Songs For Smithfield

Songs For Smithfield was my final project as the first ever trainee in the Engagement Team at the London Museum. We started by building a youth network of nine creative young Londoners. I collaborated with sound artist and researcher Hannah Kemp-Welch on two workshops for the group. Together with the young creatives we developed lyric ideas, field recordings and vox pops in Smithfield, London. I incorporated this material into two songs that I composed based on area themes. The project culminated in a listening event at London Museum Studios on 4 June 2026.

All finished lyrics, arrangements, engineering and mixing by Edward Campbell © 2026.

Songs for Smithfield created for London Museum 2026. Photos Courtesy of Jasmine Sandhu, Khadija Saye Photography Fellow 2025-26.

Song One - Ballad of The Smithfield Pigeon

The first song in the collection is a Pop/Rock ballad on the theme of nature and the first verse is written from the perspective of a Smithfield pigeon. The lyrics go on to talk a bit about the history of Smithfield. My brother Arthur sang backup on the final verse and chorus.

Song Two - Smithfield Museum Blues

The second song is a spoken Blues song which goes into more detail about the history of Smithfield but also Smithfield’s new, big and exciting chapter: the opening of the new London Museum later this year. This song also features another vocalist, my friend Lilian Chan, who sings the repeating line ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee’, found on a plaque on a street in Smithfield.

Song Three - Real Time, Past Time, Our Time

This third song is about the community connections built in Smithfield as an area of both work and leisure. It celebrates how the new London Museum will bring many new people to the area. The song starts as a ballad and evolves into an up-tempo Rock anthem. My guitarist friend Scipio Mosley plays the bluesy fills during the Rock section.