Pamela Morgan has spent many years as one of Newfoundland's most influential artists. As the lead singer of Figgy Duff, Morgan established herself as a songwriter with a beautiful voice. When they disbanded in 1993 Morgan set out on a solo career. On On a Wing & a Prayer, Morgan carried on the same habit of combining Celtic and Newfoundland musical traditions that made Figgy Duff so popular.

The CD opens with "The Game," a song that makes you think you might be listening to a Clannad CD. "One Heart" has a Celtic-sounding melody with a haunting violin. "Heart of Darkness" and "A Woman's Touch" both take on a Middle Eastern feel with their melody. "Backseat" has a jazzier feel to it. "Broken Wing" has a sad sounding Celtic melody.

"Streets of the Night" and "Wish You Could Stay" are good examples of Pamela's ability to write haunting melodies combined with sad, mystical lyrics. She also does a nice version of "Blackwater Side," the CD's only traditional song. One of the most up-tempo tracks is "It Ain't Funny," a song about the fishing industry, which features a nice Celtic melody. The original songs were all written by Pamela and former Figgy Duff member Noel Dinn before his death in 1993.

On a Wing & a Prayer is a nice collection of original tunes from a talented songwriter with a beautiful voice. This combined with good production and nice arrangements make this an enjoyable CD.

- Rambles
written by Dave Townsend
published 14 June 2003

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