The song “Singing In My Soul” shows Hamish to have a great awareness of historical context, since it was first included on his 1999 debut album, *Picture In My Bag*. The production was carried out by Les Penning, who is best known for his collaborations with Mike Oldfield, and the recording has the warmth and authenticity of a performance that wasn’t intended to be smoothed out. The song was written and performed by Hamish when he was touring in New Zealand, and it then appeared on the country’s folk charts before being linked with a major television programme. Over more than twenty years since then, it still has the feel of a song designed to create a connection, with its melody and narrative at the heart of it.
The unusual location at which *Picture In My Bag* was recorded is one of the reasons for its distinctive character. Hamish and a number of local musicians met at Hatfield Court, a large and partly ruined mansion in Herefordshire, and recorded in an old drawing room lined with oak panels which had an antique wood-fired Aga in the centre. The method used was just as straightforward, consisting of Hamish first recording his guitar and vocals while the other musicians added their parts, such as bass, violin and saxophone played by Feliks Tobis. This kind of atmosphere has evidently become an integral part of the record; the song ‘Singing In My Soul’ has the atmosphere of musicians reacting to each other in a real room rather than in a piece-by-piece production carried out in isolation.
The reason why the song is so appropriate for being played again is that it relates to the musical values which Hamish has always had in his career. His sources of influence include such figures as Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen as well as Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and James Taylor, but what has consistently been his focus has been the combination of a powerful song with an unforgettable melody. “Singing In My Soul” reflects this approach without making it too complicated. It has been a favourite at weddings and other functions for many years, and since Hamish is finally getting ready to release *Significant Others* after 27 years, its reappearance is more than just a simple revisit of old material—it serves as a reminder of where the story started and of the reasons why these songs have remained with people.
“It seems that ‘Singing In My Soul’ was never trying to catch up with the moment; instead, it just kept singing on until the moment returned.”