associations with many groups and performers including Ken Tobias, who is presently establishing himself on Canadian Pop Charts.

I have known Willie for over 10 tears and he has always been at home with a group singing songs and strumming his guitar. His knack for writing is unique as is his style of performing. The songs he has written on this album are about real people - from Holyrood, Conception Harbour and Harbour Grace, from Gander and Twillingate Island, from Fortune Bay to Corner Brook - this album has a song for everyone."
-John J. Rowe, Holyrood, Newfoundland

Willie Arsenault continued his enrichment of Newfoundland arts and culture when he joined up with Nick Kennedy, Cec Fry, Ron Harvey, Rick Burt, and Mike Willcott to form "Labrador Black Spruce" in 1990. The band was named after The Black Spruce Tree which is common to nearly all of Labrador. The band researched and sung traditional music and poems of Labrador. They released two albums: "Love of the Land" on cassette on CBC RDRC-272 in 1992; and "Ashuanipi Wish" in 1995. The Best of Labrador Black Spruce was released in 2005.

Willie Arsenault: lead vocals, guitar
Harold Crewe: twelve-string guitar, guitar, harmony vocals
Phil Simms: bass

Recorded at Echo Studio, St. John's, Newfoundland by Jack Winsor

Holyrood Song
If you come a-ramblin' 'round Newfoundland shore,
Ya oughta come knockin' on Holyrood's door;
You'll meet some fine people,
they'll bid ya good day,
Take ya into the parlour for a fine cup o' tay.

Down in Holyrood where the squid-jiggin's good,
And the oil refinery's a-hummin' away;
The flame from The Eagle, the cross up the hill,
The prettiest picture in Conception Bay.

Ah, dear, dear Art Hines, sir, how do you do?
How's days for other Jim and ol' Tommy, too?
Well, he says that they're fine
and they're all in good cheer,
Come into the kitchen for a bottle o' beer.

While into the kitchen our voices did sing,
The songs of the island our voices did bring;
The Squid-Jiggin' Ground, sir, was fiddled in time,
When Dickie jumped up, sang a Salmonier rhyme.

Down in Holyrood where the squid-jiggin's good,
And the oil refinery's a-hummin' away;
The flame from The Eagle, the cross up the hill,
The prettiest picture in Conception Bay.

Saint Cecil's the man with the grocery store,
Got the North's finest people,
both rich and both poor;
Your prices are fair, sir, so what am I bid?
Say, one pound of caplin for two pounds of squid.

So, that night I can dance to the ol' Velvet Horn,
Where Wilt Doyle was playin' before I was born;
Then down to Will Geary's before it burned down,
To round out me night down in Holyrood town.

Down in Holyrood where the squid-jiggin's good,
And the oil refinery's a-hummin' away;
The flame from The Eagle, the cross up the hill,
The prettiest picture in Conception Bay.

So, if you come a-ramblin'
'round Newfoundland shore,
Ya oughta come knockin' on Holyrood's door;
You'll meet some fine people,
they'll bid ya good day,
Take ya into the parlour for a fine cup o' tay.