Colour in Black and White is a year-long series of songs and short videos by Richard J Norris, created as an unfolding portrait of life’s quiet moments. Each track stands on its own — simple, melodic, and human — yet together they form a larger story about noticing the world as it changes. The songs will be written and recorded each month and will come together as an album at the end of the year.
The project blends acoustic songwriting with cinematic, handmade visuals filmed across countryside, towns, and intimate interiors. In collaboration with vocalist Alan Harvey and a rotating ensemble of brass, guitar, and voices, each month introduces a new song and short video — some reflective, some playful, all connected by a thread of observation and light.
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2 - America
This track was a fun challenge to write an offshoot of the Kenny Rogers song, You had to be there. The original song is about a son in prison whos estranged father turns up and the son reacts. My version is more angled from the perspective of the father turning up after all these years.