Sir Patrick Moore lends his voice to cosmic-folk single 'Glittering Sky'

(Rex Features)

The Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore, aged 88, has collaborated on a new cosmic-folk single, "Glittering Sky". He contributes a voiceover to the Northumbrian musician Carl Cape's song, about why stars twinkle.

He speaks the lyrics to the first three verses of the song – "I can see a million stars/ Luminous, shimmering high/ I can see a million stars/ Way up in the glittering sky". Then over the chorus he adds: "If a flying saucer landed in my garden and a little green man came out, what would I say? I would say: good afternoon, tea or coffee? Please come with me to the nearest television studio!"

Moore, who previously played the xylophone on Morecambe and Wise, has also composed operettas on the piano.

"When Carl asked me to contribute some words to his music I was delighted to oblige."

The song was inspired by the Plough constellation over the Cheviot Hills and moors in Northumberland, where musician Cape lives. He invited Moore to do a voiceover, after interviewing him for community radio.

Working with Moore was "great fun," according to Cape. "As a musician, it seemed logical to ask him to contribute some of his wisdom to this song." Moore refers to the song as a "harmless racket". "I think he's referring to the huge sound of the Led Zeppelin-style drumming of the track; we really had to keep those drums and the dub bass on the song," adds Cape.

"Glittering Sky" is out on Chevstar Records (www.chevstar.com)