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‘I have been waiting for this for 20 years’ - Songwriter’s Yarmouth tune is a hit
Matthew Ceiley, whose song Yarmouth Town, has won wide applause Picture: Matthew Ceiley - Credit: Matthew Ceiley
For two decades Matthew Ceiley has been cheerfully writing songs for a small but appreciative audience mainly comprising family and friends.
But the 38-year-old’s latest offering has struck a chord with a much larger crowd, some 10,000 queuing up to listen to his nostalgic tune Yarmouth Town and applauding its misty-eyed sentiment.
“It has just gone mad,” he said. “I have been waiting for this for 20 years.”
The father-of-three estimates he has written around 200 songs, but only one other about his beloved home town.
Inspiration, he said, had come in the middle of the night when he crept downstairs and dashed off the lyrics in one go just as they were buzzing around in his head.
Matthew Ceiley, whose song Yarmouth Town, has won wide applause Picture: Matthew Ceiley - Credit: Matthew Ceiley
“The main sentiment is that it breaks my heart to see the town centre half empty and like a shell of what it was,” he said.
“But I see the love and passion of the people who care about it.
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“The people are good, so the town will be good.
“It must have started something up in me and it seems everybody has a similar feeling.
Matthew Ceiley with his wife Elizabeth and their three children Picture: Matthew Ceiley - Credit: Matthew Ceiley
“I am just happy that people are listening to my song. That means a lot to me because it is something I care about.”
Introducing the track to his followers on Facebook he said: “This is a new song called Yarmouth Town.
“The song is about my love for the town and how much it saddens me to see its decline.
“I have had some fantastic times in this town, hopefully the town will once again be great, so my children can have great memories too.”
The lyrics about the town looking sad and never seeming so bad are contrasted with flickering images of the fishing and holiday heyday when the riverside was busy with industry and the Golden Mile was crowded with funseekers.
Mr Ceiley, a support worker who also works at McColls, said he had been blown away by the response.
Pam Bullent said on Facebook: “Really enjoyed the song and your voice, and the video reminds me how lovely our town once was, sadly no more.”
Janine Layla Scott added: “Beautiful! And a bit like Rod Stewart! Absolutely love it! My home town was better years ago wish I had been born in a different era.”
