Songs With The Word Grass In The Title

As we've recently added artificial grass to our product offerings, we thought we'd have a bit of fun compiling a list of songs with the word grass in the title.

Not in the lyrics as there'd be far too many and although an occasional one may have slipped through, not in the sense of the UK slang for marijuana or someone who tells about the bad deeds of another (also known as a snitch).

Grass Songs

What we found was that perhaps not surprisingly, grass is an extremly popular theme in country music, but also in soul, R&B and hip hop, etc..

Note, some songs may have many covers, but we've only included the major ones below.

• Whispering Grass (Don't Tell The Trees) - The Ink Spots (1940)
• Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight - George Jones (1962)
• As Long As the Grass Shall Grow - Johnny Cash (1964)
• The Green, Green Grass of Home - Tom Jones (1967)
• Night of the Long Grass - The Troggs (1967)
• Walking On New Grass - Del Reeves and Bobby Goldsboro (1967)
• Grazing In The Grass - Hugh Masekela (1968)
• When the Grass Grows Over Me - Conway Twitty (1969)
• And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind - Neil Diamond (1969)
• Grazing In The Grass - Friends Of Distinction (1969)
• Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You - Wilson Pickett (1970)
• The Grass (Will Sing For You) - The Three Degrees (1970s)
• The Green, Green Grass of Home - Elvis Presley (1975)
• Green Grass and High Tides - Outlaws (1975)
• Whispering Grass - Windsor Davies & Don Estelle (1975)
• XTC - Grass (1986)
• If Your Greener Grass Turns Blue - Linda Davis (1991)
• Snake in the Grass - Annihilator (1993)
• Sour Grass - Tiger Trap (1993)
• Tomorrow the Green Grass - Jayhawks (1995)
• Where the Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw (1997)
• Greener Grass - Nine Days (1998)
• The Grass Is Blue - Dolly Parton (1999)
• Buffalo Grass - Todd Rundgren (2000)
• The Grass Is Green - Nelly Furtado (2003)
• Green Grass - Tom Waits (2004)
• Snake In The Grass - The Black Angels (2008)
• Grass Is Always Greener - Ludacris (2015)
• Grass Ain't Greener - Chris Brown (2017)
• The Other Side (Greener Grass) - Funnel Vision (2018)
• Savannah Grass - Kes (2020)

Do you know of any more? Feel free to add them in the comments below.

Band With The Word Grass In The Title

So which one was our favourite? There's a couple of golden oldies in there, but if we're honest, we hadn't heard of some of them.

So, can we cheat and choose a band with the word grass in the title?

In which case, it would have to be Supergrass, as featured above.

Artificial Grass

Well, thanks for visiting. And if you do happen to live on the Fylde Coast in England, perhaps give us a call about an artificial lawn.

Soft and comfortable to walk on, just like the real thing, but without the maintenance.

 

Stamped Concrete Driveways, Thornton

More commonly known as pattern imprinted concrete, Northern Cobblestone have installed numerous stamped concrete garden paths, steps, patios and driveways in Thornton and the wider area.

With over 30 years experience in the paving industry, we operate throughout Lancashire and the North West, offering a long lasting quality product that will be the envy of your neighbours.

Driveway Installers, Thornton

Take a look below at some examples of our work:

If your driveway, paths or patio could do with a little TLC, why not give Northern Cobblestone a call?

Further Information

Visit the 'Driveways' page on our main website for more details.

Patterned Concrete Driveways, Fleetwood

Northern Cobblestone install patterned concrete driveways in Fleetwood and surrounding towns including Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys, Blackpool, Lytham and St Annes.

With over 30 years experience in the paving industry, we specialise in the creation of long lasting stamped concrete driveways, patios, paths and more, all finished to a high standard.

Quality Service

Throughout the installation, we will treat your property as though it were our own, removing all leftover materials and debris to leave you with a gleaming end result that will be the envy of your neighbours.

We use high quality materials and genuinely believe in a job well done.

Driveway Examples

Please take a look at a few examples of driveways we've installed in the area.

More photos are available on our website.

Pattern Imprinted Concrete vs Block Paving

Finally, if you've also been considering block paving for your project, first take a look at our website to find out why pattern imprinted concrete is a good alternative to block paving and indian stone.

Driveways Installers, Lytham St Annes

Northern Cobblestone are specialists in the installation of professional quality pattern imprinted concrete garden paths, patios and driveways in the Lytham St Annes area, including Ansdell and Fairhaven, Freckleton, Inskip, Moss Side, Warton, Weeton and Wrea Green.

Driveways, Paths and Patios, Lytham St Annes

Take a look below for some examples of our driveways, paths and patios:

 

When comparing pattern imprinted concrete and block paving, the former offers a number of benefits such as easy maintenance and durability over time.

So, why not give your home that wow factor with the kind of curb appeal that would make any neighbour green with envy?

Blackpool, Lancashire and the North West 

Based in Poulton-le-Fylde, Northern Cobblestone have many satisfied clients throughout Blackpool, Preston, Lancashire and the wider North West.

Imprinted Concrete Resealing / Refurbishment - Blackpool, Lancashire

Sometimes, even we at Northern Cobblestone are surprised at how good pattern imprinted concrete can look and how durable it can be when installed correctly.

The photos below show a driveway installed by us over 12 years ago and recently resealed.

Satisfied Customer

Both our Blackpool customer and ourselves were amazed at how good it looked. Like new after 12 years of use and the weather of the Lancashire coast!

You could easily be forgiven for thinking the above driveway in ashlar slate style was laid yesterday.

And all after a quick resealing.

Imprinted Concrete Resealing

As with the initial cost of an imprinted driveway, the cost of resealing is a fraction of the cost of resanding and / or resetting block paving or indian stone.

And barring excessively heavy impact damage or extreme localised subsidence, resealing should be the only maintenance a properly laid pattern imprinted driveway, path or patio should need.

Aside from occasionally sweeping and washing it obviously!

Third Party Repair and Resealing

If you have a stamped concrete driveway installed by a third party that you're not happy with or that is starting to look tired or worn, we may be able to help.

Call us for a quote in the Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster area for pattern imprinted concrete resealing, restoration and repair.

World's First Motor Racing Track

Spot the racetrack! Aerial view of what was Brooklands.

The world's first ever purpose built motor racing track was Brooklands, near Weybridge in Surrey, England.

Organised racing of vehicles fitted with an internal combustion engine (motor cars) had been taking place from as early as the 1880s, but they were along existing road networks or hastily converted (or not) horse race courses.

In Britain however, there was a strictly imposed 20mph speed limit on the roads, leading Hugh Locke-King to devise and build Brooklands.

Birth of the Motor Racing Circuit

Completed in 1907 at a cost of £16 million at today's prices, the initial intention was to build a simple road circuit.

However, the prospect of achieving ever higher speeds, whilst maintaining the greatest possible safety levels, led to the birth of the motor racing track as we know it.

It was quickly determined that the 2¾ mile pear-shaped circuit at Brooklands would need to be provided with two huge banked sections at nearly 30ft high and an additional finishing straight, thus increasing the total length of the track to 3¼ miles.

Concrete Race Track

The expense of an asphalt track and the complications involved in laying tarmacadam on the high banking made concrete the material of choice.

The construction method for the track surface, which was made up of 10ft wide strips of concrete, involved pouring Portland Cement over a six-inch bed of gravel.

During construction, diverting the River Wey became necessary and this led to another world first, namely the construction of a seven-arch bridge of reinforced concrete to carry the new track across the river. 

British Grand Prix

The first official race was held on the 6th July 1907 and attracted thousands of spectators.

With Britain's 20mph speed limit on all roads, no doubt the thrill of watching cars driven at high speed was very new and it became increasingly popular over the years.

Closed to racing during World War I, it became a centre for the construction, testing and supply of military aeroplanes.

Motor racing resumed in1920 and by 1926 Brooklands became the home of the British Grand Prix.

These two videos provide a fascinating insight into those early days of motorsport.

During World War II, the site was again used for military aircraft production and motor racing ceased for good.

Today, four major sections of the original concrete circuit still survive and there is now a museum telling the history of this unique heritage site.
 

Cowboy Builders?

As the above videos show (especially the reference to flying stones in the second one), over time the track suffered from uneven settlement along its entire length which led to a very bumpy ride.

Racing at speed not only involved steering a safe course round the cracks, but became a battle against the violent vibrations when crossing the increasingly uneven concrete joins.

One thing you can be sure of with an installation from Northern Cobblestone is that there won't be any cracks or subsidence.

All our pattern imprinted concrete driveways are laid on a suitable hardcore base and have fibre-mesh reinforcement, making them 25% harder than standard concrete.

In 2015, it was announced that Brooklands would receive a multi-million pound facelift to include restoration of the finishing straight. Let's hope their techniques have improved over the last century!

Driveways - Preston, Leyland and Chorley

If you live in the Preston area and are considering installing or replacing a driveway, garden path or patio this year, why not give Northern Cobblestone a call.

We are specialists in high quality patterned imprinted concrete with over 30 years experience in the paving industry.

Curb Appeal

There are a wealth of colours and styles to choose from, making it easy to select something that will suit your tastes and greatly enhance the exterior view of your home.

Driveways, Preston Area

Take a look below at some example driveway installations in Preston, Leyland and Chorley.

If you like what you see, please get in touch for a free no-obligation site survey and quotation.

Concrete Hardcore, Blackpool, Lancashire

Looking for concrete hardcore in the Blackpool or wider Lancashire area?

Many of the imprinted concrete driveways, patios and paths that we install are replacements for existing concrete coverings.

Hardcore

These are broken up and removed from site, resulting in large quantities of excess concrete hardcore, even after creating a suitable compacted hardcore base for the new installation.

If you require concrete hardcore for a large individual project or for business use, please contact Northern Cobblestone with your details.

Blackpool, Lancashire & North West

We install quality imprinted concrete solutions across Lancashire and the wider North West area including: Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Blackpool, Lytham, Kirkham, Garstang, Preston, Chorley, Leyland, Bispham, St Annes, Knott End-on-Sea and more.

Top Soil For Sale, Blackpool

Looking for "as dug" top soil in the Blackpool or wider Fylde Coast area?

As part of our driveway, paths and patios installations, we regularly need to remove existing lawns and gardens.

Top Soil

As you'd expect, this often includes large quantities of top soil, removed to make space for a suitable compacted hardcore base onto which to pour the concrete.

If you require top soil for a large individual project or for business use, please contact Northern Cobblestone with your details.

Fylde Coast, Lancashire & North West

We offer high quality pattern imprinted concrete installations across the Fylde Coast including Blackpool, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fleetwood, Thornton-Cleveleys, St Annes, Lytham, Kirkham and Knott-End.

We also operate throughout Lancashire and the wider North West area, including Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Blackpool, Lytham, Kirkham, Garstang, Preston, Chorley, Leyland, Bispham, and more!

Say It With Concrete!

Been traipsing all round Blackpool, Preston or Lancaster town centre all day?

Looking for that perfect gift for the special person in your life, but returned home empty-handed?

What about a new driveway?

Or patio? Or garden path? Or all three?

A pattern imprinted concrete driveway, path or patio from Northern Cobblestone would make a beautiful present for your beloved and for your home, adding both value and character.

Stunning and hard-wearing, each quality installtion is designed to your specification. You can choose from a wide range of style and colours and we'll help you to find the one that perfectly complements your property.

We also offer landscaping services for a complete overhaul of your garden.

So, why not replace that tired old driveway in 2015? Give us a call for a no-obligation quotation and make somebody happy this Christmas.

Curb Appeal

Beware though. It might make you unpopular with your neighbours when their partners ask for one next year...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Driveway Installers, Blackpool

Do a search in Google for "Driveways Blackpool" and you'll get a long list of installers, both local and from far afield.

But who do you choose?

A new driveway is a big decision and one you may only make once or twice in the lifetime of a property, so it is important to get it right.

Quality and Service

With over 30 years experience in the paving industry, Northern Cobblestone are specialists in the installation of high quality pattern imprinted concrete driveways, paths, patios and more.

We take a genuine pride in a job well done and use long lasting quality materials to ensure a good return on your investment.

Throughout the project, we'll treat your property as though it were our own. All debris, rubbish and leftover materials will be taken away, leaving you with a beautiful new driveway, path or patio ready for use.

And if you're looking to completely overhaul your outside space, we can provide landscaping and drainage services, thus meaning you only need to deal with one company throughout.

You can also have peace of mind knowing we're fully insured and all work carries a 5 year guarantee.

An Investment

With driveways, as ever in life, you get what you pay for. We freely admit we're not the cheapest out there, but we always try to be the best!

Done properly, a new driveway can add value to your home and will last for years, so why risk a less than ideal solution for the sake of a relatively small saving?

Wealth of Choice

Pattern imprinted concrete offers true flexibility to design something unique to your home and we treat every project individually.

There are over 100 beautiful textured designs and patterns, with a wide selection of fade free colours to choose from, so the possible solutions are endless.

Why not call Northern Cobblestone today for a site visit and a no obligation quote!

Imprinted Concrete Driveways, Lytham St Annes

Northern Cobblestone are specialists in the installation of pattern imprinted concrete driveways, paths, steps, patios, ramps and more.

With dozens of styles and colours to choose from, we offer a high quality finish that will be the envy of your neighbours.

Easy Maintenance

Pattern imprinted concrete is a hard wearing, long lasting alternative to block paving and indian stone, with the added benefit that it requires far less maintenance.

Unlike paving, it is not prone to sinking, doesn't require regular re-sanding and offers very little opportunity for weeds to gain a foothold.

Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

Why not visit our website for examples of our installations of pattern imprinted concrete paths, patios and driveways in Lytham St Annes and surrounding towns, including Kirkham, Garstang, Preston and Chorley.
We're based on the Fylde Coast and have satisfied customers throughout Lancashire!

Concrete Jokes

Okay, it's April Fools' Day here in the UK, so why not kick off the month with a couple of concrete jokes? And when we say a couple, we mean it.

Here goes:

Two fish swim into a concrete wall.
One turns to the other and says, "Dam!"

And:

How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
Easy! Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Yes, we can hear the groans from here, but it isn't easy finding jokes with the word "concrete" in them. And "concrete driveways"? Forget it!

If you know any better ones though, why not add them below?

Amusing Concrete Video

Not really related to pattern imprinted driveways, paths or patios, but we thought we'd share a funny video involving a concrete mixer driver who arrives home to find a shiny new car parked on his driveway:

Enjoy!

World's Tallest Staircase

Licensed under Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

The world’s tallest staircase (or longest stairway if you prefer) is located in the Swiss Alps, laid into the hillside of the Niesen Mountain, a name which literally translates as ‘sneeze’ in German - perhaps because its unusual pyramid shape resembles a nose?

Starting approximately 693 metres up the 2,362 metre mountain, the staircase comprises of 11,674 steps, which reach a total height of 1,669 metres (5,476 feet).

History

It was created as a service and maintenance route for engineers and staff working on the Niesenbahn Funicular Railway, which takes visitors to the summit of the mountain to take in its breathtaking views.

The staircase was completed in 1910 and comprised of a variety of wood, metal, stone and concrete steps, themselves maintained and replaced by the staff who manage the railway.

Niesen Staircase Run

In 1990, some bright spark came up with the idea of a race up the stairs and the annual Niesen Staircase Run was born.

Normally off limits, once a year the staircase is opened to the public allowing participants access to the steps, many of which are now protected by a metal staircase overlaying the original.

The fastest runner so far has completed the course in just under one hour!

A Paver's Dream?

Although Northern Cobblestone normally only operate around Lancashire and the wider North West of England, we wouldn't mind the contract to renew the steps in pattern imprinted concrete.

One things for sure though. We won't be running up there. We'll probably wait for the train!

Did the Mafia ever use Concrete Shoes?

Or concrete wellies, boots or overcoats for that matter? It is an image we're all familiar with from TV, films and books, but is there any truth in it?

The Last Shoes You’ll Ever Need

In episode 295 of The Simpsons, Fat Tony, the resident Mafia boss, is seen pouring cement into a bucket around the feet of a nervous looking man while a pair of goons observe.

Above Fat Tony’s head, a sign informs us that he is selling cement shoes, touted to be ‘the last shoes you’ll ever need’.

Season two, episode 17 of Star Trek: The Original Series, has an irate (when wasn’t he irate?) Scotty threatening a 1930s mobster with a pair of ‘concrete galoshes’.

Meanwhile, the 2006 short film featuring Dylan Moran, Tell it to the Fishes, involves a pair of gangsters, whose feet are encased in concrete, arguing on the beach at low tide.

Sleeping With the Fishes

If there’s a link between these depictions of the infamous ‘concrete wellies’, it’s the use of the image for entertainment purposes.

Nobody in The Sopranos was thrown off a bridge with their feet encased in concrete.

Likewise, The Godfather might have featured the line ‘sleeping with the fishes’ but Don Corleone never poured cement around his enemies’ feet, waiting a day for the mix to cure before taking a leisurely drive to the nearest pier and dumping them over the edge.

Mafia godfathers are business men (albeit with guns).  He’d never have allowed that sort of slack in the system!

Cement Overcoat

The entire premise of concrete shoes, or cement overcoats, arose after a couple of sensationalist stories printed in America in 1935.

There was talk of hits involving encasement in cement or, as in the Simpsons parody, someone standing in a tub of cement while it hardened so that they could be thrown into the sea.

No evidence of these murders was ever found, but that didn’t stop the idea spreading into popular culture, and in particular to the minds of writers of crime spoofs and parodies.

A Glimmer of Truth

Historically, there has long been a tradition of weighting down bodies, alive or dead, to ensure death or disposal.

In the age of sail, cannonballs were tied to the feet of deceased crew to ensure their bodies sank to the sea bed.

During the Reformation, Anabaptists were sewn into sacks with bricks and thrown into rivers or lakes.

Over the years, many bodies have been discovered weighted down in some way, with heavy chains or concrete blocks attached to them, including some Mafia hits, but never where the victim's body was in any way encased in the concrete itself.

Unless, of course, they do it so efficiently that the evidence has never surfaced (no pun intended!).

Nuisance Footprints

So, concrete wellies remain the stuff of fiction, for the most part.  But shoes and wet concrete are two things better kept apart as separating footwear and concrete can require specialist tools:

As you'd expect Northern Cobblestone are careful to ensure that driveways are protected whilst they set, giving you access to your property, but ensuring that the only imprints left are ones from our extensive range of styles and colours!

Concrete Driveways, Blackpool

The seaside resort of Blackpool in Lancashire is famous for many things, including Blackpool Tower, the Illuminations, Pleasure Beach and three piers overlooking it's expansive sandy beaches.

Perhaps lesser known, is that it is also right next door to Northern Cobblestone, specialists in pattern imprinted concrete based in neighbouring Poulton-le-Fylde.

Driveway Installers, Blackpool

With over 30 years paving experience, Northern Cobblestone have installed hundreds of miles of driveways, paths, patios and more in Blackpool and the wider North West.

Take a look below at a few recent examples:

If you live in the Blackpool area and would like an attractive low maintenance replacement for your tired old driveway, why not contact Northern Cobblestone for a quote?

More Photos

Take a look at the Driveways Blackpool page on our website for more examples of our stamped concrete installations.

Origins of the Word Concrete

When we say the word concrete today, the first image that jumps to mind is probably that of the well-known rather solid construction material, but has that always been the case?

Well, that has been the most common English use of the word since the renaissance of concrete in the building industry in the late 19th century.

Prior to that however, the earliest English uses of the word concrete were far more likely to relate to the fields of alchemy, philosophy or chemistry.

You Say Concrete, I Say Concrētus

Like many words, concrete has its origins in Latin, the language of English academics since the French language infiltrated Anglo Saxon following the Norman invasion of 1066.

When it first turned up in written text, in 1471, it defined something which had grown together. In 1536, H Latimer described, in a written sermon, "A thing concrete, heaped up and made of all kinds of mischief."

This was a direct translation of the Latin con (together) and crēscere (grow) or rather the past participle concrētus (grown together).

Con appears frequently elsewhere in English with the same meaning of coming together. Think congregation, concoction, concur and conflict. Plus, it is the Italian word for "with". 

Concrete Facts

A hundred years on in the 17th century, academics started referring to things which were concrete to separate them from more abstract ideas.

Hence we have concrete numbers and concrete nouns.  In this instance, the word concrete refers to something real, something that can be observed, so a concrete number would be three stones or seven trowels rather than the abstract numbers 3 or 7, which aren’t counting anything you can see.

A concrete term also refers to something observable, so a fool is a concrete term but foolishness is not because you can’t see foolishness.

A Word of Substance

You might be forgiven for thinking that this latter use of concrete, as something that’s real and observable, is related to the rock hard material we use for our driveways.

After all, it’s heavy and there’s no denying its existence, as anyone who has dropped a bag of it on their toes will confirm.

But of course, concrete is an aggregate of various materials bonded together and therefore the literal Latin translation grown together applies.


In fact, the Romans used concrētus extensively as a building material (see Long Lasting Concrete). The name and the building material were simply lost to us and then re-discovered.

Regula Imprimitur Concretis

If the convoluted history of the English language is too confusing, the same can’t be said for Northern Cobblestone’s regula imprimitur concretis (or pattern imprinted concrete).

A simple coming together of style and technique, gracing properties across Lancashire and the North West!

Beware: Wet Concrete!

No, not freshly laid concrete, but rather a heralding of the coming Autumn and its associated weather front.

Yes folks, the weather in Lancashire and the rest of the UK has certainly changed from the lovely heatwave we were all enjoying.

Wet Look Concrete Driveway Photos

Given the awful weather, we thought why not upload a few that show how lovely pattern imprinted concrete can look when it's wet.

Take a look at these examples:

See, a pattern imprinted concrete driveway, path or patio from Northern Cobblestone will compliment your property, even after a rain storm!

Not Too Late!

If you like what you see and live in Blackpool, Preston, Lancaster or surrounding areas, there's still time to get yourself a lovely new driveway before the end of the year.

That way, it will be ready and waiting for next year's hoped for heatwave!

Driveway Installers, Preston

Operating in Preston, Lancashire and the wider North West area, Northern Cobblestone are driveway installers specialising in pattern imprinted concrete.

We believe in a quality finished product designed to suit your individual tastes and give your property a wow factor that will be the envy of your neighbours.

In addition to driveways, paths, patios, steps and other paving features, we also offer comprehensive drainage and hard landscaping services, meaning you'll only deal with one person from start to finish. No need to juggle several different contractors at once.

Please take a look at the installation below for a customer in the Chorley area, just south of Preston:

If you like what you see, please visit the Driveways Preston page on our main website for more information and to request a quote.