I've Been Everywhere...on the Tyne & Wear Metro: A country classic spin which name checks every stop

Jonny Blair was in the audience for a performance of the North East's take on a country music classic - renamed I've Been Everywhere Man

"I've been to Wallsend, West Jesmond, Monkseaton, Sunderland, Byker, Longbenton, Walkergate, Howden...Seaburn, Pallion."

Name checked. Every station on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

The North East re-working of country classic I've Been Everywhere was performed by the Tyneside Mandolin Orchestra at Jesmond Station for commuters on Monday (19 August).The original song lists different places the singer has been while this one, renamed I've Been Everywhere Man, includes all 60 Metro stops.It was the brainchild of Tom Cronin, from Tyneside Mandolin Orchestra, who felt compelled to sing about the places he had been, on the Metro system.

The song was performed by the Tyneside Mandolin Orchestra at Jesmond Station on Monday. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

"A few years ago now I decided to do the song I've Been Everywhere Man but try to get every Metro station in the Tyne and Wear district into that song," he told ITV Tyne Tees.

"I really like the song, it's a good fun song. I like the Johnny Cash version but I've never been to any of the places Johnny Cash sings about whereas I've been to quite a few of these Metro stations."

Gone are the likes of Reno, Chicago, Fargo and Minnesota and in their place are Fellgate, Regent Centre and Airport.

David Punton, from Metro operator Nexus, said: "The way that they have crammed in all sixty stations into the lyrics is really clever, really playful. We love it."While the orchestra has been playing it for a while, they had never played it on the network before.

"It was great, said Tom Archbold, one of the musicians. "Really good. It's a joy when we play it. It's a good place to play to get us out to the public."

The group, and its mandolin revival, appear to be going from strength to strength.Orchestra member Debbie Little added: "Music for me has always been about community. It's getting bigger and bigger and it's still going strong."

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