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  • Get the CD album and the book for a bargain bundle price of £20.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bumper Book of Mystery Stories via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      £20 GBP or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Packaged in a gorgeous deluxe cross-shaped digipak, with ten panels of beautiful artwork finely crafted by Sarah Joy (Random Panda) and with full album lyrics, credits and sleeve notes in a 24 page booklet. This is the version of the album you need to have!

    Pre order now for delivery on or around July the 7th
    Images show a mockup of the artwork.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bumper Book of Mystery Stories via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      £12 GBP or more 

     

  • Book/Magazine

    CLIMB ABOARD THE GHOST TRAIN…

    …where each stop will bring you to a new, terrifying tall tale.

    Medical premonitions… vivid dreams… a musical instrument which renders its listeners catatonic… a curious invention capable of changing your thoughts… mysterious connections between the past and the future…

    The fourteen short stories within these pages have been lovingly crafted by the members of I Am The Manic Whale to accompany the Bumper Book Of Mystery Stories album. Some are inspired by folklore and historic events; others are so fantastical that they can surely only be true… together they form a brand new compendium of mind-bending mystery accompanied, of course, by just a small drop of humour.

    Join us - allow your very face to be startled and your mind befuddled at every engaging turn on a thrill ride where laughs, goosebumps, shudders - and perhaps the occasional nightmare - come fully guaranteed.

    200 page paperback book containing 16 short stories written by the band.

    -Not final artwork-     ... more
    ships out within 3 days

      £10 GBP or more 

     

  • T-Shirt/Shirt

    It's a lovely burgundy-coloured tee shirt with the album title logo emblazoned loudly across the front.
    You want one.
    YOU WANT ONE!

    Please note that our office team won't be able to post out tee shirts until Monday 7th of August due to holidays.
    ships out within 3 days

      £15 GBP

     

  • Chose a song that you like and a member of I Am The Manic Whale (to be allocated at random) will have a stab at recording you an acoustic style cover version of it. Song must be under 5 mins. We're not recreating all of Supper's Ready for you!

      £100 GBP or more 

     

  • One member of Manic Whale will chat with you on Zoom for up to 60 mins.
    If you like, we can offer you an instrumental lessons. Michael, Ben and John are all music teachers for realz.

      £100 GBP or more 

     

  • We will come to your house
    We will bring acoustic instruments (and keyboard)
    We will sing several songs
    We will go away again afterwards (we promise)
    If you are more than 100 miles away from London, could you drop us a message first?
    We might still be able to do the concert, but may need a bit more for travel costs.
    4 remaining

      £400 GBP or more 

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

  • Bumper Snare Head of Mystery Stories PRE ORDER

    Grab one of the snare drum heads used on the actual recording or I Am The Manic Whale's Bumper Book of Mystery Stories. 2 available. We will all sign it for you.

    Sold Out

  • Bumper sticks of mystery stories - PRE ORDER

    Get your hands on a pair of Manic Whale drum sticks that were used to record the Bumper Book of Mystery Stories. We will attempt to sign them for you, though drum sticks are quite small.

    Sold Out

about

This song is based on the folktale of the Pedlar of Swaffham, who was told in a dream to travel to London where he would meet a man who would make him rich. When he arrived he met a second dreamer who mocked him and told of a dream of a treasure buried under a tree in Swaffham. When the pedlar returned home he discovered the buried treasure in his own garden and used some of the money to fund the repair of the local church. Listen for the church organ and choir singing near the end of the song.

lyrics

How long did you stand upon that bridge
Wondering if what you saw was true?
How long did you know you’d have to wait
Before a second dreamer came to you?


Tired from many days you’d walked the road to the middle of London Town
(you’ve been standing there three days now)
He gave the clearest vision of the buried treasure he had found
In your Swaffham garden ground


Dreamer you’ve been walking so long on your own
Hope grows stronger still though you’re worn to the bone
Let the family laugh and the onlooker groan
There’s a dream that a fortune couldn’t buy


How long did you dig that flipping hole?
Did you think you’d finally lost your mind?
You’d walked every mile back home again from the middle of London Town
(didn’t even notice the miles)
Your backyard forever blessed the town that watched you following your dream
(following your dream)
You literally followed your dream!


Dreamer you’ve been digging so long on your own
Faith was stronger still though you’re worn to the bone
Let the family laugh and the onlooker groan
There’s a dream that a fortune couldn’t buy


Never take for granted the time you can afford
Look at all you’ve learned in the miles that you’ve toured
Now you’re home again to see its old glory restored
It’s a dream that a fortune couldn’t buy

Dream on my dreamer
And your dream came true
It’s a dream that a fortune couldn’t buy

credits

from Bumper Book of Mystery Stories, released July 7, 2023
Written by: John Murphy
Ben Hartley: drums, percussion & vocals, Michael Whiteman: bass, bass pedals & lead vocals, John Murphy: keyboards & vocals, David Addis: electric guitars, classical guitars & vocals

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I Am The Manic Whale Reading, UK

We are a progressive rock band from Reading & London, UK. 3rd album out now.

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